BMW M4 Competition Convertible M xDrive Launched
This latest version of the M4 looks even more exciting on the move.
In September 2020 BMW unveiled its all new M4 with a brand new look and highly questionable front nose treatment. By December last year, BMW in Malaysia had managed to import in this latest M4 and have it on sale in showrooms at just RM684,800. Then in April this year, BMW showed the world its latest M4 with xDrive.
BMW’s ‘M’ division is adding a highly exclusive model to its line-up of high-performance sports cars. It is a new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive and it carries with it the highly controversial ‘nose’ that the die-hard BMW fan boys have been very negative on social media in the past year.
All that has changed over the past eight months as a new generation of BMW buyers love the new look and sales keep growing just like how this new look grows on the older die-hard fan boys wo are starting to like this new nose treatment.
This new model has grown by 122 millimetres in exterior length over the model it replaces, and now stretches to 4,794 millimetres. Its wheelbase has grown by 45 mm to 2,857 mm and its width of 1,887 mm adds 17 mm to that of its predecessor and 40 mm to the new BMW 4-Series Convertible. The new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive measures 1,395 millimetres in height with the soft-top closed.
PRESS RELEASE: M-specific design promises mighty performance
With its body stretched low along the road and its clear, reduced surfacing, the exterior of the new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive sends out an unmistakable statement of majestic performance at work. The car’s neatly judged balance between dynamic punch and aesthetic allure is particularly noticeable when the soft-top is folded away. Setting the seal on its powerful visual emotionality are M-specific design features born out of the exacting functional demands placed on a high-performance sports car.
The panel bow soft-top: the best of both worlds
One of the special features which shape both the exterior design of the new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive and its driving experience is the new panel bow soft-top concept. It combines the practical benefits of a retractable hardtop with the puristic aesthetic of a fabric hood – in other words, the best of both worlds. The panel bow soft-top also stands out in weight terms, being some 40 per cent lighter than the predecessor car’s retractable hardtop. At the same time, its smooth surface and effective insulation provide it with levels of acoustic and thermal comfort far superior to those of a conventional soft-top.
Interior: four seats immersed in a racing-car ambience
The smartly styled shoulder paneling framed by unbroken trim edging in High-gloss Black, subtly styled domes on the soft-top cover and the individual seat character of the two rear seats define the convertible specific ambience. Together with the driver-focused cockpit design and M-specific controls, they bring a highly exclusive racing flair to the interior.
The M-specific leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles, M-specific gearshift lever and red color accents on the steering wheel’s M buttons and the Start/Stop button on the center console keep the driver concentrating squarely on the intense driving experience at hand.
Added to which, the new BMW M 4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive comes as standard with heated M Sport seats with boldly contoured side bolsters, height-adjustable integral head restraints, an illuminated “M4” logo and Extended Merino leather trim available – like the optional Merino full leather trim – in four color variants. The options list also contains four BMW Individual Extended Merino leather trim variants and four BMW Individual Merino full leather trim options. The standard-fitted M Sport seats can be specified as an option with neck warmers and seat ventilation.
Powertrain
This BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive comes as standard with the configurable M xDrive system, which splits power between the front and rear wheels as required and in M-specific style at all times. This enables the drive generated by the 510hp six-cylinder in-line engine to be channeled to the road via the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with maximum traction, directional stability and dynamism.
The engine: six cylinders, M TwinPower Turbo technology, high-revving character
The 3.0-litre straight-six unit under the bonnet of the new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive combines the hallmark high-revving character of BMW M GmbH engines with the latest version of M TwinPower Turbotechnology. The power unit raises the maximum output of its counterpart in the predecessor model 60hp and betters its peak torque by 100Nm. There is 650Nm is on tap between 2,750 and 5,500 rpm, while maximum output is reached at 5,510 rpm and then maintained up to the 7,200 rpm red line.
This performance skillset, combined with the enhanced traction offered by M xDrive, translates into stunning acceleration times. The new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive takes just 3.7 seconds to power from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) and 13.1 seconds to reach 200 km/h (124 mph) from rest. The midrange surge from 80 to 120 km/h (50 – 75 mph) is over in 2.8 seconds (in 4th gear) or 3.7 seconds (in 5th gear). Opting for the M Driver’s Package increases the electronically limited top speed from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 280 km/h (174 mph).
The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic: extremely sporty gear shifts, individually adjustable characteristics
The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic fitted as standard is perfectly attuned to the engine’s performance characteristics. It is operated using either the selector lever on the center console with its special M design or the gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. A direct connection to the engine and remarkably quick gear shifts lend themselves to a performance-focused driving style, as do engine speed adjustment on downshifts in automatic mode and the ability to change straight to the lowest possible gear in manual mode.
The driver can use the Drivelogic button integrated into the selector lever to alter the transmission’s shift characteristics, with the choice of comfort-oriented, sporty and track-optimized settings.
The engine sound is reproduced in the cabin via the car’s audio system, ensuring the occupants enjoy an authentic acoustic experience even when the roof is closed. The latest version of Active Sound Design generates an exceptionally sporty note that injects real aural drama, particularly into gear changes and the accompanying adjustments in rev speed. From July 2021, this optimized sound experience will also be extended to existing BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupé models by means of Remote Software Upgrade.
The all-wheel-drive system: M xDrive optimises traction and performance
The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system in the new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case to ensure fully variable and super-smooth distribution of the engine’s power between the front and rear wheels. Its rear-wheel bias adds to the signature M feeling while judiciously enhancing both traction and agility.
The system features integrated wheel slip control for making exceptionally quick and precise adjustments to power transmission. This further intensifies the sense of unruffled poise for which M models are renowned in highly dynamic driving situations, such as when powering through corners in a controlled drift. The multi-plate clutch’s oil supply has been optimized to keep the variable power splitting mechanism performing effectively even in hard, sporty driving.
Teaming up with the all-wheel drive is the Active M Differential that also ensures fully variable distribution of the drive torque between the rear wheels as the situation demands. This helps to plant drive firmly onto the road without any loss of power, especially when the car is being pushed hard or has less grip on one side. The M xDrive system and Active M Differential, complete with its built-in M-specific traction control, link up with the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system to ensure precisely orchestrated interaction for the driving situation at hand.
M xDrive allows the driver to tailor the form of power transmission to suit their requirements – via the Setup menu. The default 4WD setting ensures maximum traction and handling poise while maintaining a distinctly rear-biased power split. Activating 4WD Sport mode directs an even greater proportion of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels, including in extremely dynamic driving situations.
The linear build-up of lateral forces characteristic of M models now makes it possible to execute controlled drifts, too. Drivers can also switch off the DSC system altogether and engage 2WD mode. In this setting, drive power is relayed solely to the rear wheels, whose traction can be finely adjusted through ten stages with the help of M Traction Control. This form of power transmission – without any intervention from the chassis control systems to stabilize the vehicle – allows the skilled driver to enjoy an actively engaged and richly involving driving experience.
M Race Track Package: reduced weight, increased performance
The optionally available M Race Track Package brings about a targeted reduction in vehicle weight. This package includes M Carbon ceramic brakes, weight-minimized M light-alloy wheels (available as an option with semi-slick tyres), M Carbon bucket seats for the driver and front passenger, and interior trim strips in Carbon Fibre High-gloss.
Another element of this ultra-performance-oriented option is the M Driver’s Package, which raises the top speed of the new BMW M4 Competition Convertible with M xDrive to 280 km/h (174 mph). All the functions of M Drive Professional and the BMW Head-Up Display are also on hand. All in all, the M Race Track Package reduces weight by around 25 kilograms compared with cars in standard specification.
About the Author
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