Turns out the new BMW M3 sedan and M4 Coupe’s “Smokey Burnout” function which was mentioned in BMW‘s European press release, but absent from the North American announcement, isn’t exactly new – though, the moniker used by the Bavarians is.
In fact, the same exact function is available as a hidden “Easter egg feature” (BMW’s words, not ours), on all M DCT-equipped (dual-clutch transmission) E90/92/93 versions of the M3, the F10 M5 and F06/12/13 M6.
We learned this from BMW after we asked the brand’s Product and Technology Communications Manager, Matthew Russell, whether the newly announced “Smokey Burnout” function, which permits a certain degree of wheel-spin at low speeds, is available on the North American editions of the M3 and M4.
“Yes, the US version of the new M3 and M4 do have this function,” Russell told Carscoops. “However, it is not a new function within M-DCT. This has been an unnamed feature of the M-DCT versions of the E92 M3, current M5 and M6 for several years. Since we have so many new things to talk about on the new M3 and M4, we didn’t see this as feature worthy of description in the US press release,” he said.
Being unaware of this feature on the older M3 and the current M5 and M6, models, we asked Russell to provide a few more details on the hows and whats of the system.
“It’s an ‘Easter egg feature’ activated by flooring the throttle in the most aggressive powertrain settings from a standstill without engaging the better-known Launch Control,” said Russell.
“It allows a high-rpm ‘clutch drop’ which virtually guarantees a burnout will occur,” he said, adding, or to be more precise, placing a “bold” emphasis on, “It is for use only within the safe confines of a closed circuit”. What this last part means is, don’t go trying it out on a public road and then blame BMW if something goes awry… Consider yourself warned.
By John Halas
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