2023 BMW M4 Coupe

BMW's M Sport division has been churning out M models at an impressively fast rate, and the M4, the two-door version of the M3 Sedan, is one of the best around. It's bigger than the M2 but just as fun to drive and offers massive grip and straight-line performance. The big news for the 2023 model year is the introduction of the CSL model, which brings a slew of track-focused parts to the table; however, the CSL is reviewed separately. Under the hood of the normal M4 sits a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six motor that produces 503 horsepower in Competition specification. If you don't need that much power, the base M4 still has 473 hp to play with and a manual gearbox. The manual M4 is now a novelty in this segment, and something that the more mature Audi RS5 Coupe can't boast. Likewise, the M4 has a rear-wheel-drive configuration for purists. For all that's different and controversial about the second-generation M4, it's still a fine choice for the keen driver.

Excluding the $995 destination and handling charge, the BMW M4 Coupe has a base price of $74,700. The Competition raises this MSRP to $78,600 the Competition xDrive's price is $82,700. If you load it up with all of the available options and packages, the BMW M4's price can increase to $115,000 or more.

For the sake of comparison, the Audi RS5 range starts at $77,900 before destination, but this does come with the quattro all-wheel drive.

The M4 is based on the M3 Sedan and rides on 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels as standard. This gives the M4 a ride quality that is totally acceptable for the daily commute but still taut enough to provide crisp handling and quick responses. The 2023 BMW M4 comes with all sorts of tricks to make the driving experience as good as possible depending on the situation, but we found that the various driving modes were overly complicated and difficult to navigate.

The new BMW M4 Coupe comes standard with adaptive dampers that iron out road imperfections reasonably well but stiffens up when asked to in sporty driving modes. A cool touch is the fact that the exhaust note picks up when you go into Sport and Sport Plus modes, which adds significantly to the overall driving experience, and makes that 3.0-liter inline six howl like a banshee. The steering has been improved but could do with more feel and feedback, but we appreciate the fact that one can adjust the brake pedal feel. Overall, the M4 offers plenty of grip and excellent responses while remaining a good daily driver.

The M4 is the perfect balance between M3 practicality and coupe style, and we think it's one of the best M cars in the lineup. The standard and Competition models deliver an exhilarating ride while remaining comfortable enough for the daily grind, and hardcore fans can now invest in the CSL, which considerably sharpens the M4 and turns it into a track machine whose only desire in life is to be pushed to the limit. Even in standard guise, the inline-six turbocharged engine pushes this car forward with aggressive force, and the handling is sharp and responsive. Plus, the main BMW M4 competitors lack an involving manual gearbox, a distinct advantage in the Bimmer's favor. We think the driver modes need to be simplified, and the steering feedback could improve, but in this class, few come close. As for the interior, it feels a bit too similar to the rest of BMW's cars and could do with a few unique features to make it stand out more, but the comfort is there, and the optional Executive Package makes it an even better place to spend time. The 2023 M4 is a sexy and well-balanced sports coupe at the top of its game.

The BMW M4 Coupe has been laid out to appeal to a variety of customers. If you want a pure and unfiltered experience, the $74,700 base trim with its six-speed manual and comprehensive list of standard features, including seat heating, dynamic cruise control, parking sensors with a backup camera, keyless entry, and the Harmon Kardon surround-sound system will be the best choice as it never fails to excite and thrill. The price gap between this car and a fully loaded Competition xDrive model is notable. Ticking every box on the flagship derivative will see you ordering a $115,000 car before destination. Configure this car with restraint and think hard about which features you will really need to use to fully enjoy your ownership experience.