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BMW M3 and M4 offer 431hp of German hooning potential

Want BMW M3 and M4 pictures, specs and pricing? Step this way…

The new BMW M3 and M4’s arrival was as certain as the pope’s religion, but only now can we spill the beans on the fifth generation models.

There’s little to separate the M3 and M4 other than the new naming convention, which sees the M3 taking on the duty of four doors while the M4 is the sportier, less practical two-door coupe.

Both cars use a 3.0-litre engine with what BMW calls M TwinPower Turbo technology instead of the usual normally aspirated 4.0-litre V8. Clumsy marketing speak aside, the power output of 431hp, with all 550Nm of torque from as low as 1,850rpm, is a big improvement.

Even though torque has increased by 40 per cent versus the outgoing M3, fuel economy and CO2 emissions are said to be 25 per cent better. Both the M3 Saloon and M4 Coupe can manage 32.1mpg and emissions of 204g/km or 194g/km with the 7-speed double clutch M DCT automatic.

0 to 62mph takes 4.3 seconds with the 6-speed manual gearbox in tow or 4.1 with the M DCT automatic. Either way, the car will top out at an electronically limited 155mph.

The new Ms both come with BMW’s Active M Differential, which is there to “optimise traction and directional stability”, taking into account the car’s yaw rate, rotational spread of the wheels and how far down the accelerator pedal is.

There’s also the redesigned Adaptive M suspension, which has three modes depending on whether you want comfort, sport or a halfway house, and 19-inch wheels as standard.

A number of aspects of the M3 and M4 have reduced the weight to 1,497kg – a saving of around 80kg versus the outgoing model – including the use of aluminium on the front wings and bonnet and carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic for the driveshaft and roof.

As usual for an M model, the M3 and M4 benefit from more aggressive styling on the inside and out. M badges litter the interior, while flared wheel arches, twin exhaust pipes and an integrated rear diffuser suggests you should leave it well alone.

The new BMW M3 Saloon starts from £56,175 and the M4 Coupe from £56,635. Both cars will go on sale in June 2014, so you’ve plenty of time to start saving. Feast your eyes on the images below and let us know what you think.

BMW M3 and M4 pictures

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