[crossmen00]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

I was lucky enough to get a press-day ticket for Beijing International Auto Show, and an exclusive permission from BMW to sit inside the all-new M3, M4!

My first impressions:

-Substantial, the car looks planted and easier for a non-car guy to distinguish the difference between M3, M4 and other models.
-Unlike the previous model, which feels like a younger brother to M5 and M8, the new model looks more like a mighty brother of M5 or M8.
-I like the rear view of the M4 and its coupe silhouette, but the big-grill design looks better on the M3's more defined shoulder lines and more static taillights.
-The plastic frame underneath the body is somehow intruding, but it makes the car looks more performance-oriented.
-The exterior difference between the competition model and base model is less significant
-Both cars are not bad looking in person, but they are less elegant than the previous generation.












Some quirks&features:

-All front vents are real, I suspect there are designated air tunnels for cooling the brake. The side vents are fake, but they are essential for creating the side profile.
-The indentations on the hood are pointless, but not bad looking.








-The competition model has more carbon fiber, including the rear wing, rear diffuser, mirror caps, steering wheel panel, shifting pedals, CF bucket seats.
-Other than the rear diffuser, the plastic bar remain plastic in the competition model. I am not sure if this M4 has opted any extra CF parts.
-There is no visible CF under the the hood of the M4 competition
-Both models have CF roof as usual.
-The exhaust pipes of the competition model are black, and for base model they are silver.









-The tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4s
-The front wheels have smaller rim than the rear wheels, like the new 992.
-The M4 competition in the show room has cinematic brake discs







-For the first time ever, M3 and M4 have power tailgate
-The base M seat feels similar to the 3 and 4 series, but gripper. The M seats are a little bit thicker but the rear space is plenty for me. (I am 170)
-The CF bucket seat looks so cool, it feels as hard as the previous model with ZCP package, but my body is more confined because of the center bulge when sitting inside.
-The shifting pedals of the M4 competition are carbon fabric with rubber insert and longer length. I think it is more effective for shifting on the race track
-The center arm rest in the M3 is missing, I am not sure if it is only for the pre-production model.
-The extended leather makes the car more on par with the more luxurious M5










Manual transmission pics.














Some other cars in the car show

[crossmen00]

Here are the pics for the MANUAL TRANSMISSION!





Unlike the previous BMW models with manual, the G generation does not consider the placement of the manual gear lever in the design process. To ensure a proper position of the shifter, BMW moves the i-drive controller back and I need to stretch my arm a little bit to reach it. Moreover, instead of the glossy black, manual model uses the base plastic to cover the area around the center controls.
But for a manual transmission, it is worth it! You can hear the gear clicking sound outside the car! This is so mechanical, sweet, and sensational! Many people complain the power loss compare with the competition model, but trust me, you won't notice the difference 95% of the time and no one buy a manual car in 2020 for breaking a race track record or 0-60. If you can get a manual, just buy it!

[Rick955]

Great photos. Thanks! What did you think of the colors? Any more shots of the SP Yellow? Leaning to the Toronto Red, but both the IOM and SPY are intriguing!

[crossmen00]

Originally Posted by Rick955

Great photos. Thanks! What did you think of the colors? Any more shots of the SP Yellow? Leaning to the Toronto Red, but both the IOM and SPY are intriguing!

Under the showroom lighting the car tend to look better than usual. I think the green M3 looks ok under the spotlight, but it will turn to dark green under the natural light, which I don't really like. I also don't like yellow car in general, but SP yellow is an exception. SP yellow looks like lime colored yellow, it is so special and not overstated. I am struggling between dravit gray or SP yellow for my next M3!

[OF Hero]

So the Comp pack seems to add all the external carbon bits? I wonder what the carbon pack adds?

[Rick955]

Originally Posted by OF Hero

So the Comp pack seems to add all the external carbon bits? I wonder what the carbon pack adds?

I don't think so. There is a Carbon package that includes the carbon seats and the exterior carbon in place of the regular black trim.

[Rick955]

Originally Posted by crossmen00

Under the showroom lighting the car tend to look better than usual. I think the green M3 looks ok under the spotlight, but it will turn to dark green under the natural light, which I don't really like. I also don't like yellow car in general, but SP yellow is an exception. SP yellow looks like lime colored yellow, it is so special and not overstated. I am struggling between dravit gray or SP yellow for my next M3!

