A Competition Package gives the M3 more power and improved handling

By Ronan Glon Published January 14, 2016

BMW has launched a Competition Package for the M3, the M4, and the M4 Convertible. Already offered on the bigger M5 and M6 models, the optional Competition Package caters to buyers who want to take their car to the track by bundling a long list of performance-oriented upgrades and a few visual enhancements.

The Munich-based car maker’s M division has bumped the 3.0-liter straight-six engine’s output to 444 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, while torque remains unchanged at 406 pound-feet of torque from 1,850 to 5,500 rpm. To put that figure into perspective, the six pumps out 425 ponies in its standard state of tune. The extra power allows the M3 and the M4 coupe to reach 60 mph from a stop in 3.8 seconds — 0.1 second faster than the stock models — when they’re fitted with the optional seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Convertible sprints to the same speed in 4.1 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 156 mph regardless of which body style is selected.

The Competition Package also includes an Adaptive M suspension with new springs, stiffer shock absorbers, bigger sway bars, and a trio of re-programmed driving modes called Comfort, Sport, and Sport +, respectively. M has also tweaked the cars’ differential and re-calibrated the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

Cars equipped with the Competition Package stand out thanks to a sports exhaust system with tail pipes finished in black chrome, and model-specific, 20-inch machine-polished alloy wheels with M-shaped spokes. They also receive high-gloss Shadow Line trim around the kidney grilles, around the side windows, on the door mirrors, on the side gills, and on the trunk lid.

Inside, the M3 and the M4 coupe are fitted with lightweight sport seats designed by BMW M; the M4 Convertible keeps the same seats as the regular-production model. All cars regardless of body style get red and blue stripes woven into the seat belts.

BMW will begin to offer the Competition Package on the M3, the M4, and the M4 Convertible in the spring. Pricing information hasn’t been announced yet.

Topics

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Cars

Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage

eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.

Cars

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end

chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Cars

Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform

A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.