Generally, I talk a lot of trash about newer cars. I guess in a lot of ways, this “career” of mine has sent me off the deep end & made me a hard-headed purist & minimalist. Which in turn, has bred a mentality in me that only old analog sports cars are worth the driving experience. And everything new (minus a few) seems too big, too overcomplicated, too expensive, too ugly, and too damn douchey. 

It’s actually put a pretty bitter seed deep in my soul…

Which is not great. Because for example, it’s hard for me to see an M4 for what it is. I tend to only see how it’s not a beloved NA-era M car. Bigger issue – I tend to see the present for what it’s lost… rather than for what it is. Shit, that’s a problem. But I guess that’s what happens to an automotive journalist who’s fighting against an autonomous era.

I remember a more carefree side of myself…

When I didn’t overthink & overanalyze car culture… and I just went with the flow rather than trying to resist it. I lived in the moment, I didn’t watch the mileage… I took the trips without hesitation! My daily was my ‘show car’, which was also my ‘race car’ lol. And there was a sense of freedom in that. Perhaps it was just youthful bliss & cluelessness… but I’m not sure we should ever outgrow it. 

I’m good at being a purist…

At this point, I’ve been hard-headed as hell, stuck to my principles, bucked the system, practiced what I preach, and doubled-down on old sports cars because they represent something gritty & pure in a world that’s getting soft & simulated. I’ve put in work to keep them on the road. And I’m not bragging, I’m just stating facts mate… I like being that guy. 

But perhaps, it’s put a biased filter over everything I do…

And makes these old sports cars seem better than they actually are. Have I lost my ability to relate? Am I not able to see the good in new cars anymore? After all, these old sports cars of mine, are barely even ‘cars’ in the true transportation sense of the word. I drive them daily, but I rarely take them too far from home. They’re experience cars. A hobby, a thrill, a challenge, and/or a dare that I put on myself. They’re a way of reconnecting to the past, & recalibrating me to my True North. But maybe – they keep me too lost in an era that doesn’t exist anymore. And maybe – they’ve given me unfair expectations of new cars. We’re not ever gonna get pop-ups back, are we? 

I got an Audi S3 recently as a press car to drive for a week.

Bright blue… which helps. Yet at first, I still disliked it. Mainly because it has no volume knob & little clitoris where a shifter should be. Yeah it has some cool elements & nice seats. But the positives immediately got overshadowed with too much senseless tech… and not enough touch. I promise there’s a point here. Because as I began to recalibrate & live with the S3 & put miles on it, a new perspective emerged.

A perspective that also applies, perhaps even more-so, to this BMW M4.

Yes – these modern sports cars are technology-driven. And sure – there are a lot of ‘simulated’ elements. Physicality has been replaced by electronics. But dammit the other side if that coin is – they’re really crisp, comfortable, fast, and fun! And did I mention, comfortable lol? I’m not talking about comfort as in sleepy time. I mean comfort as in – there’s no anxiety. You’re not sweating the temperature gauge, or that last questionable fix you made. You don’t have to stress what’s up the road ahead. These cars are so dialed in. In a way, they’re a beautiful compromise between sport & livability. And I mean that in the best possible way. Because – the purity of an old sports car means shit if you have to leave it at home. 

See – for better or worse, there is no going back on technology.

That Pandora’s Box has been opened. In a lot of cases, manufacturers HAVE overcomplicated, diluted, & exploited new sports cars – no doubt about it. For example, look no further than BMW throwing M badges on anything & everything to make a sale. Or Ford making an EV crossover & calling it a Mustang.

Growing up in an air-cooled 911…

Sports cars were always something that turned the everyday routine into… more. As a kid, my day didn’t start when I got to school. Nope – it started with the sound of my dad’s 911SC coming to life as I grabbed my backpack. Sports cars are supposed to charge-up your soul! They’re supposed to prioritize exhilaration over comfort. And rejuvenation over relaxation. That’s been engrained into every fiber of my being lol. And the M4 still captures that spirit!

