The guys from Ausfahrt.tv are usually busy doing all sorts of reviews in their native tongue, German. However, since the new M3 and M4 models are pretty important for the Bavarians and most of the motoring world, they decided to have a go at them in English.
Of course, the resulting video is funny at times, like in the beginning, when the presenter wants to make sure everyone knows what Ausfahrt means and how it’s pronounced.
However, looking past the accent-induced hilarity of the review, the guys actually deliver the best take on the cars up until now, one far better than what Steve Suitcliffe from Autocar did and well over the one from Justin Bell that was content to just driving the M3 on a track and talking about his previous experiences with the models that came before.
Interesting details that weren’t caught on by other reviewers are the small delights of this video. For instance, the bonnet’s power dome that seems to have been added to the mix just so that the car looks more aggressive, is actually a nice touch when you’re driving down the road, a detail that impresses both the people inside and the ones outside, when looking at it from different angles.
Furthermore, since most people focused on the straight-up performance numbers posted by the new M3 and M4 and how they handle themselves on the track, the guys decided to go the other way around.
In their traditional style, they wanted to let you know just how well you would get along with the car’s hard suspension, torquey engine and exhaust sound. What they found out, might surprise those that expected the new M3 and M4 to be failures on all fronts, considering the major changes they underwent.
To the reviewer’s surprise (who admits he is a Mercedes-Benz fan), the cars proved to be a lot more comfortable than expected and they turned out to be great both when driven at low speeds and when pushed hard on a twisty road, one aspect the M division really wanted to get right.
The new S55 engine under the bonnet might have a big part to play here, with its 3-liter 6-cylinder inline architecture that makes 431 HP and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque thanks to turbocharging. That’s because there's plenty of torque down low to make this car drivable at speeds under 50 km/h (30 mph) which is the usual speed limit around towns in Europe.
The 7-speed DCT gearbox was revised to offer more comfortable shifts when it’s not pushed hard an be more economical at the same time. With prices starting at $62,000 for the Sedan and $64,200 for the Coupe, you really can’t go wrong here, no matter what you choose. These two are definitely easy to live with.
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