A spy shot of the 2021 BMW M4.

BMW is working on the next-generation 4 Series, which will complement the new 3 Series in 2019.

It will be unveiled later this year as a 2021 model, and BMW showed off its design with the Concept 4 last September. The impressive show car closely resembles the new 4 Series with its controversial oversized grille, but that feature is reserved for production.

Now we have spy shots of the new 4 Series in M4 guise. The characteristic rear four-barrel exhaust system, aerodynamic side mirrors, high-performance brake package and large air intake under the front roof indicate that this is an M4.

BMW has also been spotted testing the new 4 Series Coupe, 4 Series Convertible and M4 Convertible, with the 4 Series Gran Coupe noticeably missing as it will be replaced by the new i4 battery-powered sedan. The i4 is scheduled for release in 2021. so it will likely arrive in 2022. [As for the M4, it should get the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine (codenamed "S58") that debuted on the BMW X3 M and X4 M in 2020. A more powerful 503-horsepower M4 Competition will also be available, as well as track-oriented CS and CSL models.

The new M3 sedan, which will be introduced at the same time as the new M4 coupe, will feature the same mechanism; the M3 will also have a larger 4-Series grille to differentiate itself from other 3-Series models.

In addition, BMW intends to use the M4 coupe as the basis for the next GT3 customer race car (the current model is based on the discontinued M6). A teaser sketch published last December confirmed the appearance of a large grille.

The new M4 GT3 will debut in late 2020, when the new M3 and M4 are also due. The race car will then undergo extensive testing before beginning deliveries in time for the 2022 motorsport season.