As much as I want to call foul on this video, the E92 M3 that comes at the end is the only one of those two M3 generations that has a true enthusiast car sound and is worthy of the motorsport name. 2008 must have been a tough year for BMW to choose an 3.0 turbo engine that for their present M4/3 car when it's also appearing (with different turbo) in no less than 6 other BMW lesser models. 2008 what the beginning year of the economic world crisis. Did that influence bmw on making such a poor choice of engine displacement ? That m4 sounds dreadfull even with akrapovic. Without it, it is a monumental fail.

As a side note I'm wondering which porsche is that at the end on the innotech custom exhaust video.

 

Couldn't agree more!


My local BMW dealer has a M4 instock (surprised about that) so I went and checked it out tonight and its gorgeous and has some great features over our E92 M3s but that exhaust note.... I just don't know about it. I don't know how but hopefully BMW can change that for the next model year.

 

Yes that exhaust leaves a lot to be desired!!! Hopefully someone can figure out how to make it sound better.

 

Overall, the new car does seem better in a lot of respects...and that was a tall order given just how great the e92/e90 M3 is....

 

As much as I like good engine sound as any other enthusiast, this is hardly the most important feature of a performance car, IMO. The F8x is much faster and dynamically superior to the E8X from all reports. Frankly, the sound of my E92 was pretty muted from the factory, and didn't come alive until it was Eisnemanned. I'm sure improved sound will be available, but no, it will never be a V8. I do enjoy setting off car alarms in parking garages!

 

Sorry but no, for any respect deserving enthusiast sports car - not to mention exotics - the engine sound is absolutely crucial, nothing less IMO ! It is and will remain an huge shortcoming of this F80 M4/3 IMO. And the symphonic like, deep note of the E92 M3 V8 engine even when driving at slow speed accelerating lazily through the huge RPM range of that engine is heard - none of that artificial cheap electric speaker cabin sound in the m4 -. I know as I own a stock E92 and have testdriven the F82 coupe M4.

Fact is the M4/3 sound like ****, that's a fact. now the performance considering it's a 2014 car it fails being a benchmark to the competition - AT ALL and for that price you can get a mint used GT-R that will ridicule the M4. The biggest BMW mistake on this failed M car is to have used the same engine displacement and bore and stroke than more than 8 other BMW currently in production. Same engine different turbo, it is a poor value to the buyer. Second if it wanted to be a serious competitor it needed 4 wheel drives. A turbo car that wants to be taken seriously has to be 4WD (GT-R, Porsche Turbo...). Without that it falls in the category of those small europeans hatchback eco turbo 2WD cars except for the coupe body. This M4 is a nerdy car that can dangle its "rear" at any corner while letting you hear an acoustic magnet sound from an electronic speaker and does not set a record to beat for the competition. Finally even if had not failed engine sound, and benchmark setting for the competition the body lines have terrible proportions IMO. cramped front bumper and radiator facia that seems almost like an image fill on a flat surface... it's never going to be a classic stylewise.

As such, no matter how better it is dynamically than the E92 M3 not being a classic nor a record breaker for the competition, it will fall out of market much faster. If the next M4/3 gen is called the G72 then expect it will bury the F82 into oblivion easily, something the F82 has not and cannot do with the E92 Naturally Aspirated V8 M3.

 

Each to his own, I guess. AWD is not at all essential to a performance car, IMO, and erases much of the fun. Cars like the GT-R put up performance but that's not what I'd want to drive every day. And the M3/4 continues to trounce AWD cars like the RS5 and can compete with the 991 Turbo. The F80/82 are not ultimate track cars, but they are some of the best all around performance cars because of their well-rounded abilities, utility, value and comfort.


I doubt you're judging the sound by personal experience, but rather by videos you've seen online. If you read the reviews you will find quite a few that like the sound, despite being different than a NA V8 or 6. As with most of the points you cite, it's they're mostly subjective based on personal preferences and priorities. More than reading reviews, you need to drive the car before you make such black-and-white judgments.