Details of BMW M4 Competition M xDrive G82 LCI in Vietnam
BMW M4 Competition M xDrive (G82 LCI) is one of three high-performance car versions being sold in Vietnam through THACO Auto. The car will be launched globally in 2024 and by 2025, the first cars will arrive in the Vietnamese market through pre-order. The car has a starting price of more than 5 billion VND and when buying, customers can personalize the car's equipment to their liking. In this generation, the BMW M4 has been comprehensively upgraded, most notably the engine and transmission system. The new inline 6-cylinder S58 engine produces 530 horsepower and maximum torque of 650 Nm. The gearbox also switched to using a torque converter instead of a dual clutch as before. The car is capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, the maximum speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h or can be increased to 290 km/h with the M Driver's Package option.
New S58 engine
Entering the G Series (G80/G82) high-performance car generation, BMW has made strong improvements in the engine and transmission, with the main purpose of increasing engine power while reducing emissions to meet increasingly strict environmental standards.
Thanks to the above upgrades, the S58 engine is not only more powerful but also opens up huge potential for performance tuning enthusiasts.
The BMW M4 Competition M xDrive G82 LCI sold in Vietnam is the most powerful version in the product range, 20 horsepower stronger than the M4 Competition (rear-wheel drive version) and 50 horsepower stronger than the standard BMW M4, reaching a maximum capacity of 530 horsepower (390 kW) and maximum torque of 650 Nm. The car weighs about 1,775 kg (depending on version).
M Steptronic transmission replaces DCT
The dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is famous in the sports car world for its shifting speed and the mechanical feel it brings. However, not all car DCTs are the same, and DCTs in sports utility vehicles like the M3/M4 will not have heavy-duty DCTs because the cost is too expensive.
To balance those factors, BMW used its own customized torque converter transmission called M Steptronic. Inside the gearbox is a cluster of 4 planetary gears and 5 locking mechanisms (clutch/brake in the transmission), most importantly can withstand torque of over 750 Nm. In addition to higher torque limits, the new transmission also reduces power loss from the engine to the wheels thanks to the sensitive and efficient locking mechanism of the torque converter. Through practical experience, the BMW G80/G82 LCI model with M Steptronic gearbox provides extremely fast response speed, many situations show much higher processing speed than DCT gearbox, especially in the case of downshifting (can immediately jump many gears at the same time). The notable point (and can also be considered a weakness depending on preference) of the M Steptronic transmission is its smoothness: the actual experience feels much more comfortable than the previous DCT. Although it is a powerful version with up to 530 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque, with a 4-wheel drive system and smooth gearbox, the car becomes very easy to get used to, easy to "hold the reins" even for those who are not used to driving sports cars. Although BMW still retains Drivelogic mode, which allows customizing the speed and response level of the gearbox to create a more jerky, emotional feeling, in general it still cannot compare to the pure mechanical feel of the previous DCT gearbox.
Chassis & suspension
If the engine and transmission are the "hardware" that creates power, then the chassis and suspension are the factors that determine how effectively the M4 transmits that power to the road surface. The BMW M4 G82 (as well as the M3 G80) is built on the CLAR (Cluster Architecture) platform shared with the regular 3/4 Series, but is significantly reinforced to withstand much greater power and torque than the regular version. The engine compartment is supplemented with aluminum strut braces, combined with welded joints and reinforced bolts in the underbody to help increase the overall torsional rigidity of the vehicle body. Higher stiffness helps the suspension system operate more accurately, reducing response lag when cornering or handling steering at high speeds.
The front suspension is a "double-joint spring strut axle" - a spring suspension type (developed from MacPherson) with two joints on the lower arm. This two-joint design helps separate the task of bearing vertical and horizontal forces, thereby improving steering accuracy while still remaining simpler, lighter and more space-saving than traditional double-arm suspension. The entire front suspension assembly is made of lightweight aluminum alloy, with kinematics & elastokinematics tuned specifically for the M series.
The rear axle uses a 5-point multi-link suspension system, constructed of aluminum/steel alloy, with the rear axle auxiliary beam bolted to the vehicle body instead of through rubber pillows like some popular cars, helping to increase accuracy when responding to forces from the road surface. Both axles are equipped with the Adaptive M Suspension electronic adaptive damping system, allowing the driver to customize the hardness and softness between driving modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport+) through adjusting the oil valve inside the shock absorber in real time, based on signals from the wheel speed sensor, steering angle and vehicle body acceleration.
Compared to the standard M4 Competition (rear axle), the M xDrive version has a refined chassis to accommodate the addition of a 4-wheel drive system, including additional reinforcement in the front axle area to withstand the load and torque transmitted to the front wheels. Although slightly heavier than the rear axle, the reprogrammed suspension helps balance cornering precision with outstanding traction in a variety of road conditions, including when it's raining or the road is slippery.
