The BMW M3 Coupe is dead. Say hello to the new M4!

sAP · 29th November 2019, 02:00

That is a great question. Warrants a comprehensive answer, but for the sake of immediate information, here are some highlights of my personal impressions.

E92 M3

# Felt like it rode on rails (with the adaptive suspension and steering in sport plus mode)
# Engine needed to be revved to be in the "thrill range", where it made serious power. Felt sluggish in the low rpms
# Linear power delivery that continued to increase till its peak rpm around 8000
# Engine note regardless of RPM created an emotional feeling; one that got better as the revs got higher. Many a street race have been won just by its deafening roar where the opponent simply gave up halfway through. The notable exceptions were drivers of modded BMW 335's that tried to follow regardless of the sound.

F82 M4

Feels light and a tad less stable at higher speeds (even with the adaptive suspension and steering in sport plus mode). I wish the front end was a bit heavier and not be swept left and right by wind so often. I have to be awake to keep it planted in a straight line at speeds over 140 mph (224 kmph). The E92 was well planted all the way through 155 mph (249 kmph).

Engine is highly responsive right from the get go. It gets going rather quickly and there is a beefy midrange you can feel throughout the range. No need to downshift 4 gears to get into the peak power range. On the E92, there was a trick to getting it into "beast mode" if you wanted to power up rather quickly. Press the M button on the steering, then floor the throttle and pull the left paddle once. This shifts the gearbox to the best gear to produce the most power for the current speed (usually goes from 7th down to 2nd gear in one shot, and then screams as it pulls hard through the 8000 rpm peak). In the F82, I've never had to do this so far. I just push the right toe in and maybe a downshift and there's plenty of power to pull. Pressing the configured M1 button helps against serious competition.

It does leave the E92 M3 in the dust in sheer acceleration.

On the other hand, the M4 is trickier in the snow and I have to enable MDM mode (which allows some wheelspin) just to get it moving from a standstill, with snow tires. The E92 was so sluggish at low rpm that it would start off just fine on the normal traction control mode.

Engine note. Not bad, but you need to engage "sport" or "sport plus" mode on the power button. The default is "efficient" and the car is virtually silent in this mode -- like say a regular 4 series. Great for cruising while listening to music on long drives and maybe while driving on snow. Terrible for anything else. But even on Sport or Sport Plus mode, it sounds a bit like a boat with throaty bass. Sorry, that's just me after being used to the { { { SCREAMING V8 } } } on the E92. Don't get me wrong, other drivers still back off when the M4 means business.

Comfort. A fairly comfortable grand tourer I must say, in contrast to the "race car feel" of the E92. I've driven from Dallas to Minneapolis (~950 miles/1500 kms) on the E92 and it was comfortable enough for me, but your mileage may vary. The front seats on both cars -- with adjustable side bolsters, lumbar support, etc play a big role in comfort. You can configure them just the way you like and they just cocoon you through fast curves or straightaways.

I have to mention something about the suspension on the M4. I first M4 I bought came with a standard suspension and after 20 days or so, I traded it in for another with an Adaptive M Suspension. To me it made a big difference in how it handled different paved road surfaces. On the standard suspension, the car would get unsettled and take time to recover from uneven elevations on road surfaces. This would also manifest as an excessively springy rebound on quick lane change maneuvers. I hated it and it reminded me of a spirited drive in a rental Dodge Avenger. The Adaptive M Suspension one is waaay better. I would strongly recommend getting the adaptive on any F80 variant.

Whats common between the two

# Very direct steering in both cars. Turn it and the car turns its head.
# Great M-DCT gearbox. No hesitation it does what you want it to do without an identity crisis.
# Functional sports car for a family of 4 -- adult-usable rear seats, boot space.
# Configurable and very comfortable front seats

Conclusions

To sum it all up then, the E92 M3 felt like an exotic car, well planted and with an emotional involvement in the driving experience. The M4 on the other hand feels like a light footed modern car with touring abilities; and one that gets way too fast in a hurry without you even realizing it.

It is playful, no doubt. Just in a different way that I need to get used to.

Turbanator · 29th November 2019, 05:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by sAP

F82 M4

Feels light and a tad less stable at higher speeds (even with the adaptive suspension and steering in sport plus mode)

What sort of tyre size and brand are you running currently? From your posts, it appears to be 19 inches. Try 20 Inches with the latest P4S Michelin, and you should be pleasantly surprised.

I find the steering in sports Plus mode best of all the options even when you are simply cruising in the economy.

My ride

sAP · 29th November 2019, 08:47

Thanks for the suggestion, but I tried different wheels and tires (mostly PSS) and different M4 vehicles at the dealer and one Dinan modified version with even lower profile and wider 305 rears. They were all different but none of them came up to the lockdown stability of my E92 at those speeds. But that’s just my opinion and after having lived with it for years before moving to the F82.

