BMW was caught once again doing some development work on the upcoming M4 Coupe and this time, our spies got a good peek inside as well with the big news here being it’s fitted with a manual transmission.
While the motoring world awaits to see the final face of the new BMW M3/M4 duo to pass its final judgment on that kidney grille, let’s talk about the rest of the design.
Test cars continue their development work still under full-body wraps but we can clearly see that BMW will retain that widebody full-of-purpose look of the core M model.
Also Read: Yes, This Is What The New 2021 BMW M4 Will Look Like
The outgoing M4 is to this day one of the meanest-looking performance cars in its price bracket and the same thing is expected from its successor – provided the new-style tall kidney grille doesn’t prove to be as controversial as feared.
The latest spy shots show this test car being driven on the streets of Munich and on the Nurburgring, with our photographer also getting a few snaps of the interior. The first photos of the new BMW M4’s interior show off a manual transmission, something that was already confirmed by BMW M officials.
The partially covered cabin was also fitted with an extra display and keyboard as engineers are putting the final touches on the car, as well as a thick-rimmed steering wheel with a pair of trigger-like buttons for the M1 and M2 drive modes and a set of sports seats that are model-specific to the M3 and M4 models. The dashboard appears -unsurprisingly- to be the same as the 3-Series.
The new 2021 M4 will be powered by BMW’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine, which debuted in the X3 M and X4 M. In the new M3/M4, the unit will be offered in at least two power levels, starting with 473 HP (480 PS) in the base models and reaching up to 503 HP (510 PS) in the Competition versions. In addition to the manual transmission, BMW M is expected to offer the option of an eight-speed automatic, ditching the dual-clutch unit of the previous model.
Power will be sent to all four wheels through a beefed-up system that will also have the option of disconnecting the front driveshafts, much like what the current M5 offers. This will make the new M4 a much more usable performance car all year round, especially for those living in colder climates.
The 2021 M4 is expected to debut later this summer along with its four-door sibling, the M3, but with the virus pandemic forcing manufacturers to reschedule their new model launches we won’t be surprised if BMW decides to wait a little longer.
