BMW concept ///M4 coupe revealed (Harley?)

[STANG KILLA SS]

not a GM

BMW's M division has previewed its upcoming M4 coupe with the unveiling of a near-production-ready concept of the new performance coupe at the annual Pebble Beach Concours in Monterey, Calif.

The BMW Concept M4 provides a lightly veiled look at the eagerly anticipated M3 coupe replacement that is expected to make its public premiere in production guise at the Detroit auto show in January. North American sales will start before the second half of 2014.

As well as being used on the two-door coupe previewed by the Concept M4 coupe, the M4 name will also appear on a two-door M4 cabriolet as well as a new four-door M4 Gran Coupe due to reach US showrooms in 2015. The M3 name will survive on a four-door M3 sedan that is also planned to make its premiere at the Detroit auto show early next year and go on sale alongside the M4 in 2014.

The latest BMW M concept is billed as a design study that previews the appearance but provides few clues to the technical package of the M4 coupe.

However, BMW sources at the media presentation of the Concept M4 coupe confirmed to Autoweek the new M-car will adopt inline six-cylinder power, bringing an end to the reign of the high-strung V8 used by the last M3 after a run of just six years. Known internally under the codename S55, the newly developed twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six is claimed to kick out around 450 hp, versus the 420 hp of the current naturally aspirated 4-liter V8.

Drive will be channelled to rear wheels through the same seven-speed dual clutch gearbox used by the more powerful 560bhp twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 powered M5 sedan and M6 coupe, cabriolet and GranCoupe.

Nothing is official just yet, but BMW insiders hint the M4 coupe will accelerate from 0-to-62 mph in under 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed limited to 155 mph.

As expected, the M4 receives a significantly more aggressive appearance than the recently introduced 4-series upon which it is based and will be produced at BMW's plant in Regensburg, Germany.

The heavily redesigned front-end receives a deeper and more structured bumper with a prominent carbon-fiber splitter element to slice the air, and larger air ducts to cool the engine. Other elements include a blackened kidney grille, complex LED imbued headlights, more heavily flared front fenders, a traditional "powerdome" within the bonnet and air intakes in the front wheel arches to extract hot from the carbon ceramic brakes.

At the rear are wider fenders to house substantial rear wheels and tires, a new trunk lid with a more pronounced lip for added downforce at speed, a heavily redesigned bumper and a quartet of carbon-fiber tailpipes.

The Concept M4 coupe showcases lightweight 20-inch cast-alloy wheels in BMW M division's familiar double spoke design. Other lightweight materials within the body include a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic roof and rear diffuser. In combination with aluminum body panels they are said to bring the production M4 coupe to around 3,300 pounds -- about 400 pounds lighter than the current M3 Coupe.

BMW hasn't yet shown the M4 coupe's interior, but officials suggest it will receive all the traditional touches of more recent M division models, including revised instruments along with an M-specific steering wheel, seats and trims – all trimmed in a combination of leather, Alcantara and carbon-fiber.

The replacement for the M3 Coupe, the Concept M4 Coupe shares a number of styling similarities with its dearly departed forbearer. To us, it's kind of like a mishmash of greatest hits from the new 4 Series and the old M3. The 4 Series headlights have grown on us, and the side grilles, which are part of BMW's Air Curtain and Air Breather system, are functional.

The power dome in the hood is smaller than on the M3, but is of a similar shape, while the rear diffuser and exhaust treatment look like they're lifted straight from the old car, aside from being finished in carbon fiber. Speaking of which, the carbon fiber roof sports a new touch, a cool BMW M tri-color that runs the length of the roof on the driver's side. The 20-inch M alloy wheels come in a twin five-spoke design, which has sort of become a calling card of BMW's M cars in recent years. Hiding behind those meaty wheels are M's carbon-ceramic brakes.

While you can read a lot about the M4 Concept's design in the press release below, you won't find anything about what sits under that power dome. BMW has been mum on which engine and transmission would motivate its new M car, so it looks like we're going to be waiting until a production model arrives to find out just what's what.

[STANG KILLA SS]

[Calderwood]

[GySgt Hartman]

Awesome ride, however there's no possible excuse to bring back Phoenix Yellow...

[Harley]

Originally Posted by GySgt Hartman

Awesome ride, however there's no possible excuse to bring back Phoenix Yellow...

I loved that color back in the day!

[Harley]

I'd be all over this thing! Looks great!

[EeePee]

I'd get it pregnant. Awesome ride. Factory boost is sweet.

M3 "REPLACEMENT" is hard to swallow. End of the 3 Series all together? I could Google that if I really cared...

[SINister]

Someone stuck the wrong emblem on that Pontiac...

[EeePee]

Piece of shit Pontiac wishes they could make something look like that.

Where do you see Postiac in that?

[cdd123]

Originally Posted by EeePee

M3 "REPLACEMENT" is hard to swallow. End of the 3 Series all together? I could Google that if I really cared...

If I remember right they're splitting the coupes and sedans. I believe that there will still be a 3 series, but no 3 series coupes? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[SINister]

Pontiac GXP
Very fast but rides like a luxury car. Put 500 miles on a brand new top of line model bringing it to the new owner. No idea why people get so wet over a BMW. I've never driven one that was worth the money they were asking.

[EeePee]

BMW looked like it does way before Pontiac looked they do now.

Nevermind those aren't Pontiacs in reality. Unless I'm mistaken about Holden, and I might be.

[NoobCrawler]

Wow.

That is one sexy machine! I'm definitely loving the color too. CF roof...drool. But...limited to 155, lame. How can they limit the "ultimate driving machine"!?

[Mr.Slave]

This thread is about a hot BMW, why the **** are the pictures of a ****ing pontiac in here

[wings_of_fire]

lol

[EeePee]

But how does it stack up in terms of Pontiac's BMW objective? Let's be clear. This ain't a BMW. It's not as agile as the sports-sedan pacesetters from Bavaria, and even though the unique tire stagger puts the GXP's responses much closer to neutral, the Pontiac's defining trait is still mild understeer.

Car and Driver

Edit: that might have been an older GXP…

[WHITE-TRASH]

That bimmer looks just like the kia, hyundai, mazda etc etc I saw the other day. I appreciate the performance value but nothing made post 1990 will ever be good for more than its drivetrain to me.

[EeePee]

Yeah and all those Kias and Hyundais are trying to look like the popular good looking cars for a reason. To sell them. They took styling cues from the leading manufacturers, ie Benz, BMW, Honda and offer them for half the cost. They used to use their ten year warranty on the whole car as a selling point, until they realized that wasn't gonna work cause the cars were shit. Now they build better cars that look pretty decent for less money. Hence seeing them all over the place.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by EeePee

Now they build better cars that look pretty decent for less money. Hence seeing them all over the place.

So remind me, why its worth it to spend twice the cash for a bimmer again?

[SINister]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

That bimmer looks just like the kia, hyundai, mazda etc etc I saw the other day. I appreciate the performance value but nothing made post 1990 will ever be good for more than its drivetrain to me.

but you don't get the privilege of paying an extra 20k for an emblem.