From the start, the BMW M4 was a jewel to behold. I won't deny that I'm not the biggest BMW fan, but I've always said that if I really had to pick one, it would undeniably be the 4-series, preferably the M4, of course.
Just like every M car before it, the M4 is what you can consider a perfect daily driver. Practical within its limits (it's not a station wagon, so don't get too excited), you'll have plenty of seating and boot capacity for your daily commute. And, not unimportantly, the M4 is a surprisingly comfortable car too!
I probably pissed you off in my first paragraph by stating that I'm not the biggest BMW fan. Calm down, I do like them. They just don't "float my boat." That's not because BMWs aren't as great as a lot of people make them out to be. No, they truly are amazing pieces of engineering and a perfect mix of sportiness and performance. But I'm the kind of driver who most of all wants comfort and a quiet, easy ride. Unfortunately, I spend most of my time stuck in traffic or barely hitting 3 mph as I drive to and from work. No twisty roads, no fun bits. Just age-old, bumpy tarmac that would shatter your bones if you drove a Ferrari. So, given that the M4 is, in fact, a BMW, it's relatively comfortable, albeit with an unsurprising sporty edge.
I think that is what stood out the most – just how "everyday" regular it is to begin with. It's not nervous, not super enticing or daring. And not at all intimidating either. At first glance, it drives like any other BMW, and there's no sign of an exciting flat 6 under the bonnet when you drive around in its most comfortable setting.
Until you put your foot down, that is. The engine note in comfort is relatively dull. It's nice, don't misunderstand, but it's not a dead giveaway for the 3L 6-cylinder engine either. When you flip it into sport, you'll get a lot more sense of what is to come. And that is a firm 431 bhp that will rocket you from 0-60 in a stated 3.7 seconds. The M4 got heavily criticized for the lack of a V8 when it was first revealed. But with a pair of turbochargers, there's really nothing that you miss out on. Admittedly, the soundtrack could be a bit more fruity, but with EU emission policies and whatnot, it's a fact we'll just have to live with nowadays.
And from my perspective, that is what the M4 is all about – the blend between everyday genius and performance. Mixed with the lively character and rawness of a supercar. It will leave many supercars for dead, and to the untrained eye, you would just classify it as a regular BMW. There's something about that, isn't there? Being discreetly faster than any car surrounding you.
So, no drawbacks then? Well, yes, there are. Maybe the M4 is a little too dull to be an M car. It does have supercar performance, but not the characteristics of one. It's not intimidating, and if anything, it doesn't invite you to put your foot down and hurl it into a bend at an unforgiving speed. And when you do decide to overstep, the amazing electronic package will kick in and pull you back to shore safely. And that's great. It really is. That makes the car more accessible than anything else. But it doesn't feel extreme enough when you want it to. You pay for a supercar, you get the performance of a supercar, but sadly not the thrill of one. I prefer the two extremes mixed together – Bentley-grade comfort when I want it and Lamborghini ferociousness when I put my foot down. The M4, although fantastic, isn't balanced to my personal preference as much as I would like.
So, there you have it. Would I still buy one? Hell yes, in a heartbeat. Because even though it doesn't tick all the boxes, not a lot of cars out there do. The balance of what the M car stands for is a very difficult one to perfect. Look at the Audi RS line or the Mercedes AMGs. Each and every one of them lacks in a certain area, none of them are perfect. But for a daily drivable and affordable performance car, you surely won't regret getting yourself an M4.