2021 BMW M4 G82 [Post-21] cars for sale

Pity BMW’s engineers and designers – at least the ones tasked with replacing the M3/M4 – because updating an icon is a challenging task. And yet, certain controversial choices aside, the G82-gen M4 is a triumph.

For this iteration of the M4, all UK-bound cars are equipped with the Competition package. This means that 510hp and 479lb ft of torque is, these days, the minimum entry point for an M4… which are some pretty astounding figures. It’s no wonder that this is the first generation of M4 to offer the option of four-wheel drive.

But we mentioned controversies, and the huge flared nostrils at the front – one of the most extreme iterations yet of the classic BMW kidney grille – certainly divide opinion. Of course, if you like them, that’s fine. The other controversy surrounds the gearbox. There is no manual version, and the self-shifter is a conventional torque converter rather than a DCT. The thing is, though, the eight-speed auto is a fine and versatile unit that provides super-quick changes should you want them, and silky smooth ones when you don’t.

And that’s the key to the M4’s appeal, really. It is a machine capable of organ-rearranging grip and searing point-to-point pace while being an entirely usable everyday proposition.