I'm with you. I'm not a true green car guy but when it takes on more of a teal appearance I like it. The IOM green in the configurators is a poor reference of what it will look like for real. Like yourself, I don't care for a true yellow... but the hint of that lime is great, especially with all the black trim and wheels.

Thanks for those extra pics. My F80 leases ends in January. My dealer has one of those HEA allocations for a January build. Just waiting on numbers which they don't have yet for the G8x's. So I'll only be able to go with the photos and videos to pick color.

[VetteGuy]

Thanks for the photos and review. Good stuff. The cars look good and appear to be getting lots of attention.

[Wyndi335I]

Great pictures of car and thanks for the write up. Glad to have some give a positive review on the car but before its over, the negative nannies will come on and ruin the whole post. I personally like the car a lot and cant wait to see in person and maybe order one.

[frankiebones]

I’m already accidentally pressing that iDrive button when I upshift into 4th...damn.

[xlover]

Originally Posted by Rick955

I don't think so. There is a Carbon package that includes the carbon seats and the exterior carbon in place of the regular black trim.

For the US market the carbon seats and exterior trim are going to be a la carte, it's important to remember in different markets bmw groups the options significantly differently

[MadBimmeRad]

Thank you for a wonderful wrap up.

Small point, it saddens me to see the handbrake finally giving way to a button, but heck, that's a small thing in the Grand scheme of things I guess.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by MadBimmeRad

Thank you for a wonderful wrap up.

Small point, it saddens me to see the handbrake finally giving way to a button, but heck, that's a small thing in the Grand scheme of things I guess.

Yes and no. It also implies a puny single piston floating caliper at the rear and gone with the separate handbrake drum inside the rear rotor hub. It also means you need a laptop every time you swap the rear pads, not convenient for quick track side brake jobs. Overall, it's a significant performance downgrade.

[ajshanny]

Photos confirm that this is the worst looking BMW ever to reach production. Still scratching my head and trying to understand how BMW's board could have approved this design, and how the design team could have allowed the design to get past a few sketches.

[GOLFFRR]

great coverage and write up. Thank you OP for sharing that.

[unfoundnemo]

Originally Posted by crossmen00

Attachment 2423985

It looks like they nicely incorporated the rear camera into the BMW badge, yet the front camera looks like a zit between the two grilles? I get that it was an after thought on some of the previous gen cars (it was like this on the F15/16 amongst others), but c'mon man. I don't plan on getting driver's assistance on the G8x, so I don't care about the offset acc/radar sensor, but I definitely want my surround view cameras.

[heckyeahbro69]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Yes and no. It also implies a puny single piston floating caliper at the rear and gone with the separate handbrake drum inside the rear rotor hub. It also means you need a laptop every time you swap the rear pads, not convenient for quick track side brake jobs. Overall, it's a significant performance downgrade.

You can still do it by hand but it requires more effort.

[elitex]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Yes and no. It also implies a puny single piston floating caliper at the rear and gone with the separate handbrake drum inside the rear rotor hub. It also means you need a laptop every time you swap the rear pads, not convenient for quick track side brake jobs. Overall, it's a significant performance downgrade.

Giulia QV did the rear brakes the right way.

[wfydaniel]

my friend works for bmw marketing , I was told the competition seats option is 40k CNY tax included. which equals to 6k USD. I'm sure in European an US market the price is definitely under 5k . [IMG][/IMG] posting 2 pictures I took yesterday in the auto show

[The English Guy]

Thanks for the review. Still not convinced

For the first time ever, M3 and M4 have power tailgate

So you wont have to slam it shut anymore on a 150,000 USD (EU equivalent price) car

they are less elegant than the previous generation.

Yes. You forgot to add less class and sophistication as well

Good to see the willy rest / warmer and massage function made it to production on the carbon seats

[SFBavarianArea]

I'm guessing/really hoping the front fender cutouts and M-gills become actual air vents in the upcoming CS/CSL versions. Same thing with the bonnet indentations...

...similar to the Supra and all it's fake vents and blocked holes that Toyota's supposedly saving for later.

[nepats81]

Bmw configuration needs get the m3/m4 up on BMW USA now!!