BMW M3 and M4 (and the M3 Competition and M4 Competition) arrive in Portugal

After a long wait, the new BMW M3 and M4 (and the M3 Competition and M4 Competition) are finally set to arrive on the Portuguese market.

From the outside, and beyond the eye-catching (and already much-debated) XXL twin-kidney grille, both models look far more muscular and aggressive than the standard 3 Series and 4 Series - exactly what you would expect from BMW M offerings.

From the more aerodynamic carbon-fibre roof to the widened wheel arches, plus the rear diffuser and the four exhaust outlets, everything on the M3 and M4 is designed to ensure they do not go unnoticed.

The cabin follows the same approach. The biggest highlights have to be the M sports seats (optionally available in carbon fibre), the M sports steering wheel, and the also optional carbon-fibre trim.

Power to “give and take”

Under the bonnet, the new BMW M3 and M4 use an in-line six-cylinder engine - while the Affalterbach arch-rival will make do with four cylinders - with 3.0 l of displacement and two output levels, depending on whether it is the “standard” version or the Competition.

In the first case, it produces 480 cv at 6250 rpm and 550 Nm between 2650 rpm and 6130 rpm, and it is offered exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox.

In the M3 Competition and M4 Competition, power rises to 510 cv at 6250 rpm and torque increases to 650 Nm between 2750 rpm and 5500 rpm, with drive sent to the rear wheels solely through an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission.

All of this enables the BMW M3 and M4 to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4,2s and reach 200 km/h in just 13,7s. In the Competition variants, the 0 to 100 km/h time drops to 3,9s and 200 km/h is reached in only 12,5s.

Later on - according to BMW, from the summer onwards - the BMW M3 and BMW M4 will, for the first time, be available with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, paired with the “Active M” differential.

Road-holding to match the challenge

Naturally, the BMW M3 and M4 are about more than extra power, so their road-holding hardware has been reworked to ensure the dynamic behaviour lives up to expectations.

To begin with, the chassis has been revised, adopting new components aimed at increasing structural rigidity. In addition, the M3 and M4 come as standard with adaptive M suspension, M Servotronic variable steering, and a braking system that offers “two feels”.

On the dynamics front, they also include the M Dynamic mode as standard, which makes it easier to perform… drift. The tyres we will “use up” in those dramatic tail-out slides are fitted to 19” wheels at the rear, in size 285/35. Up front, the wheels are 18” and the tyres are 275/40.

How much do they cost?

With the launch in our market scheduled for 13 March, the new BMW M3 will be available from 116 thousand euros, while the M3 Competition version rises to 120 thousand euros.

Meanwhile, the BMW M4 starts at 117 thousand euros, and the M4 Competition version is set at 121 thousand euros.

---