The 2014 BMW M3 and M4: They have turbos! And two or four doors! And six cylinders all in a row! But are they fast? Baby, you know they are. BMW says their new M-cars will do zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. But there's a catch.
According to BMW's news release, that sub-4 second number is what you get when you opt for the seven-speed M-DCT dual clutch transmission. If you're old school and prefer to row your own gears, then the six-speed manual car does the 0-60 dash in an utterly lethargic 4.1 seconds. (That was sarcasm.)
Either way, it's proof that the M3 and M4 will be quick. Yesterday the claim was made that the two cars will do zero to 60 mph in "under 4.5" seconds, but the specifics are much more impressive.
You know what? I know the "BMW has lost their way because SUVs WHARRGARBL" Internet comments are already out in full force, but I'm excited about this pair of M-cars. They look good, they're both lighter and more powerful than the outgoing M3, and they have a straight-six engine.
So maybe they're not street-legal racing cars like the old ones were. Let's give these two a chance; they certainly sound good on paper.