BMW M4 Competition (G82): versions, the 2024 facelift and what it is like to drive

In short. The BMW M4 Competition (G82) is for anyone who wants a two-door coupé with four seats and M xDrive all-wheel drive: a 3.0-litre S58 straight-six, an 8-speed M Steptronic and 3.5 s to 100 km/h. Power depends on the 2024 facelift and is 510 or 530 hp. The model year alone does not show which version is in the Aurex fleet.

Source: BMW M

The G82 and where the M4 Competition sits in the BMW range

G82 is the code for the coupé generation of the M4. The body has two doors and four seats. M xDrive all-wheel drive arrived on the M3 and M4 in April 2021, and production of the M4 Competition M xDrive began in July 2021. The Aurex fleet includes the BMW M4 Competition G82 Akrapovič: rental terms, pick-up points and trips are on its listing, while this article looks at the model itself.

Three other versions of the coupé sit alongside the xDrive:

• M4 Coupé with a manual gearbox: 480 hp, 550 Nm, rear-wheel drive, 6-speed manual, 4.2 s to 100 km/h, weight 1700 kg to DIN.
• M4 Competition with rear-wheel drive: 510 hp, 650 Nm, 8-speed M Steptronic, 3.9 s, 1725 kg.
• M4 CS: 550 hp, 650 Nm, all-wheel drive, 3.4 s, 1760 kg, in production since July 2024.

The all-wheel-drive Competition is 0.4 s quicker than the rear-wheel-drive one and 50 kg heavier to DIN: 1775 kg against 1725 kg. After its update, the M3 Competition M xDrive saloon has the same 530 hp and 650 Nm as the M4, but it has four doors and a 480 l boot.

The 2024 facelift: what changed in the M4 Competition xDrive

BMW unveiled the updated M4 in January 2024 and calls it Modelljahr 2024. Production of the updated version began in March 2024 at the Dingolfing plant, and cars were delivered to UK customers from April. The M4 Competition M xDrive therefore exists in two versions of one model: before the update, from July 2021, and after it, from March 2024.

In numbers, the facelift touched power and, slightly, the dimensions:

• power rose from 510 to 530 hp, an increase of 20 hp (15 kW);
• torque stayed at 650 Nm, but the plateau widened: 2750-5730 rpm instead of 2750-5500;
• length grew from 4794 to 4801 mm;
• 0-100 km/h in 3.5 s and the 1775 kg DIN weight did not change.

Within the range, only the xDrive gained power. The M4 with the manual gearbox still has 480 hp, and the rear-wheel-drive Competition 510 hp.

The exterior and interior differences are covered in the section on practicality. The 2024 in the listing name does not show whether the Aurex fleet car was built before or after the facelift; our team will confirm the version and power when you book. The Akrapovič exhaust in the listing name is not factory data, and it is not in the table below.

Technical data: the S58, M xDrive and the data table

The S58 engine (code S58B30T0), with a displacement of 2993 cm3, is a straight-six with two mono-scroll turbochargers, which BMW calls M TwinPower Turbo. The gearbox is an 8-speed automatic, the M Steptronic with Drivelogic. Drive is to all four wheels: M xDrive with an active M differential on the rear axle. The factory top speed is 250 km/h with an electronic limiter and 290 km/h with the optional M Driver’s Package. The package is activated after a 2000 km running-in period and an inspection at the end of it. Whether the fleet car has the package, our team will confirm when you book.

BMW’s Canadian material states power in a different unit: 523 hp after the update and 503 hp before it. These are the same 530 and 510 PS.

How it drives: what evo, Top Gear and Autocar say

Evo tested the updated M4 Competition xDrive and starts with stiffness: the body feels tightly assembled, the steering is precise even with the suspension in Comfort, and grip is huge. The limit of grip is hard to find, because the car quickly loads the tyre sidewalls, and in its lightest mode the steering has almost no weight to it. Next to a 911 coupé, the magazine judges the M4 bigger and less agile. The drive modes change the character: in 4WD Sport with the stability control relaxed, the car behaves like a rear-wheel-drive one and slides tail-out easily. In 2WD with minimum assistance the slide is sharp but predictable. The engine pulls smoothly and strongly past 7000 rpm, and evo calls the sound synthetically enhanced and not the most pleasant.

Top Gear tested the updated Competition and praises the traction out of corners: the electronic differential splits torque neatly across the rear axle. On a track the car hides its weight of around 1.8 t, there is less understeer, the transition into oversteer is slower, and sliding takes determination. On an ordinary road the M4 is calm and well mannered, and on the motorway the engine turns at about 2000 rpm in eighth gear. On all-wheel drive the magazine is sober: it adds about 50 kg and is not needed 99 per cent of the time, but it gives extra confidence, a quick start and winter versatility. The magazine calls the powertrain efficient rather than emotional. Before the update, it recorded 60 mph in 3.2 s against the 3.5 s BMW claims.

