The new M3 and M4 are all out now. Most publications have tested them and a lot of happy customers are probably doing their break-in miles at the moment. With that being said, seeing them drifting on a variety of tracks shouldn’t be seen as a surprise.
A press event was recently held on the world famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The home of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix was the perfect place for the two as it has both extremely tight corners and long straights that allow you to explore just how the M division worked on them.
With enthusiastic drivers behind the wheel, screeching tires and a ton of smoke was to be expected and the audience wasn’t disappointed. As you can see, the cars were driven properly as well as all out, at times.
The S55 3-liter twin-turbo inline-6 engine was pushed to the limit more than once, having to use all of its 431 HP and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque to get around. Sounds quite monstrous, right? Well, according to independent measurements, the engine actually makes more power.
The initial dyno results showed that the cars have around 460-470 HP at their disposal and about the same lb-ft of torque (600-620 Nm). With such numbers and a claimed weight of just above 1,600 kg (3,500 lbs) thing are bound to get sideways really quick.
We’ve already seen an M4 and two M3s crashed by unsuspecting drivers that thought they know how to drive like a pro. That only goes to show that with great power comes great responsibility and you shouldn’t rely only on electronic traction control devices to save your life or keep you safe. Sometimes common sense can go a long way.
Prices for the M3 start at $62,000 flat in the US with the M4 Coupe being a bit more pricey at $64,200.
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