Tested: 2025 BMW M4 Is Pure and Nearly Perfect (and Pink!)

• 473 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission are standard equipment.
• Grip levels are on par with the more extreme M3 Competition xDrive.
• M4 prices start at just over $80,000.

One heck of an engine

The M4's engine is mighty. Displacing just three liters, the inline-six engine is assisted by two turbochargers to crank out 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. More powerful variants of this engine are found in the Competition (503 hp) and CS (543 hp) models, but in standard trim, it's still a whopper of an engine. 

As you'd imagine, putting that power to the ground through just two wheels is a bit of a challenge. And while the manual version does come with launch control, it's nowhere near as effective as it is in models with the eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.

Using launch control results in more frustration than speed. Whereas the automatic-equipped models can take full advantage of BMW's launch control technology, M4s with a manual transmission cannot. When active, launch control holds the revs at a moderate rpm and allows you to step off the clutch with full throttle. After that, the M4 just spins its tires before bogging down and stumbling away. No variation of technique would help.

With some more runs and with the launch control system disabled, we had a bit more luck. Our quickest time was achieved by slipping the clutch quickly from around 2,000 rpm, with the handily adjustable traction control set to its second-lowest setting. The M4 still hazed its tires and generated moderate wheel hop through most of first gear and partway through second gear before finally settling down. When all was said and done, the M4 hit 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and finished the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 115.8 mph. We did expect the M4 to be a touch quicker, but the cooler ambient temperatures, which result in cooler surface temperatures, might have hindered the M4's traction and therefore limited its sprint to 60 mph.

Of course we have to say something about the now rare availability of a six-speed manual. While the satisfaction of driving a manual transmission is definitely higher than paddle-shifting an eight-speed automatic, it's not nearly as quick to change gears. If you're not chasing the quickest 0-60 time, it's not even remotely a problem, but BMW's manual transmissions have long been a bit polarizing. You'll either not mind it or not like it. Either side will agree that you can't really rush a shift, which lengthens the gap to the automatic-equipped version, and the first-second shift isn't as positive and direct as we'd like.

No tricks, just grip

When it comes to braking and handling, the M4 definitely makes the most of its tires. Even though they are a fairly meaty 275/35ZR19 up front and 285/30ZR20 out back, the M4 uses the excellent but still weather-friendly Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tire. These aren't as sticky as the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, which is currently the darling of enthusiasts, but no one seems to have told this M4.

During our panic braking test from 60 mph, we recorded a stop in just 107 feet. More focused sports cars can usually stop in 100 feet, but the M4 is no slouch. As you'd expect from a sporty BMW, every stop was straight, stable and full of confidence. Tire noise and ABS vibrations were minimal and the braking system feels well-tuned to the Pilot Sport 4S tires. Distances over five panic stops varied a bit more than we'd like (about 4 feet) but driving around our handling loop, the brakes tolerated multiple fast laps without a hint of fade. That last bit about the fade is important because this M4 was not equipped with the costly carbon-ceramic brakes we usually see on BMW M3/M4s. Proof, again, that the standard BMW M hardware is pretty robust.

Around our skidpad, it was more of the same. This rear-wheel-drive M4 showed impeccable manners and felt quite happy to take you right up to its considerable limits without much effort. The end result of our skidpad work was an impressive 1.07 g — anything near 1.1 is serious business. That matched, down to the hundredths of a g, the grip generated by an M3 Competition xDrive we tested just weeks earlier. Even with all its systems turned on, the M4's trajectory can be adjusted with minor steering and throttle inputs. Steering effort is light, as it is feedback, but the latter comes alive once you get very close to the limit of the tires. The front end loses grip in a predictable fashion, and unless you give the M4 a boot full of throttle, the rear end will stay in line. But around our handling loop, the M4 was happy to slide around while remaining easy to drive. Its multi-stage traction control proves useful to drivers who like to work up to the car's limits, but even with fully disabled, you can drive the M4 cleanly without drama. It's a great overall package.

Photos by Keith Buglewicz