Confirmed: RWD And AWD BMW M3/M4 On The Way, Manual Gearbox Available

BMW has confirmed various technical details for the M3 and M4 ahead of their respective debuts later this year
Confirmed: RWD And AWD BMW M3/M4 On The Way, Manual Gearbox Available

We get the sense BMW isn’t awfully fond of speculation and rumours surrounding its future products. Most manufacturers just put up with it, but Munich now has a routine of chucking out a bunch of its own shots of camouflaged prototypes along with some technical information, long before the full reveal is due.

It did so recently with the M440i, and now it’s the turn of the M3 and M4. Confirmed is an entry-level version of each, producing 473bhp and 442lb ft of torque from the ‘S58’ inline-six turbo engine used in the X3 M and X4 M.

Confirmed: RWD And AWD BMW M3/M4 On The Way, Manual Gearbox Available

The rear wheels will be powered exclusively via - wait for it - a manual gearbox. Yep, even though take-up of the six-speed stick shift was pretty diabolical for the F80/F82, BMW will still offer one for the next-gen versions. If you’d prefer, the Competition will produce 503bhp (torque unchanged) and use an eight-speed automatic gearbox, replacing the old dual-clutch unit.

It’s this auto/manual divide between the two main versions of the M3 and M4 that’s a key detail for UK buyers. All recent M Division products have only been available in Britain in Competition form, and if that’s the case for the M3/M4 too, that rules out a manual on our shores. Boo.

We all know what's under the M4's camo...
We all know what's under the M4's camo...

A little further down the line, the Competition will receive the option of all-wheel drive. It’s currently not clear if it’ll have a switchable rear-drive mode as per the M5, but our colleagues at evo report that the M3/M4 has been given a revised version of the bigger M car’s electronic power steering and fettled versions of its adaptive dampers.

Confirmed: RWD And AWD BMW M3/M4 On The Way, Manual Gearbox Available

Beyond that, we don’t know any more, but with a full reveal planned for mid-September, we don’t have long to wait for the pair’s debut proper.

Comments

Anonymous

Oh boy, let’s hope all the show off boys in their early 30s will lease the base ones instead of the Competition ones, so they land on the used market afterwards and become affordable for me in 10 years time

07/01/2020 - 20:37 |
2 | 0
deand

Thank you bmw for saving the manual!

07/01/2020 - 23:39 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

BMW can get my applause for this

07/02/2020 - 02:29 |
0 | 0
BünnyRöcket Entertainment

What does it say on the steering wheel?

07/02/2020 - 16:27 |
0 | 0

It says “Überwürfe der Tarnung im Stand herunterklappen” which means that while standing still the covers for the dash, seats, controls and other interieur panels should be in place so no one can see whats beneath them

07/02/2020 - 18:27 |
0 | 0

Topics

Manufacturers

Sponsored Posts