The new BMW M3 and the BMW M4 Coupé flex their muscles on track before their public debut

The new BMW M3 saloon and BMW M4 Coupé are being put through their paces on track, as these dynamic driving tests offer both the brand and the customer “a decisive insight into the ideal harmonisation of dynamism, agility and precision”. The generational change of these two high-performance models is just around the corner, which is why both the BMW M3 and the BMW M4 must flex their muscles to enter the final phase in earnest.

From the sporting division, BMW M, they have confirmed that both units offer a significant increase in performance compared with their predecessors, and we cannot fail to mention the new M suspension. It is also worth highlighting that both models feature comprehensive innovations in both driving and braking.

Both the BMW M3 2021 and the BMW M4 Coupé 2021 are powered by inline six-cylinder engines which, as BMW M points out, have once again “set benchmarks in the segment of high-performance saloons and mid-range premium coupés”. For all enthusiasts of sports cars and, above all, of the most powerful letter in the world, it is well known that the high-performance division tests its models on the demanding curves of the Nordschleife at Nürburgring, but this time they have wanted to go further and are also preparing at Sachsenring. This circuit measures 3,670 metres and offers a challenging layout with tight corners, endless straights and the entry into the Deckenberg corner.

In mid-September next month, we will finally get to meet the new members of the sporting family of the Bavarian brand. The company itself has stated that “inspiring agility, exceptional dynamics and precisely controllable handling, even in extreme sporting situations, characterise its driving behaviour. The balance between superior performance and unrestricted everyday use, so typical of a BMW M, reaches a new level”.

What will be special about the new generation of the BMW M3 and BMW M4?

The new BMW M3 saloon and the new BMW M4 Coupé 2021 will arrive in two performance versions: standard and Competition. The standard version delivers 480 CV with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Competition will offer 510 CV and an 8-speed Steptronic gearbox with DriveLogic. Compared with their predecessors, power has increased by roughly 49 and 60 CV depending on the model, reaching a maximum torque of 650 Nm. This torque figure is made possible by M TwinPower Turbo technology and the high-revving concept.

It is important to note that, from 2022 onwards, we will see the new BMW M4 GT3, which will become the new customer racing sports segment. This model will be joined by its sibling, the BMW M2 CS Racing.

Markus Flash, chairman of the BMW M board, has stated that “with every BMW M car, we bring motorsport technology to the road. The new BMW M3 saloon and the new BMW M4 Coupé embody this principle in a particularly intense way, because both models are unequivocally rooted in the tradition of the most successful touring car in the world. And the results from our test units show that the new generation of models is significantly superior to its predecessors in terms of performance”.

For his part, Dirk Hecker, head of development at BMW M and BMW Individual, has stated that “for customers who prefer purist performance and a particularly intense interaction with their vehicle, the model variants with a manual transmission constitute an offer that is unique in this segment. On the other hand, with the Competition versions of the new BMW M3 saloon and the new BMW M4 Coupé, we are addressing maximum dynamics in terms of power development and its transmission, initially with rear-wheel drive and, at a later date, also in conjunction with the latest version of our M xDrive all-wheel-drive system”.