BMW 4 Series vs Maserati MC20
What's the difference?

BMW 4 Series

$39,888 - $89,990

2022 price

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Maserati MC20

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2022 price

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Lamborghini Aventador

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Summary

2022 BMW 4 Series

2022 Maserati MC20

By James Cleary

By David Morley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Twin Turbo V6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.8L/100km (combined)

10.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Dynamic performance
Value
Quality

Brilliant performance
Clean, sporty looks
Purity of design and purpose

Dislikes

Slender door handles
Low roof for ingress/egress
Overly keen 'Lane Departure Warning'

Lacks standard safety gear
Luggage space precludes long road trips. One cupholder
Scissor doors impede access for taller folk

2022 BMW 4 Series Summary

Without a whole lot of fanfare BMW has slipped yet another model into its Australian line-up.

Sitting alongside existing coupe and convertible variants, the new 4 Series Gran Coupe follows the template established by the previous gen version.

A sports luxury four-door with a sleek, fastback twist, it provides a more adventurous alternative to its close 3 Series cousin.

Offered in three grades, this is the M440i xDrive, the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, all-wheel drive 4 Series Gran Coupe flagship.

It competes with premium all-wheel drive four-doors like Audi’s S5 Sportback, the Jaguar XF P300 R-Dynamic HSE, and the Mercedes-AMG C 43.

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2022 Maserati MC20 Summary

With Ferrari leaving the Fiat-Chrysler family and becoming an independent entity in 2016, Maserati was left without a technology partner.

Suddenly, the Trident brand had to go it alone and come up with its own engines for the first time in more than 20 years. The MC20 sports-car is the result of that rebirth.

While there’s no doubt the Maserati brand has the currency to pull this off, the MC20 is also a big step outside the company’s usual grand-tourer box.

The new coupe is aimed at McLaren, Porsche and even Ferrari buyers, so can the first true Maserati sports car since the MC12 of 2004 walk the walk? And let’s not forget that the MC12 was Ferrari Enzo-based…

No-compromise cars are often the ones that impose the most compromises, and in that sense, the MC20’s shattering on-paper performance means its greatest attributes can’t be enjoyed on a public road.

That’s why this review was conducted entirely on Philip Island’s 4.4km Grand Prix layout. As a result, we can’t tell you much about parking ease or highway fuel consumption. But as for the things that give a super-sports car its identity, read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2022 BMW 4 Series 2022 Maserati MC20

Verdict

The BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe manages to combine sleek design with a fun-to-drive personality and surprising practicality. It’s a rapid premium, four-door, five-seater offering extra flair, and in this part of the market, good value. But more than anything else it’s got a cracking in-line six under the bonnet.

Verdict

With a 320km/h-plus top speed and the ability to get from rest to 100km/h in under three seconds, there’s no doubting the MC20 meets or exceeds its performance brief. But when you’re paying these prices, there must be more than just the measurable stuff going on.

And there is. The MC20 brings a big dollop of purity to the ranks of current supercars, doing away with all-wheel drive and hybrid tech and relying instead on and old-school approach in terms of handling and overall feel.

Anybody who wants to argue that call has plenty of alternatives to the MC20 from other manufacturers, and for some of us, that less-is-more thing will ring true.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

BMW 4 Series vs Maserati MC20 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW 4 Series vs Maserati MC20
What's the difference?