Underneath it all is the new TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder motor. BMW have reverted to their recognised configuration, albeit tuned up to meet the present day norms. The engine is now a 3.0-litre straight six, featuring direct injection, Valvetronic (BMW speak for variable valve timing) and a pair of mono-scroll turbochargers – one per three cylinders. The engineers have worked hard on keeping things light. The crankshaft is specially forged and even the oil pan is made of magnesium.
All of this translates into more power and torque than the old 4.0-litre V8 together with lag-free performance and just a thousand less revs. The turbochargers are very co-operative indeed and, at their peak 18 psi, deliver 431 PS between 5,500 and 7,300 RPM. That’s 11 PS more than the V8. What’s even more significant is the torque – 550 Nm – or 150 Nm more than the V8. The important bit is that all of that torque peaks at 1,850 RPM and stays on until all 431 horses have the laces tied on their running shoes. The 7-speed M-DCT is more than capable of handling all of that power and being an M, it also means that you have a lot of set-up choices.
BMW India chose to launch the M4 Coupé at the Buddh International Circuit. That meant getting a feel of the car around the track. The M4 was designed to be an everyday car which one can take to the track and not feel out of place. No wonder then that it felt right at home on the closed sections of tarmac and kerbs. You even get to tinker around with the drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and, in the M cars, the M Dynamic mode as well as settings for the engine, dynamics and suspension. Having the M-DCT means you can also choose your shifting speed. Set it all up, basically everything at its stiffest, with little or no give, raring to go and it’s time to push and see what it’s got. The motor comes to life with a growl and settles into a burbling idle, the needle anxious to start climbing.
