We review the BMW M4 Coupe from price to economy and all its features

THE M3 Coupe is dead. Long live the M4 Coupe.

Beemer's newest M-badge has arrived on the scene, not only to raise the hairs on the back of your neck but a quizzical eyebrow too.

Now with more power on tap than ever (431hp), radically improved emissions and fuel economy, the old M3 Coupe's gloriously anti-social, naturally aspirated V8 engine had to evolve into a 3-litre straight-six. And be turbocharged. Twice!

So, is this just a new M3 Coupe with a name change? Or is it something truly new all together? A test on the twisting mountain roads of Innsbruck, Austria, reveals all ...

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Mountain roads... BMW M4, driven by Sun Motors on mountain roads in Austria

First Impressions?

A little longer and wider, the M4's sleek profile only improves on the old M3 Coupe's racy stance.

Allied to the car's rakish, aggressive looks, the new six-cylinder engine sounds every inch the Bavarian track star, too, thanks to some clever exhaust technology and the cunning piping of simulated roar through the sound system.

How does it drive?

First things first - you can stop worrying about the reduction in engine size. The simply immense level of newfound torque the M4 delivers is nothing short of breathtaking.

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Tricky handling... When on the edge of grip, but there are plenty of modes for a smoother drive

Still more than happy to get a little sideways if provoked, despite the raft of safety tech on board, the bi-turbos do make it a dash harder to handle when on the edge of grip.

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But with a plethora of pick-'n'-mix modes affecting throttle, steering, suspension and gearbox, there is a sweet spot for most types of drivers. Well, except those of an existing nervous disposition, perhaps. And once you've played around and found it, you just save your setting to memory.

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Interior... The smart inside

What's it like inside?

Taking the tidy, tactile base of a regular high-spec 4-Series, the M4 doesn't take things much further beyond a pair of lightweight, racing bucket seats.

They look the part, complete with illuminated M insignia.

But after some prolonged seat time, they pale to rival Mercedes' C63 in both comfort and support.

The M4 is remarkably roomy, however, in the boot and the backseat department - especially for a motorsport-inspired coupe that's also capable of hurling four people from 0 to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds.

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Fast drive... 0 to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds

Verdict:

BMW have pulled off downsizing the iconic M3 Coupe's engine by producing a sleek evolution of a car that's bigger, faster, leaner, meaner and better equipped than ever. M3 purists may disagree but in the real world the M4 Coupe delivers with devilish relish.

On sale from June 21.

WE LIKE: Sound, speed and stance.
DISLIKE: Uncomfy seats.