I really like my G20 so I'm strongly considering one once my lease is up. Dog likes it in the back, plenty of space for loot etc. I'm hoping the LCI version has a different nose, but I doubt it. They should of just given the 4 series snout to the M4 and let people decide with their wallet, but the current head of design at BMW clearly has nothing but disdain for what came before or what enthusiasts think.
The removal of 5.5KG of sound deadening is the most concerning to me. One of the things which annoyed me about my M2C was the lack of insulation, all you heard was tire roar. They did that so you could hear the engine but it was literally inaudible below 4K RPM anyway so I really didn't see the point. My E90 M3 was the opposite, was great on a cruise. I guess they equate tire roar to being 'raw' but it just makes the car tiring and tinny.
All the things I like about my G20 (refinement, quality, comfort, tech, no fuss attitude) could still be present. It would be a pure street car for me, so the weight and 8AT whilst being a disappointing downgrade don't matter as much. If your not tracking it I think its less clear than any previous generation why you should pick the M3 over the M340i at this point. And for the track an F80 is going to get you most of the performance with significantly lower weight at a materially lower price point. However I do want those bucket seats, and every driveway should have an M on it regardless