This is an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, operating based on an electric motor and wet multi-plate clutch, capable of distributing torque between the two rear wheels continuously and almost instantaneously - reaction speed is measured in milliseconds. Unlike conventional mechanical differentials, which only lock according to the difference in rotational speed between the two wheels, Active M Differential is controlled by a DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) processor, continuously receiving data from steering angle sensors, each wheel's speed, horizontal acceleration and vehicle body slip angle to calculate the level of differential lock appropriate for each situation. In actual operation, this system has the most obvious effect when cornering at high speed or when accelerating suddenly: the differential will lock tighter to transfer torque to the wheel with better grip, limiting the situation of the inside wheel spinning (wheel spin) while the outside wheel is still able to grip the road. This not only helps the car exit corners faster and more stably, but also creates the "road bite" feeling typical of M-car models, different from high-performance cars that only rely on traction control systems to limit wheel slippage.
On the M xDrive version, the Active M Differential remains in the rear axle and coordinates with the M xDrive 4-wheel drive system to flexibly distribute torque between the front and rear axles. The driver can also switch to 2WD mode (rear-wheel drive only) on the track to enjoy pure driving, drifting more easily, where the Active M Differential plays an almost decisive role in controlling the car's slippage.
Appearance
The Vietnamese market does not distribute the original G80/G82 generation BMW M3 & M4, but instead the mid-life upgraded version, which BMW calls LCI (Life Cycle Impulse). In this generation of LCI, the most noticeable change in appearance is the lighting cluster with a new shape, the vertical arrow-shaped daytime positioning light is very prominent.
The rear of the car is also refreshed with a different taillight pattern, notably Laserlight technology inherited from the BMW 3.0 CSL model, providing a unique and more aesthetic look.
The Competition version comes with standard 826M wheels, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear configuration. The standard braking system uses 6-piston calipers on the front axle and a single piston on the rear axle; Customers in Vietnam can also choose to upgrade to a more advanced Carbon Ceramic brake set at a cost of about 600 million VND.
The BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are built on the same architectural platform, but the 4 Series is positioned as a sporty car with a coupe appearance (including Grand Coupe, Coupe and Convertible). As for the BMW M4, there are only two styles: Coupe and Convertible, and in Vietnam at the present time there is only one Coupe style option. If customers want a better balance between sportiness and comfort of a 4-5 door car, they can consider the BMW M3 Sedan or M3 Touring (G80/G81 LCI).
Interior
Inside the cockpit, the BMW M4 G82 LCI still behaves like a regular luxury family car, with only a few details expressing its sporty personality but overall the difference is not too significant. The standard leather-wrapped M steering wheel has been redesigned with a flattened lower rim, more neatly adjusted steering wheel spokes, and a red dot marking the 12 o'clock position - a familiar detail on M models.
The center control cluster features a gear lever/shift switch, a red Start/Stop button, an iDrive Controller knob, and Setup and M Mode buttons - allowing the driver to quickly customize the vehicle configuration as well as the content displayed on the screens according to each driving situation.
The standard M sports seats are multi-directional electrically adjustable, with integrated headrests and illuminated logos, with driving position memory function and seat heating for both front seats (seat ventilation is optional). If you want to further optimize high-performance driving, customers can choose M Carbon bucket racing seats - a seat that uses carbon reinforced plastic (CRP) for the frame and backrest, helping to reduce about 9.6 kg compared to standard sports seats, while still being fully electrically adjustable and heated.
In terms of materials and interior decoration, Merino leather is a standard choice with 4 color options, in addition to the more advanced BMW Individual leather packages. The interior decoration strips for the dashboard area, center console and cup holder lid are covered with brushed Aluminum Rhombicle Anthracite or another type depending on the buyer's choice. In terms of technology, the BMW M4 G82 LCI uses a BMW Curved Display cluster including a 12.3-inch clock screen behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch central screen, running on the latest BMW Operating System 8.5 operating system with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant virtual assistant, supporting both touch and voice control.
Standard equipment also includes the BMW Live Cockpit Professional system with BMW Maps navigation map, Head-up Display (displaying multi-color rev range information, gear shift indicator and M View mode), sound system with 16 speakers and 464W amplifier power, along with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, BMW Connected Drive and some other equipment (depending on customer choice).
Overall, the BMW M4 Competition M xDrive (G82 LCI) is a testament to BMW's new direction with the M-car line: still retaining the power and unique driving feel, but more accessible to a wide range of users thanks to a smooth gearbox and body control support system. More specifically, when customers buy a car in the Vietnamese market, they can choose the utilities that come with the car based on their preferences - instead of buying pre-equipped cars. This is probably a very new point in the sales method of BMW Vietnam. When buying a car, you can choose interior and exterior colors, safety and comfort equipment, and details related to performance.
