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BMW M3/M4/M4 Convertible launched

The four-door sports car launched under BMW

By CaprillionePublished about a year ago 5 min read
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BMW announced the launch of the new M3 four-door sedan, M4 coupe and M4 convertible.

New car features

The shape refuses to be "low-profile" and focuses on an "aerodynamic" design

To explain the identity, BMW M designers have carefully designed unique elements for the new M3 and M4, including a new style of the front bumper with richer lines and layers, large wheels and yellow brake calipers (standard with four-piston front and two-piston rear BMW M composite brakes, also available with the lighter BMW M carbon ceramic brake system), as well as a bilateral exhaust system with four outlets at the rear, is also very eye-catching. The BMW M4 coupe is shown here.

In addition to improving their appearance to make them more attractive, the designers have also optimized the aerodynamic design of the new M3 and M4. For example, the M3 and M4 have specially designed air curtains at the rear of the front wheels, while the M grille with integrated ventilation holes also reduces turbulence in the front wheel arches to a certain extent. This, combined with the aerodynamically optimized double-braced exterior mirrors, all help to reduce air resistance.

BMW is not only launching the hardtop versions of the new M3 and M4 but also the convertible version of the M4, which features a three-section metal roof that can be fully opened in 20 seconds at speeds below 18km/h, including at a standstill. In addition, the car can also be equipped with optional wind deflectors, neck heaters and other configurations. As for the luggage compartment space, the M4 Convertible has a loading volume of 220 liters when the roof is open and 370 liters when the roof is closed.

More focus on "lightweight", target "weight reduction"

In the new M3 and M4 models, BMW M has put forward a new concept of "intelligent lightweight", using reinforced carbon fiber composites in many places of the body, with both the M3 and M4 roofs using reinforced carbon fiber roofs, making weight of the new M3 is 5 kg lighter than that of the previous generation four-door M3, and the weight of the M4 coupe 5kg lighter than that of the previous generation M3 coupe. The weight of the M4 coupe is more than 6 kg less than that of the previous generation M3 coupe.

The new M3 and M4 also feature a reinforced carbon-fiber composite driveshaft, which is 40% lighter than the previous generation. In addition, the new M3 and M4 also replace conventional steel with aluminum, with the resulting front side panels and engine compartment cover contributing to the lightweight concept and also improving axle load distribution.

With a series of lightweight designs, the weight of the new BMW M3 is reduced by 85kg to 1595kg compared to the previous M3 four-door version, and the weight of the M4 is reduced by 178kg to 1497kg compared to the previous M3 two-door version, making the "weight reduction" effect very obvious.

Abandoning "self-absorption" and changing "core" across the board

In terms of power, BMW's new M3 and M4 no longer use large displacement naturally aspirated engines, instead, they have 3.0L twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engines, with a maximum output of 431hp/5500-7300rpm and peak torque of 550N-m/1850-5500rpm. gearbox.

In terms of performance, the new BMW M3, for example, is officially said to accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds, with a top speed of 250km/h. Compared to its predecessor, the new M3 accelerates from 0-100km/h one second faster, a significant performance improvement.

Product Background

Up to the new M3 and M4, the BMW M3 has gone through five generations of model evolution (the first four generations were named after the M3, while the fifth generation was subdivided and adjusted by BMW, so the coupe and convertible versions were divided into the M4 lineup, while in the first four generations, the coupe and convertible versions were named after the M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible) According to BMW, a total of 222,293 units of the second to fourth generation models have been produced since 1992 because of their strong performance and handling.

The fifth-generation M3 and M4 debuted at the North American Auto Show in early 2014, and they once again abandoned their large-displacement naturally aspirated engines and used turbocharged engines with lower fuel consumption performance and more power, while the performance of the new cars was once again improved with the help of lightweight design, becoming the focus of attention.

Regarding the exhaust sound, it is inevitable that the sound emitted from the 3.0L inline 6-cylinder twin-turbo engine does seem a bit dull compared to the high, smooth sound of the previous V8. To make up for this inherent deficiency, the BMW M team came up with a way to synthesize the exhaust sound with the car's audio. Although it sounds a bit ridiculous, it works really well in practice.

Competitors

In terms of rivals, the biggest rival of the new BMW M3 is still the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, while the BMW M4 not only needs to face the strong rival of the C63 AMG Coupe but also will be blocked by the recently launched Audi RS 5 Coupe. However, both the new M3 and M4 rivals use naturally aspirated engines, so there will be very different feelings in terms of speed and driving experience, and their performance is also very close to each other, so it is difficult to assess who has a better overall performance.

Summary.

The new BMW M3 and M4 after the "core" change have not only improved a step in performance, but also made a breakthrough in fuel economy, and the lightweight design has laid the foundation for a high-performance cars, and the application of a series of advanced technologies has made it a strong player in this segment again. From the pricing point of view, the new M3 and M4 are not significantly upward compared to their predecessors, which makes the car cost-effective and market competitiveness has improved, is worth considering the purchase of high-performance luxury midsize cars.

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About the Creator

Caprillione

From the moment I got the keys to the car, my excitement never subsided.

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