ABDC: BMW M4

The team assembled for motoring.com.au first ever Australia’s Best Driver’s Car (ABDC) were in regular (and heated) debate on myriad topics throughout the week. But in discussing the BMW M4’s road presence the praise was near-universal.

“It perfectly blends subtlety and menace” was a sentiment echoed by many, particularly with the tested vehicle finished in a pearlescent white and contrasting dark, deep-dish alloy wheels.

Where previous 3 Series-based M cars have been paragons of engine/chassis balance, the M4’s mighty turbocharged 3.0-litre six has skewed the ledger. Producing 317kW from 5500rpm (all the way through to 7300rpm), it may only best the previous 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 by 8kW, but it destroys it in torque -- 550Nm on tap from only 1850rpm, all the way to the commencement of the power peak. That’s 150Nm greater than its illustrious E90/E92 predecessor, and gives you a fair idea of what dominated the M4 drive experience in Tasmania.

Working in combination with the latest M-Differential and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which was praised for its immediacy and full manual shifting capability (although slow-speed creep was still evident), the turbocharged engine could dissolve the 275-section rear Michelins with little warning in drying, let alone wet, conditions. To reduce this tendency, several testers found that opting for ‘efficient’ engine mode gave improved traction, though at the expense of response.

Even in the dry, the line between hooked-up and hooking off remained fine, if you were greedy with the throttle.

What never lacked response was the front-end, which in conjunction with quick-reacting (though sadly bereft of feel) steering, meant the M4 could home in on an apex like few others… Once you learned to trust the grip was there.

There’s comfort, sport and sport+ steering settings for the wheel but that ultimate control feedback that should define a driver’s car (feel!) was sadly lacking, in any setting.

If the initial turn-in was pure M Car, it was when mid-corner bumps were introduced that the M4 would lose composure. The ride was roundly criticised for being too firm, even in ‘Comfort mode’ and especially at the rear (adding to the traction issue). Bumps other cars happily rode would have the Beemer ‘skipping’ over the surface.

You may be forming the impression that the various personalities afforded the M4 by the latest electronic systems actually hindered the BMW’s ranking, and you’d be right. One reviewer opined: “Find the right mode, it’s multiple choice… Why isn’t it set and forget?”

This echoed the opinion of others.

On smoother roads, where the inherent stiffness latent in the M4’s chassis was able to shine, it bit hard and resolutely held its line, allowing the driver to meter out the throttle to balance the torque/traction equation and create supreme speed. Likewise in faster, flowing corners, where a gentle initial steering input led to a flat stance and big smiles; you could feel the M4 was honed in the land of the autobahn, such was its stability at speed.

The rightness of the seating position and cockpit adjustability further enhanced this impression, even the steering wheel size and thickness honed with a view to performance driving.

What does grate is the high NVH quotient, with both wind and tyre noise permeating the cabin.

And if you thought you could drown out the daily grind with a cultured dose of engine acoustic under acceleration, think again. Where previous six- and eight-cylinder M3s were renowned for their soaring engine crescendos, the turbo unit in the M4 sounded contrived… because it is.

There was a tinny resonance through the exhaust, particularly when cold, and while there was some of that classic straight-six soundtrack under heavy load, the turbochargers dampened it to the point that BMW saw fit to fit a sound symposer to pipe artificial ‘tunes’ into the cabin.

Although one judge remarked it “still sounded magnificent”, the rest of the crew remained lukewarm.

Despite all that was right with the M4, one reviewer effectively wrote this conclusion for me: “[An] overall excellent dynamic package spoilt by too many electronics.”

The fact that the ABDC crew kept returning to the word ‘artificial’ meant that, inevitably, the BMW M4 couldn’t, on this occasion, be considered the ultimate driving machine.

2015 BMW M4 pricing and specifications:
Price: $166,430 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 317kW/550Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 194g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Not yet rated

ABDC ranking: Ninth

ABDC Scorecard