The Competition trim models have recently become the more sought-after BMW M car, packing more power and handling improvements compared to their standard siblings. Yet, Munich is reportedly giving the Competition models the boot, a move reported by BMW Blog. Before you shed a tear, though, there’s actually a good reason why.
The good news is that all standard M cars will receive the special perks previously reserved for the Competition trim. With its removal, the BMW M car lineup will also be significantly simplified, with future models available in three more distinct variants: the base M, CS, and CSL.
In an interview with BMW Blog, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel stated that the main reason for the model’s discontinuation: “More than 80% of our customers went straight for the Competition. So we said, let’s just make that the standard one. You could say that every M model today is a Competition,” Van Meel said.
You don’t have to look much further than the BMW M lineup here in Malaysia to see that – both the M3 and M4 are only offered in the Competition trim here, with the M3 Competition xDrive priced at RM838,800, and the M4 Competition Coupé with M xDrive coming in at RM878,800.
Both cars are powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine, with the 530 hp and 650 Nm outputs identical across both. This enables both cars to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds when paired to the eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission.
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The streamlining of the lineup means BMW will now focus more on reduced weight and improved track performance for the CS and CSL models.
And the good news doesn’t end there too – BMW is also keeping its arsenal of straight-six and V8 engines in place amid tighter Euro 7 and Euro 8 emissions standards. It’s probably the best time to be an M enthusiast.
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