29th November 2019, 02:00	#106
sAP BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 10000 Lakes Posts: 283 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	Quick comparison between the E92 M3 and F82 M4 That is a great question. Warrants a comprehensive answer, but for the sake of immediate information, here are some highlights of my personal impressions. E92 M3 # Felt like it rode on rails (with the adaptive suspension and steering in sport plus mode) # Engine needed to be revved to be in the "thrill range", where it made serious power. Felt sluggish in the low rpms # Linear power delivery that continued to increase till its peak rpm around 8000 # Engine note regardless of RPM created an emotional feeling; one that got better as the revs got higher. Many a street race have been won just by its deafening roar where the opponent simply gave up halfway through. The notable exceptions were drivers of modded BMW 335's that tried to follow regardless of the sound. F82 M4 Feels light and a tad less stable at higher speeds (even with the adaptive suspension and steering in sport plus mode). I wish the front end was a bit heavier and not be swept left and right by wind so often. I have to be awake to keep it planted in a straight line at speeds over 140 mph (224 kmph). The E92 was well planted all the way through 155 mph (249 kmph). Engine is highly responsive right from the get go. It gets going rather quickly and there is a beefy midrange you can feel throughout the range. No need to downshift 4 gears to get into the peak power range. On the E92, there was a trick to getting it into "beast mode" if you wanted to power up rather quickly. Press the M button on the steering, then floor the throttle and pull the left paddle once. This shifts the gearbox to the best gear to produce the most power for the current speed (usually goes from 7th down to 2nd gear in one shot, and then screams as it pulls hard through the 8000 rpm peak). In the F82, I've never had to do this so far. I just push the right toe in and maybe a downshift and there's plenty of power to pull. Pressing the configured M1 button helps against serious competition. It does leave the E92 M3 in the dust in sheer acceleration. On the other hand, the M4 is trickier in the snow and I have to enable MDM mode (which allows some wheelspin) just to get it moving from a standstill, with snow tires. The E92 was so sluggish at low rpm that it would start off just fine on the normal traction control mode. Engine note. Not bad, but you need to engage "sport" or "sport plus" mode on the power button. The default is "efficient" and the car is virtually silent in this mode -- like say a regular 4 series. Great for cruising while listening to music on long drives and maybe while driving on snow. Terrible for anything else. But even on Sport or Sport Plus mode, it sounds a bit like a boat with throaty bass. Sorry, that's just me after being used to the { { { SCREAMING V8 } } } on the E92. Don't get me wrong, other drivers still back off when the M4 means business. Comfort. A fairly comfortable grand tourer I must say, in contrast to the "race car feel" of the E92. I've driven from Dallas to Minneapolis (~950 miles/1500 kms) on the E92 and it was comfortable enough for me, but your mileage may vary. The front seats on both cars -- with adjustable side bolsters, lumbar support, etc play a big role in comfort. You can configure them just the way you like and they just cocoon you through fast curves or straightaways. I have to mention something about the suspension on the M4. I first M4 I bought came with a standard suspension and after 20 days or so, I traded it in for another with an Adaptive M Suspension. To me it made a big difference in how it handled different paved road surfaces. On the standard suspension, the car would get unsettled and take time to recover from uneven elevations on road surfaces. This would also manifest as an excessively springy rebound on quick lane change maneuvers. I hated it and it reminded me of a spirited drive in a rental Dodge Avenger. The Adaptive M Suspension one is waaay better. I would strongly recommend getting the adaptive on any F80 variant. Whats common between the two # Very direct steering in both cars. Turn it and the car turns its head. # Great M-DCT gearbox. No hesitation it does what you want it to do without an identity crisis. # Functional sports car for a family of 4 -- adult-usable rear seats, boot space. # Configurable and very comfortable front seats Conclusions To sum it all up then, the E92 M3 felt like an exotic car, well planted and with an emotional involvement in the driving experience. The M4 on the other hand feels like a light footed modern car with touring abilities; and one that gets way too fast in a hurry without you even realizing it. It is playful, no doubt. Just in a different way that I need to get used to. Last edited by sAP : 29th November 2019 at 02:05. Reason: Some typos
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29th November 2019, 08:47	#108
sAP BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: 10000 Lakes Posts: 283 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	Re: The BMW M3 Coupe is dead. Say hello to the new M4! Thanks for the suggestion, but I tried different wheels and tires (mostly PSS) and different M4 vehicles at the dealer and one Dinan modified version with even lower profile and wider 305 rears. They were all different but none of them came up to the lockdown stability of my E92 at those speeds. But that’s just my opinion and after having lived with it for years before moving to the F82.
	() Thanks