BMW M4 Competition review

The interior’s basic structure is as per the BMW 4 Series coupe. Which is good news, even if it means the same basic layout from a £45,000 car occupying something that’ll smash six figures with a modest brush against the options list.

This used to be a car that incorporated its screens subtly. No longer. The facelift has seen the infotainment system overhauled, with a 12.3in instrument display and 14.9in touchscreen both housed in a single, super-wide curved panel across the dashboard. It’s an impressive thing to look at, although it does mean that the good old-fashioned buttons operating lights, air con and stereo shortcuts have gone. Oh.

Operating M4 specific features isn’t the work of a moment, but once you’ve got accustomed to the various menus, you’ll have quickly programmed your favourite drive settings into the M1 and M2 nipples on the steering wheel. Perhaps encompassing ‘road’ and ‘track’, if you plan on taking your heavy and expensive car on circuit, or with ‘comfy but pressing on a bit’ and ‘I want to get home with my shoes on fire’ modes if you’re in the majority who won’t.

If tapping away on the go is a bit of a stretch - and it will be if the icon you want is on the far left - there’s still a rotary controller on the centre console. A rare win for common sense.

Any party tricks?

The screen can display lap timers, g meters and that blimming Drift Analyser – on top of the obvious media and nav – while the digital instrument cluster can take the form of a traditional (albeit hexagonal) speedo and rev counter, or a big central speedo, rev counter and gear indicator for when you want a quicker readout. You can also get a frankly massive hockey-stick rev counter on the head-up display, but it’s so big it’s almost comical.

The standard interior carbon pack of old is now a £1,200 option, replaced by an aluminium finish as standard. An admission that BMW overdid it the first time round? Perhaps. It depends on your outlook, but you could argue the dash of silver on the vents and steering wheel dates it a bit…

BMW has at least addressed the steering wheel, which before was giving off ‘blokey toiletries gift set’ vibes. Still no paddles to rival the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio’s gorgeous fixed metal shifters (and given BMW helped pioneer these sorts of transmissions in attainable performance cars, it’s odd they’ve dropped the ball here) but the wheel has been squared off for a sportier look (and more knee room) and you’ve got the option of wrapping it in Alcantara now.

I’m guessing it’s not going to be comfortable…

Wrong. The optional carbon bucket seats are fantastic. They’re a bit of an eyeful at first but they’re supremely supportive and superb over long distance – almost an entire day in them didn’t elicit a single ache. They electronically adjust in as many directions as a regular leather seat, too, and leave a reasonable amount of room for passengers to clamber into the M4’s rear quarters when you’ve pulled the M tricoloured fabric and they’ve automatically whirred forwards.

Speaking of which, there’s comfortably room for anyone 5ft 5 or below, while adults will squeeze back there for shorter journeys. There are two seats in the back, as opposed to the M3’s three, but each passenger gets their own air con vent, USB-C port and a cupholder. The middle section of the rear seats flips down to house longer items feeding through from the boot, which at 440 litres, is 60 litres down on volume compared to the M3.