Autocar drove the pre-facelift, rear-wheel-drive version in a road test in March 2022. The testers noted precise turn-in, stability mid-corner and good throttle control at the limit of grip. The engine is smooth and pulls without flat spots, but sounds less characterful than one would like. The ride is firm, and cabin noise at 70 mph is 73 dB. The test car was rear-wheel drive, so only the chassis assessment applies to the xDrive.

Interior, dimensions and practicality

The cabin is designed for four, with two doors and a 440 l boot. The M3 Competition saloon has a bigger one, 480 l, but that is a different body. Kerb weight is 1775 kg DIN. The fuel is RON 98 petrol, with RON 91 as the minimum, and the tank holds about 59 l.

The versions also differ inside. After the update the central screen is 14.9 inches and runs BMW Operating System 8.5. Before the update the screen is 10.25 inches and the system is version 7.0. The updated car has new headlights, new wheels and a new steering wheel, and the rear lights may have laser lighting, which is an option. This makes the versions easier to tell apart from photos and in person.

The body is 1887 mm wide, and on the pre-facelift car it measures 2081 mm with the mirrors. Use that figure for car parks and narrow courtyards.

The M4 Competition in Poland

There are no vignettes for passenger cars in Poland, and toll sections of motorways are paid separately, so for a long trip it is worth checking in advance where they are on the route. Warsaw has a Clean Transport Zone (SCT). Whether a specific M4 Competition from the fleet meets its rules, our team will confirm when you book. Ideas for day and weekend trips are collected in the article “Road trips from Warsaw”.

Who it suits and who it doesn’t

The M4 Competition suits you if:

• you need a two-door coupé for two or four people, with a 440 l boot;
• the trip is planned for the season of wet tarmac, and the extra grip of M xDrive matters;
• a long motorway journey lies ahead: according to Top Gear, the car is calm on the road, and in eighth gear the engine turns at about 2000 rpm;
• you are interested in a model with factory figures: 3.5 s to 100 km/h and 250 km/h with the limiter.

The M4 Competition does not suit you if:

• you need five seats or four doors: look at the M3 Competition saloon instead;
• a roomy boot matters, as the coupé has 440 l;
• sound is what matters most: evo considers the factory sound synthetically enhanced;
• you want a light, agile car: next to the 911 coupé evo calls the M4 large, and a weight of around 1.8 t is noticeable.

FAQ

How does the M4 Competition xDrive differ from the manual M4 and the rear-wheel-drive Competition? In drive, gearbox and power. The M4 Coupé has 480 hp, rear-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual, and accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.2 s. The rear-wheel-drive Competition has 510 hp and an 8-speed automatic, with 3.9 s. The xDrive has the same automatic, all-wheel drive and 3.5 s, and weighs 50 kg more than the rear-wheel-drive Competition.

What is the power of the M4 Competition xDrive before and after the facelift? Before the update it is 510 hp, or 375 kW, and after it 530 hp, or 390 kW. Peak torque is 650 Nm in both cases, but the updated version holds it up to 5730 rpm rather than 5500. The year 2024 does not show which version the Aurex fleet car is, so our team will confirm its power when you book.

How can you tell the updated M4 from the earlier one? The easiest way is the screen: the updated car has 14.9 inches with BMW Operating System 8.5, the earlier one 10.25 inches and system 7.0. On the outside the new car has different headlights and wheels, and laser rear lights are an option. The length differs too: 4801 mm after the update and 4794 mm before it.

How does the M4 Competition differ from the M3 Competition? In the body. The M4 is a coupé with two doors and four seats, the M3 a saloon with four doors and a 480 l boot. The S58 engine, 530 hp, 650 Nm and 3.5 s are the same in the updated M xDrive versions. The M3 is slightly heavier: 1780 kg DIN against 1775 kg.

How does the M4 CS differ from the M4 Competition? The CS has 550 hp, 3.4 s, a weight of 1760 kg DIN and a width of 1918 mm against 1887 mm for the Competition. Top speed is 302 km/h, and the M Driver’s Package is standard. CS production began in July 2024.

How loud and firm is the M4 Competition in everyday driving? Reviews differ. Top Gear calls the car calm and well mannered on the road. Autocar, testing the pre-facelift rear-wheel-drive version, noted a firm ride and 73 dB in the cabin at 70 mph. Evo considers the engine sound synthetically enhanced, so it is worth judging the volume and character in person rather than from a description.

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