BMW M3 and BMW M4 are voted "Auto Bild Sports Cars of the Year".

Munich. Just a few months after their market launch, the new BMW M3 and the new BMW M4 Coupé have received the "Auto Bild Sports Cars of the Year" award. The readers’ vote organised by the automobile magazine "Auto Bild Sportscars" saw the BMW M3 Sedan win the "Serial Production Sedan Models" class, attracting 30.21 per cent of the votes cast. Meanwhile the BMW M4 Coupé (16.67 per cent) came out on top in the category "Serial Production Coupé Models".

Top performance, driving pleasure and efficiency.
With their votes, magazine readers have impressively underscored the outstanding position of the new M models. The BMW M3 Sedan and the BMW M4 Coupé (combined fuel consumption of each: 8.8 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 204 g/km)* set the benchmark in the segment of high-performance sports cars when it comes to overall concept, precision and agility. They are powered by a newly developed 6-cylinder in-line engine. Fitted with M TwinPower Turbo Technology and high-revving concept, the power unit provides a peak output of 317 kW/431 hp. The maximum torque of 550 Nm is available across a wide engine speed range, exceeding the top level of the predecessor BMW M3 by almost 40 per cent. The weight was reduced by around 80 kilograms by means of a consistent lightweight construction concept, achieving the very highest level of driving dynamics as well as outstanding efficiency. This gives the BMW M4 Coupé a DIN unladen weight of 1,497 kilograms. Fuel consumption and emissions have been reduced by 25 per cent. The BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupé with the optional 7-speed dual clutch transmission take 4.1 seconds for the sprint from zero to 100 km/h as well as offering impressively robust race track capability.

"Auto Bild Sportscars" belongs to the Auto Bild Group, the largest magazine group in the automobile segment in Europe. Readers were able to vote online at "autobild.de" and were given a choice of 143 automobiles in 17 categories. The title "Auto Bild Sports Cars of the Year" was awarded for the 13th time in 2014 and is one of the most important awards for sports-style automobiles in Germany. The award ceremony took place at the "Race Night" as part of the 2014 Essen Motor Show.

* Fuel consumption figures were calculated based on the ECE test cycle, dependent on tyre format.

For further details on official fuel consumption figures, official specific CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars, please refer to the "Manual on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars", available at all sales outlets, from Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/angebote/verlagsprodukte/leitfaden-kraftstoffverbrauch.html. ManualCO2 (PDF - 2.7 MB)