In the modern world, we HAVE lost the true meaning behind most things…

And replaced it with convenience & poser/phony features. Today’s consumers are cool with being lied to… so long as it’s what they want to hear. Admit it – because virtually nowhere is this more evident than right now in the automotive industry. And that’s all the more reason why – when you sift through all the bullshit & actually find a modern-era sports car that still recharges your soul (and isn’t upward of 6-figures)… it’s remarkable. And it didn’t happen on accident. It happened because the brand fought hard for it. 

Step back & you’ll realize…

The internet-era has really distorted the essence of pure enjoyment, hasn’t it? I’m not sure younger people realize how real that is. But try this: Next time something gets you fueled-up, passionate, & inspired… and you go to make that instinctual social media post about it… don’t. And instead, be selfish. Keep it to yourself, and notice how those feelings of passion continue to ignite & get hotter inside of you. THAT’S what builds character… and puts a deeper sense of meaning & motive behind all the motions! But on the flip-side, do post it… and notice that a little bit of that flame fizzles with the post. The most meaningful & motivating parts of my life… I don’t share much on socials. Not right away anyway. I let it build me from the inside. And then eventually I share that… whatever that is.

Car culture has become a digital whorehouse of a-holes shouting over each other…

We were drawn to cars because they recharge us. But then we let too many damn voices in. And now it’s become a social media circus of self promotion & unsolicited opinions… and it’s damn near maddening. What’s supposed to recharge us, is draining us. And we probably don’t even realize it because we’re stuck in such a social media matrix, that’s become our new normal.

Tyler’s BMW M4 has broken out of that matrix.

It doesn’t exist to entertain the internet. Rather, the goal was to take an already great sports car, and just turn the dials up a lil bit. To make Tyler connect with what BMW was chasing when they developed the F80 M3 & F82 M4. 

Tyler previously had a way overbuilt E36 M3.

A car that he went too far on. And somewhere on the hunt for 1,000+hp, he blew past the point of what an M3 was conceptually designed to be. His E36 M3 had somehow morphed into a money incinerating, frustration-inducing internet-era build. It wasn’t something that played well in the real world. Online – it was just a like-generating machine. But in reality, it was a never-ending project that constantly needed more. Or the weather wasn’t right to take it out. Or the plans would change, etc. The car wasn’t accommodating. When the stars aligned, yes, it was ridiculously cool. But most days, it took a lot more than it gave back.

So Tyler ultimately decided to see what newer F82 M3 ownership was like…

He was also initially a bit reluctant on the more modern M platform. But this time he took a different approach. This F82 has a careful OEM+ touch. It’s not tuned within an inch of its life, and it’s probably not about to blow the lid off any social media algorithms & go viral. But that’s totally ok, because…

The ownership experience of this F82 M4 has been so much more enjoyable…

If you look at Tyler’s timeline, this M4 has become a part of Tyler’s everyday life. He drives it everywhere. Tyler will have the M4 on-track running laps one weekend. And the next weekend, he’s posting roadtrip pics in the car with his girlfriend. There is an absolute target zone in a sports car that can do it all. And that’s what BMW has always shot for with the M3 & M4. It’s a sports car that can be pushed hard, but also meet daily requirements. A car that can be accommodating enough for a roadtrip, but also fun & thrilling enough to make the trip unforgettable. Remember, a sports car should make you feel alive. It should give you a sense of freedom & opportunity… not a sense of burden or limitation. If you’re having more of the latter than the former… you need to adjust your dials a little bit.

Photos by @ryantach

Modifications

BBS LMR’s

OEM M Performance 19” brake kit

CS Style front lip

ADRO side skirts

M performance carbon engine cover

CSF Cooling products (oil cooler, charge cooler, DCT cooler, & heat exchanger)

Eventuri V2 intakes

Mishimoto charge pipes

Damn near all the OEM carbon options for the interior

Digital M Performance steering wheel with carbon trim

OEM fire extinguisher kit (under passenger seat)

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