This post was originally published on Autocar
Straight six turbo BMW coupe obviously has its charms. Especially at these prices
How does a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder BMW M4 for the price of a tidy, reasonable-miles Toyota GR Yaris sound? Well, then, step right up with your £25,000 in hand – or far less for a leggier example.Sure, these two brilliant driver’s cars are very different beasts, but with twice the number of cylinders, way more power and an extra lashing of premium appeal, Munich’s muscle car could be the more logical purchase.Launched in 2014, the M4 was effectively a continuation of the two-door M3 and joined its four-door sibling in swapping a howling atmo V8 for a creamier straight six.Displacement devotees shuddered at the loss of the mighty 4.0-litre lump that powered the previous-generation M3, but dropping down two cylinders and adding two turbos paved the way for a healthy uplift in power and, crucially, an extra 111lb ft of torque.Thus endowed, it had 406lb ft on tap and its peak power output of 425bhp arrived at 5500rpm as opposed to the 8000rpm of its ‘E92’ M3 Coupé forebear.The M4 could hit 60mph in just 4.1sec too – and it was an absolute slip-road supremo, capable of surging from 30-70mph a whole 3.0sec quicker than the E92 M3.Part of the reason for the Mk1 M4’s enduring appeal is that it arrived in the hazy days when BMW still offered a manual gearbox in the UK, but honestly the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the better wingman for the 425bhp motor.It’s slick and responsive – and full-throttle paddle shifts are highly entertaining. That said, the six-speed manual, while being a little slower, delivers the more interactive experience when hustling it down a twisty cross-country road – as you will often be inclined to do in a car this engaging and composed.When we road tested the M4, we said: “Select the M4’s angriest settings and you’ll have a car that is adeptly tied down yet compliant over the worst bumps.“The rear diff can be completely open so it doesn’t push into understeer on corner entry, or it can be completely locked, which turns the car into the kind of adjustable drift machine that M cars have recently become.”With excellent balance and body control, the M4 has all the key ingredients to stir the soul, but it isn’t totally free of niggles.The steering, for example, while resoundingly precise and accurate, lacks the raw feel of the Mercedes-AMG C63’s.For a more visceral experience, we would go for the M4 Competition. A 35k-mile ‘Comp’ is around £5000 more than a comparable standard car, but with 444bhp, a revised suspension set-up and retuned differential and stability control, it’s an even finer driver’s car.Its rear end is more planted and the vast reserves of torque are delivered in a more linear way to prevent the rear axle from being overwhelmed.When new, it also had the enticingly intricate 20in ‘snowflake’ wheels and purposeful, track-flavoured sports seats.If that isn’t enough to scratch your M itch, the hardcore, track-focused GTS model might be more to your taste. Good luck finding one, though, because only 30 right-hand-drive cars were made and it’s priced at around £80,000 today.Rounding off the first-generation M4 was the 454bhp CS, built to bridge the gap between the Competition and full-bore GTS.It’s a super-refined and well-rounded sports coupé and encompasses the very best of the M4 line-up in one package – and you can get one now for less than £40,000.It handles better, sounds better, goes harder and works very well on the road, so don’t rule it out if your budget can stretch further.