2023 BMW M4 Coupe Performance

If you want to harness the full technical ability of the M4 Coupe, the xDrive derivative is going to be the best choice. It maintains the Competition's 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque and adds a bit of weight to the body, but thanks to all-wheel drive, it's able to best the rear-wheel-drive Competition's 0-60 mph time by 0.4 seconds - now down to 3.4. Top speed is 155 mph, but ticking the box for the M Performance package will raise it to 180 mph.

If you have a love for manual labor, the M4 Coupe in its base state uses the six-speed gearbox to divvy out 473 hp and 406 lb-ft to the rear wheels only. BMW claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds, but the top speed remains the same as its more powerful peers. While this model doesn't quite match up to the likes of the C63 S and RS5 Coupe's 0-60 mph times of 3.7 seconds, the xDrive variant more than proves its worth in the acceleration department.

All three derivatives of the BMW M4 Coupe are powered by the brand's S58 3.0-liter inline-six engine which sports a pair of single-scroll turbochargers. The base model M4 delivers 473 hp while the Competition pushes out 503 hp. Both of these derivatives boast a peak power engine speed of 6,250 rpm and can continue to reach a rather impressive redline of 7,200 rpm. As for torque delivery, the base model offers 406 lb-ft from 2,650-6,130 rpm while the Competition delivers 479 lb-ft from 2,750-5,500 rpm.

BMW's decision to move away from the M-DCT and embrace the torque converter with its eight-speed M Steptronic in the Competition models has proved to be beneficial. Admittedly, the level of aggression between shifts has been drastically reduced but the proof of pudding is certainly in the performance.

The down-to-earth manual gearbox in the base trim stays true to the many models that have come before the G82 M4. It's mostly slick and satisfying to operate, but there are moments when it has a notchy and rubbery feel. Both transmissions are well-suited to performance and casual driving situations, though.

As the BMW M4 is a top-end gasoline-powered performance car, it would be unfair to expect great fuel economy, and the EPA estimates reflect that. The 16/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined gas mileage estimates for the rear-wheel-drive models (both regular and Competition) drop to 16/22/18 mpg when all wheels are tasked with doing the work. Both drivetrains source fuel from a 15.6-gallon tank, which gives the former a range of about 296 miles and the latter, around 281 miles.

The Audi RS5 Coupe employs a similarly sized twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 with a lower 444-hp output but manages an 18/26/21 mpg rating, which is noticeably better than the BMW.