Domagoj Dukec, head of BMW design, recently assured us the BMW 4 Series coupe’s tall and narrow grille will not serve as the new face of all upcoming BMW models. Still, Dukec noted that BMW has no immediate plans to ditch the 4’s massive maw, either. In fact, it’s due to spread to other 4 Series models, including the forthcoming i4 battery-electric vehicle and the M4 sports coupe. Just see for yourself—that photo above shows the high-performance M4, caught undisguised well ahead of its official debut.
Posted to Reddit, the image reveals that, much like the mugs of the 430i and M440i coupes, the M4’s face stands out for its massive nostrils. (Or buck teeth, if you prefer.) Although it’s far from beautiful, the M4 arguably pulls off the design detail better than its lesser 4 Series kin. Credit the car’s flared front fenders, horizontal grille slats, and M-specific lower fascia that includes a small front splitter and complementary vertical intake slats.
Behind the M4’s gaping maw, look for the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six from the BMW X3 M and X4 M models to lurk between the front wheels. As in its crossover kin, the engine is due to make 473 horsepower in the standard M4 and 503 ponies in even hotter M4 Competition spec.
While the four-cylinder 430i and six-cylinder M440i strictly rely on an eight-speed automatic to push power to the drive wheels (for now), the M4 will maintain a manual transmission option for rear-wheel-drive models. That said, the quickest M4s will surely sport the available automatic gearbox—likely an eight-speed unit—and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system.
No doubt, the new M4’s dynamic competence ought to overcome its design’s shortcomings. Well, at least we hope that’s the case.
The post 2022 BMW M4 Shows Off its 4 Series–Like GrilleFace Early appeared first on MotorTrend.
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