New BMW M4 2022 manual review

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While the manual transmission adds a welcome layer of interactivity to the already thrilling M4, the eight-speed automatic is a better fit for the car. But it’s a shame to be denied a choice in the UK.

The most eagle eye of BMW car nerds will immediately spot something a little different about this particular ‘G82’ M4. Its badge is merely ‘M4’ – no ‘Competition‘script along the bottom.

That detail marks this M4 as something we’ve been denied in the UK: the entry-level version. We won’t mind, only, non-Comp versions of the new version M3 and the M4 is the only way to get a manual transmission.

Although the launch of the current M4 has already taken place in February 2021, we only managed to get our hands on an entry-level handcrafted G82, namely an example registered in Germany in color Black on a black background looks sad with matte paint. We’re not jealous of the photograher’s quest to illuminate such a thing, but it does look interesting.

That aesthetic matches the character of the car. The ‘S58’ twin-turbo 6 here drops a bit of power (473bhp vs. Comp’s 503) and a decent amount of torque (550Nm vs 650), but a pause in its delivery while you shift gears making it seem more dramatic as you return to the throttle. If anything, this means it’s still faster than the Stronger Competition.

The change itself should feel familiar to anyone who has driven a manual M car in the past few years. It’s the same box used in the previous M3/M4 generation alongside the M2, providing a relatively short and reasonably accurate throw, albeit with a slightly rubbery feel as each ratio is worked out. It’s not a bad change, but it’s not a great one either.

The lever also feels deja vu – it looks completely different from what BMW used decades ago on cars like the E36 M3. Its position feels slightly off-putting, as if it could do with moving further forward and slightly to the left.

Also, on the ergonomic front, the gap between the pedals doesn’t make heel-to-toe deceleration particularly easy, but it does make you happy when you pedal one. In any case, there is an auto-rotation feature that can be easily turned on and off.

When verified with the help of a restricted autobahn, we noticed that the first gear hit 50mph, the second at 75mph and the third around 108mph. In reality, however, you’ll end up sooner than that. With loads of mid-range torque on offer and peak power reaching 6,250rpm, this isn’t an engine you need to shift, nor an engine you want – it doesn’t have the same aggressiveness. pungent of the previous version M4 ‘S55’ six.

Elsewhere, this ‘smaller’ M4 is just as impressive Competition. It’s serious enough that you need to really pay attention to drive it fast, with the potential to overload the engine in the rear tyres, but keep your input cadence constant and the M4 shows itself as a the amazingly fast cross-country machine. The side grips are exceptional, while the front end provides plenty of bite.

As far as modern setups go, the steering offers a good amount of feedback, working nicely with the extra interaction afforded by the manual transmission. Meanwhile, the well-reviewed suspension ensures that the M4’s chassis can flex and bounce off the road, as long as you keep the adaptive suspension in Comfort mode – Sport and Sport Plus modes. Definitely dedicated to racetrack driving.

In Comfort, the M4 presents itself as a great long-distance cruiser. It’s roomy for a coupe, and the well-built, well-decorated cabin is where you’ll happily spend hours. While that may not have been BMW’s intention, the M4 is perhaps the biggest touring car it’s produced today – even better. 8 Linesprobably.

This is why the manual feels inappropriate here, but not the only reason. The M3 and M4 are fast and complicated now, and a quick automatic seems like a better option.

Buyers of the old F8x generation M3 and M4 also come to the same conclusion – worldwide, only about 15% have the manual. We can understand why around this time BMW didn’t bother bringing it to the UK.

However, high power manuals are so rare these days, that it seems a pity that it’s not an option here. Without the M3 and non-auto M4, the UK landscape for such cars remains rather barren. Regarding more mainstream means, there are Ford Mustang Mach 1the Porsche 911 GT3Soon 911 Turbo based on Sport Classicand that’s about it.

A few more would be lovely, especially given the bleak outlook for combustion-powered monsters like the M3 and M4 in general. But alas, handcrafted versions of these will remain forbidden fruit for us in the UK. The forbidden fruit we know now is really delicious.

Read our review of M4 contest here…