BMW just unveiled the newest iteration of its ultra high-performance compact cars – the 2021 BMW M4 and its sedan counterpart, the M3. The M4, in particular, lands squarely in the same realm as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
The German automaker is quite proud of its new creations, touting the M3 Sedan’s “iconic design” and “unprecedented level of sportiness”, while stating that the M4 Coupe is “built for blood-pumping performance.”
The new M4 and M3 are both powered by the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine making 473 horsepower, and both are priced to start around the $70,000 mark. More importantly, both cars are still going to be available with a six-speed manual transmission, while an eight-speed automatic transmission will be optional. Rear-wheel-drive is standard, while all-wheel-drive – a first for the M3 and M4 – is optional.
BMW is also offering even higher performance variants of both cars with Competition models, which boost horsepower of the same engine to 503 horsepower.
Weight has long been a weakness for BMW’s compact performance machines, and the Bavarian automaker has worked to fix this issue with new lightweight alloy wheels and newly-developed aluminum front wishbones for the suspension. However, the result is not stellar, with the lightest version of the 2021 BMW M4 and M3 weighing in at a portly 3,840 pounds – a gain of 200 pounds compared to the last-generation M4.
That brings us to the elephant in the room – the exterior design. BMW has taken a “heritage” approach to its kidney grille that results in a taller design like the classic 2002. Unfortunately the result is a pair of giant, somewhat deformed nostrils that – arguably – spoil the entire front of the car. Thankfully the profile and rear-end look sculpted and muscular in that special BMW fashion.
BMW has also improved the interior of the new M3 and M4, where vast swaths of leather, metal and carbon fiber meld with high-resolution screens and modern technologies to create a cockpit that’s futuristic and rather handsome.
Given that we are, after all, Ford Authority, we couldn’t go without mentioning that there is another pair of cars on sale today that deliver blood-pumping performance, iconic designs, and unprecedented levels of performance. We’re, of course, referring to the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, as well as the Shelby GT350 and GT350R. Both of Ford’s ponies provide more power and more performance for a similar price.
In the case of the Shelby GT350 and GT350R, the atmospheric 5.2L Voodoo V8 makes a healthy 526 horsepower, while the Shelby GT500 makes an astounding 760 horsepower from its supercharged 5.2L Predator V8.
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Comments
I like both cars BMW and GT500 but q wouldn’t cross shop the two, BMW is a luxury brand so if I want a Luxury HotRod I’d buy the Bimmer, if I want Pony / Muscle Car HotRod with Exotic levels of performance and sound it’s GT500
As usual, Ford is focused on the wrong car. The BMW 4-series is a beautiful car but with this next CD6 S650 Mustang family of vehicles, Ford Should be focusing on the BMW 8-Series Coupe and Gran-Coupe, the BMW X6M Crossover and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe Crossover. The 400hp 3.0L Ecoboost should be at the base of the lineup with the hotter 450hp 3.5L Ecoboost, a performance oriented 3.0L Hybrid 494hp/630tq V6 (or hotter with electric motors powering the front as well) and the 660hp Supercar variant of the 3.5L Ecoboost at the top of the food chain. a Revised Explorer SUV should be going after the X5M and the Range Rover SVR with the same engines listed above. No V8’s needed and keep the price of everything except for the supercar V6 powered vehicles under $35K and have them starting at around $20K. The super high output variants should cap at $48K and sell them at high volume with incentives so people can afford them. We Still need a Lighting picking with a 660hp ecoboost V6 AWD F150 pickup short bed with single cab and crew cab along with an all-electric super-duty lineup, the Mach E lineup and complete electric commercial lineup. Literally this is all ford needs to make the company work. Get rid of Lincoln, bring over the Vignale trim from europe along with the regular limited trims and Black Label trim packages and put them on ford vehicles. Get rid of the Ecosport, Escape, Edge, Puma and all of those FWD vehicles, move the Bronco sport to the CD6 chassis since its a modular chassis, Drop every four-cylinder engine minus the 2.3L Turbo, get rid of all V8 engines and diesel engines and the world will be a better place. There is literally no need for anything else in the Ford lineup. This makes everything simple, easy and effective and powerful. Ford has already proven that it can make 1500hp with electric performance vehicles so a Mach E family of vehicles can take on Tesla and when the electric F150 gets here hopefully it will have enough electric power to take on that ugly Telsa truck and the new GMC Hummer line of Vehicles, same goes with the Super Duty Trucks. Everything else should just have variations of the 3.0L Ecoboost and 3.5L Ecoboost V6 engine and 2.3L Ecoboost Turbo-4 and that’s it. Ford could clean house and save/make so much money and they’d have good vehicles again that people will want.
You wrote a book to say nothing, the only thing Mustang need 2B is Mustang
If you want to go after the BMW 8 Series, bring back a modern Lincoln Mark VII LSC.
There you go I totally agree with you
You wrote a book to say nothing, the only thing Mustang need 2B is Mustang. A EcoBoost V6 is not a Lightning let’s please be clear about that, all Lightning are V8 as are GT500 it’s the truck Version Of the Pony that has the SuperChargered 5.4 1st. BMW is a luxury brand FORD isn’t
a book to say nothing you say? okay, sure. but lets think about what’s going on in the world today. Now I don’t disagree with Trailhiker about the Lincoln Mark VII LSC but about the engines is where i disagree and about the mustang being a mustang (sort of). Every single brand out there is moving away from V8 engines, let’s just be blunt about it. I love them but they’re not going to be around much longer. Ford has already taken the Mustang and made an electric crossover out of it along with an electric cobra jet race car and a “Mustang family of vehicles” is already in motion. Now granted I personally believe the Torino name would be a better idea for the new family of performance vehicles, but that’s just me. As far as vehicles that should “only have a V8” Ford took that idea and pushed it out the door when they made the Ford GT supercar. The point is, traditional muscle cars and pony cars aren’t going to make it if they keep doing things the same old way. Unless ford drops the V8 engine down to something tiny like a 3.8L V8 Ecoboost or something like that and puts hybrid motors and stuff like that on them, and also makes them more practical, they’re all going to follow the Camaro out the door.
Let the future play out and stop trying to convince us you can actually predict it. Stating the obvious isn’t a skill.
There ain’t nothing going that can’t be fixed quickly without writing a novel. You buying into what they want you to believe instead of the true facts, Every Luxury Flagship model has a V8 today
There ain’t nothing going on that can’t be fixed quickly without writing a novel. You buying into what they want you to believe instead of the true facts, Every Luxury Flagship model has a V8 today
Well I remember the the car that everyone said looks like it was sucking on a lemon. That BMW looks like its sucking on two lemons.take the mustang all day long…😆
There’s no way the V8 is going anywhere, anytime soon. Nothing like the torque, sound and power of the ford V8 line up. People can wish, dream, etc. I have owned several Mustangs in my lifetime, and all of them were V8 models. What Ford needs to do is simply keep making V8 motors that have increased mpgs. If they keep making them, people WILL keep buying them.