MORE DRIVING PLEASURE AT THE PRESS OF A BUTTON.

EFFICIENT, SPORT and SPORT PLUS settings can be engaged to modify the engine’s characteristics. In SPORT and SPORT PLUS, the timbre and sound intensity are also precisely matched to the increased drive dynamics.

The basic damper characteristics can be adjusted via the M Setup menu. The driver can select from three modes, each with its own profile. COMFORT optimises everyday journeys and long trips by smoothing out road imperfections. The appreciably stiffer damper responses in SPORT have been tuned during in-depth testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. And SPORT PLUS optimises damper control to maximise performance on smooth race tracks. This will be the setting of choice for drivers keen to explore the outer reaches of the car’s dynamic ability and experience the extremes of lateral and longitudinal acceleration.

The driver can dip into the M Setup menu to call up either of the two steering settings. COMFORT mode brings an easy steering feel with precise feedback to the fore, while in SPORT mode the messages communicated through the wheel rim and the amount of steering force required are dialled up noticeably, maximising precision in dynamic driving situations.

The M specific version of the integrated braking system additionally presents the driver with two pedal feel settings. In their own individual ways, COMFORT and SPORT modes alter the amount of pressure on the brake pedal required to slow the car. The driver can therefore choose between more comfort-oriented and particularly direct, instantaneous response when braking.  

You configure the distribution of power as required. In the default 4WD setting, rear-biased power transmission goes hand-in-hand with unshakable traction and precisely controllable handling. Increasing agility levels still further is 4WD Sport mode, which directs a greater proportion of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels. Here, the linear build-up of lateral forces characteristic of M models even makes it possible to execute controlled drifts while staying effortlessly in control of the car. 4WD Sport mode has been set up precisely according to the grip attributes of the optionally available performance tyres, with the aim of maximising dynamics on the track. And switching off DSC brings 2WD mode into the equation. This setting allows experienced drivers to enjoy the uncorrupted driving experience of pure rear-wheel drive, with no stabilising interventions from the control systems.

This form of traction control allows the driver to set the intervention thresholds for wheel slip limitation. The relevant menu, accessed via the iDrive operating system, displays ten stages of precisely defined slip permitted at the driven wheels. The new traction control configuration option gives the driver the ability to generate the ideal balance of racing-car performance and directional stability to suit the situation, the road surface condition and their personal preferences. This allows them to deliberately approach the physical limits on the track and, by reducing the extent of control system inputs (in stages), create the perfect setup for controlled drifts through dynamically taken corners.