Drum roll please. The first images of a new concept version of the upcoming BMW M4 have been leaked online ahead of the car's debut at this week's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
This is the first time we've seen the new M4 in the metal, undisguised, and it sure as heck is a whole lot more interesting than the rubbish teaser video BMW released earlier this week would have led us to believe.
Although it's still just a concept at this stage, we don't expect the final production version of the M4 to look vastly different when it goes on show at the Detroit Motor Show next January. Which, given the fact that it looks pretty ruddy fantastic, is a good thing.
The M4, as I'm sure you're aware by now, is the replacement for the existing M3 Coupe and the flagship of the forthcoming 4-Series range. But leaving the relative merits of the different nameplates aside for a minute, let's take a closer look at the car.
The bonnet 'power dome' of the existing M3 remains, as does the outgoing car's carbon roof. There's also a new front apron and a carbon-fibre front splitter which go together to create an altogether more aggressive front end. There's certainly no denying that the M4 is packing something seriously special under muscular exterior.
Quite what it is packing, however, is not entirely clear yet. As this is still just a concept, no concrete information on the new M4's drivetrain has been revealed. What we do know is that both the new M4 and the M3 (which will continue in saloon form only) will be fitted with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six, which replaces the old naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre V8 in the outgoing model.
What we can't tell you, on the other hand, is just what sort of figures the new unit will be chucking out. We expect a power output of around 450bhp (up on the 414bhp of the outgoing V8) and a 0-62mph time of around four-and-a-half seconds.
The power will be sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox and, in a move which will upset the more hardcore fans within BMW's M-fraternity, the M4 will not be available with a proper manual gearbox.
We expect more details of the M4 to be released fairly shortly.
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