BMW has made the M3 and M4 faster, more powerful

As trim levels go, one named 'Competition Package' is bound to get your attention. Especially when it's attached to a BMW M3 or M4.

Given the new M2 is imminent, it seems fair that these mid-size Ms get a little love too.

If you have the sort of sensitive middle ear that can detect the extra acceleration provided by four percent extra power, this one's for you. A rise of 19bhp to 450bhp helps shave off 0.1sec from the 0-62 time. For the M3/M4 hardtop with DCT, that means 4.0sec. For the Convertible, it's 4.3.

If you can't feel the extra power, you ought to be able to hear it. The Comp Pack gets a new exhaust, the burble of which, we're told, 'brings added emotional resonance' to the driving.

Since it's tyre-smokin' traction issues that limit the standing start acceleration of even the standard M3 and M4, the Comp Pack's new tyres will likely also contribute to the quicker standing-starts. They're 285/30 R20 at the back.

There's also a recalibrated Active M Differential, new DSC settings, both of them tuned to match a set of new springs, adaptive dampers and anti-roll bars.

Does this mean the M's tail-out tendencies have been tamed in favour of quicker lappery? Call us lily-livered, but the standard car does sometimes put lie to the saying that you can never have too much sideways.

While all this is going on, at least you'll be glad of the new shoulder-clamping seats. And the M stripes woven into the seat belts have got to be worth a second a lap.