Verdict
At RM878,800 against RM1,131,800, the BMW M4 Coupe is the harder-nosed all-rounder: 530 hp, 650 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 3.5-second century sprint, with four seats and a 440-litre boot for daily use. The Lotus Emira is dearer and slower at 4.3 seconds, but it gives the rarer brief: a 400 hp, 3,456 cc two-seat sports car with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. For Malaysia, the RM253,000 saving also comes with RM2,069 less road tax a year.
Pick the BMW M4 Coupe if you want the quicker, more practical coupe, with 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, four seats and 440 litres of boot space.
Pick the Lotus Emira if you want the two-seat Lotus experience: manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, 400 hp and the brand's last internal-combustion chapter.
Key differences
- Price: BMW RM878,800; Lotus RM1,131,800
- Power and torque: BMW 530 hp/650 Nm; Lotus 400 hp/420 Nm
- Drivetrain: BMW all-wheel drive with conventional automatic; Lotus rear-wheel drive with manual
- 0-100 km/h: BMW 3.5 s; Lotus 4.3 s
- Seats and boot: BMW 4 seats/440 L; Lotus 2 seats/151 L
- Warranty and road tax: BMW 2 years/RM2,113; Lotus 5 years/RM4,182
M4 Coupe
- 530 hp and 650 Nm
- 3.5 s to 100 km/h with all-wheel drive
- Four seats and 440-litre boot
- 2-year warranty
- No manual gearbox
Emira
- Manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive
- Shorter 4,412 mm body, lower 1,225 mm roof
- 5-year warranty
- RM253,000 more expensive
- Two seats and 151-litre boot
- RM4,182 annual road tax
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM878,800✓ | RM1,131,800 |
| Body type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Sports Car |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 24-valve DOHC, supercharged (Roots) with variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 2,993 cc | 3,456 cc |
| Horsepower | 530 hp✓ | 400 hp |
| Torque | 650 Nm✓ | 420 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | — | 94 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Manual |
| Transmission Name | 8-speed M Steptronic Transmission with Drivelogic | Six-speed Manual |
| Gears | 8 | 6 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Aisin |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds✓ | 4.3 seconds |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,794 mm | 4,412 mm |
| Width | 1,887 mm | 1,895 mm |
| Height | 1,393 mm | 1,225 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 2,575 mm |
| Weight | 1,800 kg | 1,405 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 59 litres | — |
| Doors | 2 | 2 |
| Seats | 4 | 2 |
| Boot Space | 440 litres✓ | 151 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/35R19 | 245/35R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 285/35R20 | 295/30R20 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | — |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli P Zero | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | United Kingdom (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Double Wishbones |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbones |
| Front Wheels | 19" M Forged Alloys | 20" Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" M Forged Alloys | 20" Alloys |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Hydraulic Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | M Adaptive Suspension | Touring or Sports Suspensions Available |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | — |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | — |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | — |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Front Passenger Door | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point | 2 Three-point |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats | — |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, with Pedestrian Detection (5 km/h to 80 km/h) | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Warning Only |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector | Projector LED |
| Taillamps | Laserlight | Full LED with Dynamic Indicators |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Powered Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | — |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front | 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front | 2 Front |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Curved Display Live Cockpit Professional, 12-Speaker Harman Kardon Sound System | 10.25" Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android, KEF Reference Audio |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Automatic Front Windows |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button Start |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Entry |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Remote Control Activated |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes |
| Auto Parking | — | No |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | — |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | — |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | — | No |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited✓ | 150,000 km |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years | — |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM2,113✓ | RM4,182 |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used M4 Coupe & Emira for sale
M4 Coupe vs Emira FAQ
Is the BMW M4 Coupe or Lotus Emira better?
The BMW M4 Coupe is better for most Malaysian buyers because it is cheaper, quicker to 100 km/h, has four seats and a 440-litre boot. The Lotus Emira is better if the manual, rear-wheel-drive two-seat Lotus brief matters more.
What is the price difference?
The Lotus Emira costs RM253,000 more than the BMW M4 Coupe. Its annual road tax is also higher by RM2,069, at RM4,182 versus RM2,113.
Which one is more practical?
The BMW M4 Coupe is much more practical: it has four seats and 440 litres of boot space. The Lotus Emira has two seats and a 151-litre boot.