The BMW M4 coupe and convertible — which, admittedly, many of us probably still refer to as the M3 when no one from BMW is listening — may be some of the most entertaining four-seaters on the road, but they’re getting a little long in the tooth. It, and the associated M3 sedan, debuted all the way back in 2013, in an era when muscle cars making more than 600 horsepower were still shocking and the best Tesla Model S could only travel 208 miles on a charge. The automotive world has moved pretty far since then. The M3 and M4 haven’t.
So to tide enthusiasts over while we wait for the next-generation M3/M4 to arrive in all its allegedly-purist-satisfying glory, BMW is allegedly about to up the power and performance of the existing car by making the currently-optional Competition Package standard.
That’s the word from Motor Authority, at least. (We’ve reached out to BMW for an official comment, and we’ll update this post accordingly if they reply.) If true — and we hope it is — it wouldn’t be all that surprising. After all, it’s the sort of move that Bimmer’s made before; back in April of last year, the company stopped selling the regular M2 and made the spicier M2 Competition the sole version available.
The Competition Package for the M4 includes a slight power boost, pumping the twin-turbo inline-six from 425 horsepower to 444. Handling is upgraded via a revised adaptive suspension and changes to the limited-slip Active M Differential, while new sport seats on coupes, black trim and unique rims bring some added pizzazz to the table. According to the BMW website, it’ll run you $4,750 right now; hopefully, BMW won’t simply increase the car’s base price accordingly while adding the package on as standard equipment.
Motor Authority‘s report doesn’t mention whether the M3 will also be scoring the Competition Package as standard, but we wouldn’t be surprised if BMW did the same for the sedan as it’s apparently planning for the coupe and droptop. After all, why should folks who need to use the back seat frequently be left out of the fun?
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