Interior and tech
The M4 gets several touches that separate it out from a standard 4-series. That is, gloss carbonfibre across the dash and along the centre console. The Competition Package adds different seats with flying side-bolsters and light up M-badges. Not only do they look spectacular, the illuminated badges might be too much, but they are supportive and comfortable.
The M4's steering wheel also looks great, avoiding the now ubiquitous flat bottom wheels seen on almost any car with even a hint of sporting pedigree. However the rim is far too think and spongy.
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iDrive is arguably the best in car nav and entertainment system on the market right now. Controlled either via the steering wheel or using a clickwheel positioned on the transmission tunnel, it's easy to use and the wide screen high-resolution display is clear in any condition.
£675 options a Harman Kardon sound system onto the M4. It's not the best optional audio package on the market, but definitely gives a boost to the sound setup in the car. It's also cheaper than some of the competitions’.
Other tech includes internet connection, web-based music browsing and a heads up display. The latter was fitted to the BMW M4 that we ran for a year on our Fast Fleet, and is definitely worth considering. The rest add little to the user experience and won't do anything for residual values if you come to sell the car.
BMW now also has a 'M Power' app, which can be connected up to iDrive in the M4. The app will show GPS position, speed, acceleration and lateral acceleration. It's a simple and cleverly integrated solution for recording lap times.
