The M4 Competition is the volume sweet spot of the range: the 503 hp (510 PS) tune of the S58, rear-wheel drive, and the eight-speed M Steptronic automatic in place of the base car's manual. It's noticeably quicker than the base M4 and is the default M4 most buyers actually order.

Unlike some rivals the automatic is a torque-converter unit rather than a dual-clutch, which trades a little shift theater for smoothness and durability. It keeps the rear-drive layout, so it's the quick-but-still-tail-happy middle of the lineup between the manual base car and the all-wheel-drive xDrive.