Our first on-road test of a BMW was a dream. The top was down, the revs were active and the drive was swift and effortless. The BMW M4 Competition Package made our drive anything but a competition.
Pressing the push-button start activates the 3.0 inline 6-cylinder engine boosted with the M Division’s TwinPower turbo technology. It has a standard manual transmission, but this one had the M double-clutch transmission for blazing quick shifts.
It has a stiff M suspension that hugged the not-so-tight corners over the passes around Mt. Hood, but it was nimble and fun none the less. Responsive when we wanted that, but comfortable on the spine.
Press the accelerator down and the 18 x 10 inch rear wheels covered in performance tires chirp on the pavement and the quad tailpipes with chrome tips belts out a mean sound that sends goosebumps across your body.
With the top down on a bright sunny day, this becomes not just the Ultimate Driving Machine, but an ultimate experience.
The 12-speaker, 4-tweeter Harman Kardon sound system sat silent. There was nothing Bluetooth connected and the navigation was via paper (or following another person in the train of hot cars).
In the end, our time with the BMW M4 ended too quickly for our taste. I’d love to get a chance to do an entire mountain loop in just this vehicle. Until then, we’ll think fondly of our time with the 2016 BMW M4 Competition Package and the roads around Mt. Hood, Or.
