The BMW M4 is, technically, a twice new vehicle. It's new in the sense that it's the first year of the newest generation of hopped-up BMW sports coupes; it's also new in the sense that this is the first generation of BMWs to use the 4-series badge for its two-door offerings. That means the M4 symbolize the newest of the new; of course, BMW knows this, and so they really pulled out all the stops in order to bring customers a car that's less of a car and more of an experience. Naturally, in something this fresh, there are bound to be all sorts of unique tidbits scattered around the car.
As with many other cars we've looked at in detail, we have a hard time getting past the headlights without stopping to take a picture. LED headlights are all the range now, and thanks to their small form factor, LED headlights can be formed in a multitude of different shapes and sizes. BMW's system uses a pair of hyphen-like reflectors, giving the headlights a proper futuristic quality.
You're be hard pressed to miss the brakes on the M4, especially on our tester, which is equipped with the optional carbon-ceramic brake package. Carbon-ceramic bakes (not to be confused with more typical ceramic brake pads you can buy at an auto-parts store) are created for one thing only hard, repetitive stops. they're track brakes; carbon-ceramic units work much better under pressure, as they are far more resistant to heat than standard steel brakes. That's great on the track, but it can result in squeaks and squeals when stopping in everyday traffic.
And don't mind the hairline cracks on the rotor; those cracks come from the producing process, and they're totally normal.
BMW are sure to tout tits use of carbon fiber in the M4's producing processes. Carbon fiber is light, and lightness is clutch when it comes to reducing lap times and increasing overall performance. Automakers can paint over the carbon fiber, but occasionally the'll leave it bare for all to see, as is the case with the M4's roof.
The shift knob itself is quite impressive, as well. Our M4 came with BMW's dual-clutch DCT, which operates like standard manual, albeit with faster shifts and computer-controlled clutch slippage. That means the shifter operates more like a manual than an automatic. For example, there is no park setting; just like in a manual car, if you want to park the car, you leave it in gear, engage the parking brake and turn the car off. The M4 will not let you leave and lock the vehicle with the shift level in Neutral.
Finally, we'll head back outside for what is the favourite part of the M4 detail. Not every structural component on a car needs to look boring, or even sensible. that's the case with the M4's engine bay. The brace that fully surrounds the M4's turbocharged inline-six is carbon fiber, and it breaks up the monotony of an otherwise wholly predictable engine bay. Now this is a future we can get behind.
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