The facelifted BMW M4 and M4 Convertible were revealed in January, but the pricing was not available at the time. Thankfully, the US configurator has gone live, giving us a glimpse of the 2025 M4 pricing structure.
For this article, we'll use the base M4 Coupe, which has an MRSP of $79,100. As we all know, the Germans are pretty stingy when it comes to standard features, so once you add Portimao Blue Metallic, a set of 19/20-inch staggered wheels to fill the arches better, and the Executive Package, the price inflates to $83,245, not including any dealer fees or the destination charge.
You can get a lot of used sports cars for roughly $80,000, and in most cases, they'll eat the M4 for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. So what alternatives can you get for a similar price if you're willing to dabble in the used car market?
1. 2017 Maserati GranTurismo
Around a track, the Maserati GranTurismo doesn't stand a chance against the M4. The German would shoot off into the distance, and the Maserati would struggle to keep up. Still, the GranTurismo deserves to be on this list because it's a pantomime car.
The GranTurismo is not a slouch, however. The 4.7-liter naturally aspirated Ferrari-derived V8 engine produces 454 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 384 lb-ft at 4,750 rpm. It will reach 60 mph in less than five seconds and can easily land an owner some jail time if they leave their foot buried in the carpet for too long.
This car is here because it's stunning to look at, and that flat-plane crank V8 makes a lovely sound. And it's a Maserati, which is arguably more prestigious than owning a BMW. We'll conveniently forget about reliability here, though, as it's not a strong point or the Italian.
You can get a 2017 model with 4,000 miles on the clock for $80,000.
2. 2020 Aston Martin Vantage
We all know that Aston Martins depreciate rapidly, but we must admit that we were stumped to find the pre-facelift version of the Vantage for just under $80,000. The 2005 V8 Vantage is even cheaper if your budget is closer to $40k.
The 2005 Vantage was a British design powered by a British engine. For the 2020 version, Aston's magnificent team still designed the modern Vantage, but it turned to Mercedes-AMG for power. That's a match made in heaven. Merc's brilliant 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 produces 503 hp and 505 lb-ft in the pre-facelift model. Aston Martin managed to get even more power out of it post-facelift, but the 2025 model is way outside of our budget.
You have to take the good with the bad, however. The pre-facelift models are equipped with Mercedes' extremely outdated COMAND infotainment system. If the rest of the car wasn't as good, the infotainment would have spoiled the whole experience.
For $80k, you're looking at a used example with roughly 50,000 miles on the clock. Luckily, the 4.0 V8 is a reliable engine that will provide many happy miles if you maintain it properly.
3. 2017 Lotus Evora GT
Like the base BMW M4, this is the only other manual car on this list. Unlike the M4, you must make many sacrifices to live with the Evora GT. It's a niche car that will annoy the heck out of you daily, but when the roads are open and curvy, nothing else will do the job as well as this.
The Evora GT's power comes from the humble Toyota Camry. Lotus took the famous 3.5-liter V6, one of the most reliable engines ever made, and bolted a supercharger to it. The result was 416 hp and 317 lb-ft, which is nowhere near the M4. But the Evora GT only weighed 3,175 pounds, meaning it could reach 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. It topped out at 188 mph.
The Lotus is the perfect option for hardcore drivers, and the good news is that there are many decent examples out there. For the same price as the M4, you can get a 2017 MY with 2,000 miles on the clock. The unit we found was obviously too hardcore for the previous owner.
4. 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT
This is not the new 2+2 GT, but rather a 2016 AMG GT S with 23,000 miles on the clock, with a sticker price of $78,000. This car cost $130,000 when it was new, and now it's less than a base M4.
The GT is part sports car, part grand tourer, plus a dash of supercar. And while not everyone might agree with this, we think it's one of the most striking designs in the last 20 years. We love the old-school long hood and bubble butt, and the GT is even better on the inside. You sit extremely low, surrounded by an oversized center console. It's what we imagine a fighter pilot must feel like.
The GT S is equipped with AMG's 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, producing 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends all the power to the rear wheels. The new model comes standard with 4Matic + all-wheel drive, making the older model feel more special.
Unlike its predecessor, the GT wasn't built for sideways antics, though it can do it very well. This generation GT was the complete package, feeling much less edgy as you get closer to the limit.
5. 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera S
Naturally, we had to include a 911 on this list. A new 911 may be well beyond $100,000 before options, but you can get a 2015 Carrera S with 30,000 miles on the clock for $80k. Unfortunately, most models in this price bracket are equipped with the seven-speed PDK. The seven-speed manuals are extremely rare and cost a bit more. Still, as we discovered recently when we drove the 911 GT3, you don't need a manual to enjoy the experience.
The 2015 model year predates the switch to turbocharged flat-six engines. The Carrera S has a 400-hp naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six that loves to be revved out to 7,400 rpm. The power is sent to the rear wheels only, but there are 4S models available in this price bracket.
As you might know, the 911 is annoyingly good. It wins just about every comparison test, and it's as close to perfection as sports cars get. The best way to describe the 911 is to go back a few years before you've driven one. You're obsessed with the battle between BMW and Mercedes-Benz at this point in your life. You're either a Bimmer fan or willing to die on a hill made of W124 Mercs.
Then, one day, you drive a 911 and realize you've been a Porsche person all along.
Wildcard: 2001 Ferrari 360 Modena
On a whim, we decided to see how much Ferrari you can get for $80,000 these days. As it turns out, you can get a 2001 360 Modena with Ferrari's second-generation six-speed F1 gearbox. The unit we found had 50,000 miles on the clock. This option is only for the brave, however.
The 360 is relatively reliable for a Ferrari and actually not that costly to service. With the 355, Ferrari had to remove the engine for just about everything. The 360 only required an engine-out service every three to five years to replace the timing belts. It costs roughly $5,000.
The second reason you might want to stay away is the "F1" gearbox, which didn't have anything in common with a Formula 1 gearbox apart from the flappy paddles. It was an automated single-clutch manual made by Lucifer himself. It's okay-ish when you're pushing hard, but driving at slow speeds is torture.
That said, it comes with the most sought-after badge in automotive history, which has to count for something.
