BMW is making the blisteringly quick M3 and M4 even quicker with the addition of a special Competition Package.
The BMW M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe have been blessed with a ‘suite of upgrades’ that are said to improve overall performance, the most notable of which is a 19hp power hike that brings the 0-62mph time down by a tenth of a second for both the manual and auto gearboxes.
That means the M3 Saloon takes four seconds from 0-62mph – the same as the M4 Coupe. Meanwhile the considerably heavier M4 Convertible now takes 4.3 seconds. All models are still electronically limited to 155mph.
Besides fettling with the 3.0-litre straight-six, BMW has added Adaptive M Suspension, which is said to have been ‘extensively tuned’ to improve performance and handling. This includes new springs, new dampers and new anti-roll bars.
Comfort, Sport and Sport+ driving modes, the Active M Differential on the rear axle and Dynamic Stability Control have all been reconfigured to make use of the added potency. 20-inch M multi-spoke alloy wheels are standard.
Exclusive to the BMW M3 and M4 are lightweight M sports seats and seatbelts with BMW M stripes. As for the exterior, expect an M sports exhaust system with black chrome tailpipes and a high-gloss black finish on the kidney grille, side sills and exterior mirrors.
Not content with adjusting the M3 and M4 models, the 500hp M4 GTS will now be offered with M Carbon Compound wheels, which are said to result ‘in a significant reduction in sprung and unsprung rotating masses’, improving acceleration, deceleration, steering response and vibration levels.
Said alloy wheels save around 7kg of weight compared with the usual forged aluminium standard fixtures and are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
An M3 Saloon with the Competition Pack starts from £59,595 (£3,000 more than the standard M3 with the six-speed manual). The same M4 Coupe is a tad pricier, at £60,055 (also £3,000 more), while the M4 Convertible will set you back £63,350 (£2,200 more).
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