New BMW M3 and M4 2021 detailed! Mercedes-AMG C63 S rivals go official with manual, rear-wheel drive

BMW has officially revealed the new-generation M3 sedan and M4 coupe ahead of their Australian arrival in the first quarter of next year.

Both are available in an unnamed entry-level grade exclusively mated to a six-speed manual and rear-wheel drive, a combination that is sure to please the purists out there.

The M3 sedan and M4 coupe are also offered in a flagship Competition grade, which only comes with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic (the seven-speed dual-clutch unit is no more), although there is the choice of RWD or all-wheel drive for the first time.

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Once again, a 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder petrol engine is under the bonnet in both instances, with the new ‘S58’ unit punching 353kW/550Nm and 375kW/650Nm in the unnamed and Competition grades respectively.

This means the new M3 sedan and M4 coupe’s unnamed and Competition grades are up 36kW and 44kW/100Nm respectively over their ‘S55’ predecessors.

2021 BMW M3 Competition sedan

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2021 BMW M3 Competition sedan

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2021 BMW M4 Competition coupe

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2021 BMW M4 Competition coupe

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2021 BMW M4 Competition coupe

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More importantly, though, the Competition versions M3 sedan and M4 coupe are now more or less level pegging with their RWD Mercedes-AMG C63 S rivals, producing the same power but developing 50Nm less torque.

The M3 sedan and M4 coupe’s unnamed entry-level grade sprints from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds, while their RWD Competition variants reach triple digits in 3.9s. Claims for their AWD counterparts are yet to be released.

All six M3 sedan and M4 coupe variants will be sold in Australia, with the RWD ones to be on sale from launch, while their AWD siblings will enter the fray in late 2021 with a rear-biased M xDrive system that has a ‘drift mode’.

Now onto the elephant in the room: the M3 sedan shares its front-end design with the M4 coupe. Yep, the new 4 Series’ polarising tall-but-narrow version of BMW’s signature ‘kidney’ grille is now fitted to a 3 Series model.

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No matter your opinion of that move, what is clear is the M3 sedan and M4 coupe are much more visually aggressive than their 3 Series and 4 Series counterparts thanks to their noticeably chunkier panels and complementary body kits.

Other upgrades include 10-stage traction control, a reinforced chassis, variable-ratio steering, adaptive suspension, staggered alloy wheels and tyres (front: 275/35 ZR19, rear: 285/30 ZR20), a carbon-fibre roof and a sports exhaust system with quad tailpipes.

Inside, the M3 sedan and M4 coupe step up with sports seats, a sports steering wheel and extended Merino leather upholstery, while carbon-fibre bucket seats are an option.

As reported, a new M4 convertible is also on the way soon, while an M3 Touring wagon will be offered for the first time further down the track.

Australian pricing and full specification details will be released closer to the new M3 sedan and M4 coupe’s local debut. For reference, the previous RWD Competition versions checked in at $146,529 and $156,529 plus on-road costs respectively.