The 2025 BMW M4 is a two-door performance-oriented sports car. It’s powerful, handsome and equipped with all signature features fanciers of the German automaker appreciate.

With the CS (Competitive Sport) trim the M4 becomes the brand’s ambassador of brash.

Four exterior paint colors are offered. But appointed in Frozen Isle of Man Green Metallic, the testosterone-loaded sports car is at its bravado best. It has a black carbon fiber hood, roof and front splitter and Y-Spoke Gold Bronze alloy wheels. The car’s aggressive looks extend to the side-by-side kidney-shaped grille. It’s frameless and resembles swollen nostrils.

BMW just can’t help itself. The bold color pattern is the enticement for what’s underneath. The M4 CS is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with 543 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. It advances with an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual-assist option via paddle shifters. Gas mileage averages are 16 miles per gallon in city driving 23 mpg on the highway.

With its carbon fiber components, the coupe is light, particularly swift and marketed as advancing from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.1 seconds. Acceleration is also accomplished with a throaty growl. It’s more strained than smooth. The engine also abruptly shuts off at required stops and restarts as suddenly. It’s a brief jarring experience off and on every time.

While performance is attractive to sports car buyers a quality ride is also beneficial. The M4 CS is made for the open road and it thrives at highway speeds. Goodyear 275/35R19 tires are standard in front 285/30R20 in the rear. They perform well — with a caveat. The tires are wide and sensitive. In city driving, every road imperfection is an opportunity for an unexpected chiropractic adjustment.

Shifting is another disappointment. The mechanism moves awkwardly from driving modes to the paddle-shifting option or into reverse. With any degree of glare, the driving mode indications are difficult to read.

The M4 CS interior has plenty of upscale and race-simulated stuff. The three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara microsuede. The M Carbon front seats are upholstered in leather. But they’re too snug, notably with the included raised side handles and center-seat cushion openings for five-point harnesses.

BMW lists the M4 CS, including 24 safety features, a hefty collection and warranted considering the vehicle’s performance wants. It has seven airbags, a host of cameras, several monitoring systems and various driving-condition controls.

Standard comfort and convenience equipment is also a BMW strength. From air conditioning and heating, seating mirror controls and smart device convenience, it’s all personal choice. Infotainment options are requisite for the car’s status and are largely non-intuitive.

Because of its limited supply (BMW states 1,700 were available globally) the 2025 M4 CS (and the unchanged 2026 edition) doesn’t go quietly into the night or at any other time. It’s an attention-grabber from various stares and exclaims to questions about its cost and potential speed.

But the vehicle’s status can also be detrimental. Its performance potential brings expectations. Motorists seek challenges or exhibit impatience and display illegal driving habits if the M4 CS isn’t advancing quickly enough. The younger BMW crowd, perhaps some raised on video games, sometimes thinks public roads are open for top-speed or daredevil comparisons.

BMW is proud of its racing pedigree. The 2025 M4 CS holds its own. It has great performance stats on the Autobahn and it shines on the Nürburgring, its happy places in Germany. It’s also a $137,000 vehicle with limited daily driver usefulness unless showcasing excesses is the end game.