BMW M4 Competition

M4 Competition key specifications

Competition versions compared

The G82 family has a clear ladder. The base M4 is the manual, rear-drive driver's car; the Competition adds power, torque and an automatic; xDrive adds traction and, since 2024, another 15 kW.

Rarer and lighter derivatives such as the CSL of 2022 and the CS of 2024 belong to our BMW M4 generations guide. That guide also covers the first-generation F82 and can be found through the BMW catalogue. This page concentrates on the series-production Competition that most buyers actually meet in a showroom or on the used market.

S58 engine and the eight-speed automatic

The S58 is the same engine family as in the BMW M3 Competition: a 2,993 cc straight-six with two mono-scroll turbochargers, direct injection and a forged crankshaft. In the M4 Competition it produces 375 kW at 6,250 rpm. For the 2024 xDrive cars BMW changed the engine control software to reach 390 kW at the same engine speed, while torque stays at 650 Nm across a slightly wider band, up to 5,730 rpm.

By our calculation the S58 delivers 125 kW per litre in the Competition and 130 kW per litre in the 2024 xDrive version. The eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox uses a torque converter rather than the dual clutch of the previous M4 Competition. Drivelogic lets the driver choose between three shift speeds, and paddles behind the wheel allow manual changes.

M xDrive: how the all-wheel drive works

M xDrive arrived in August 2021, almost a year after the rear-drive car. It is rear-biased: in normal driving the rear axle gets most of the torque, and a multi-plate clutch sends drive forward only when the rear wheels start to slip. The Active M differential at the rear can lock to varying degrees.

Three modes change the character:

• 4WD: the default setting, with the stability control active.
• 4WD Sport: more torque to the rear for a more playful balance.
• 2WD: rear-wheel drive only, available with the stability control switched off.

The xDrive hardware adds about 75 kg, but it pays back at the start. BMW quotes 3.5 seconds to 100 km/h for the xDrive coupé, 0.4 seconds quicker than the rear-drive Competition, because the car can use all four tyres off the line.

Chassis and brakes

Every Competition has Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers in three maps, plus M Servotronic steering with variable assistance. BMW stiffened the body with extra struts in the engine bay and under the floor, and the rear subframe is bolted directly to the body without rubber mounts for sharper responses.

The standard M compound brakes use 380 mm front discs with six-piston calipers and 370 mm rear discs with single-piston calipers, according to the old version of this page. The optional M carbon-ceramic brakes have 400 mm and 380 mm discs and are easy to spot by their gold calipers. The 2024 M Race Track package combines those brakes with M Carbon bucket seats and carbon trim and saves up to 25 kg.

Cabin before and after the 2024 update

The launch car of 2021 had a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and a 10.25-inch central screen with iDrive 7, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2024 update replaced both with the BMW Curved Display, a 12.3-inch driver screen and a 14.9-inch touchscreen running Operating System 8.5. Climate and seat-heating functions moved into the screen or voice control.

The rear seats are best suited to children or short trips, but the coupé's boot holds 440 litres, practical for a sports car. The optional M Carbon bucket seats weigh 9.6 kg less than the standard M sports seats and have an illuminated M logo. On the Convertible, a fabric roof opens and closes while driving, and an optional Air Collar blows warm air onto the neck of each front passenger.

Safety and running costs

Euro NCAP did not test the M4 separately. The 4 Series Coupé and Convertible on which it is based earned five stars on 26 May 2021, matching the 2019 rating of the 3 Series on which they are largely based.

On the WLTP cycle BMW quotes 9.7–9.9 l/100 km for the rear-drive Competition Coupé, 10.0–10.1 l/100 km for the xDrive Coupé and 10.2–10.3 l/100 km for the Convertible, with 219–233 g/km of CO₂. Our fuel cost calculator converts those litres into money for your own mileage. Tyres are a real extra cost on track days: the rear-drive coupé uses 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, the xDrive models 19 and 20 inches.

Prices and what changed in 2024

At the German launch in spring 2021 the M4 Competition Coupé cost at least €91,000 including VAT. BMW announced the updated M4 on 31 January 2024, with production and market launch from March 2024. The UK prices at launch were 84,250 pounds for the Competition M xDrive Coupé and 88,255 pounds for the Competition M xDrive Convertible, which is about €98,500 and €103,000 at the exchange rates of 2024. The update brought:

• 390 kW for the xDrive models;
• redesigned LED headlights and standard laser tail lights, first seen on the M4 CSL;
• a carbon-fibre roof as standard on the coupé, with a steel roof and sliding glass panel as a no-cost option;
• the curved display and a new M steering wheel with a red 12 o'clock marker.

BMW says the United States is the largest market for the M4 Coupé, followed by China, Germany and the UK.

Rivals of the M4 Competition

The closest rivals are the Audi RS 5 Coupé with a 331 kW twin-turbo V6 and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé. The AMG had a 375 kW V8 until its coupé body was dropped. The Lexus RC F offers a naturally aspirated V8, and the Porsche 911 Carrera is the more expensive alternative for buyers who want a pure sports car. Our comparison tool lines the M4 up against any of them, and the power-to-weight calculator explains why the lighter rear-drive car feels livelier than its figures suggest.