When it comes to the best bang-for-your-buck performance, Chevy’s Corvette has long occupied the throne. But when the time came for me to finally take a spin in the latest generation, the C8 Corvette, I couldn’t help thinking about how it relates to the G82 M4. Despite a lot of really important differences, these two will soon occupy a similar niche in the used performance car market—in both price (after a few years of depreciation) and expected performance. It won’t be the first occasion a Vette has been cross-shopped with a BMW M vehicle, but it might be the most interesting.
Styling
The C8 Corvette is lauded (or derided) as the “discount supercar,” and that’s partially because of how it looks. While looks are entirely subjective, I can say this: the C8 Corvette got me more positive attention than any other car I’ve ever borrowed. People (at least in the US) love seeing a Corvette, and it’s instantly identifiable. The M4’s polarizing looks are well-documented here and elsewhere on the web, and I won’t belabor the point.
C8 Corvette vs BMW M4 Performance
The C8 Corvette and G82 M4 deliver power in extremely different ways. The C8 offers a 6.2-liter V8 engine, mid-mounted, developing 490 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The M4 Competition relies on a twin-turbo inline-six developing 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Both only power the rear wheels and rely on automatic transmissions—an eight-speed auto in the M4, an eight-speed dual-clutch in the Vette.
It should be said that the M4 is available with all-wheel drive if you want it, and is also available with a manual. While those two points are mutually exclusive, they could alone be enough reason to go with the M4 over the C8.
If you aren’t in need of xDrive and aren’t trying to row your own gears, the C8 Corvette offers some distinct advantages. The steering is more precise and offers much better feedback. It’s around 300 pounds (159 kg) lighter, improving overall agility, and most of its weight sits over the rear wheels, enabling less dramatic (read: faster) launches. The C8 measures six inches shorter in length and height, further adding to the nimbleness. While ingress and egress is more difficult in the Vette (unless your M4 has carbon buckets), the ride quality is superior.
There are very few occasions that the M4 Competition feels faster than the C8. One is at high speeds; traveling at quicker-than-legal speeds, the M4 feels purpose built for Autobahn pulls, relentlessly building speed. I also think the M4 feels quicker when you aren’t wringing the car out. Despite the two cars’ very different powertrains, peak horsepower is within 200 rpm of each other (6450 rpm for the Vette, 6250 rpm for the M4). Consider peak torque, which occurs at just 2750 rpm in the M4 and at 5150 rpm for the C8, and you’ll see why the M4 felt quicker around town accelerating at 4/10ths or so.
C8 Corvette vs BMW M4 Features, Comfort, and Technology
The C8 Corvette touts a very driver-oriented cockpit, so much so that your passenger will feel like they’re trespassing just to utilize the center cupholders. A bit overkill in my eyes, especially if you like to share the driving experience. The Vette I drove had comfortable GT seats, comparable to the base seats in the M4. I think the Vette’s are slightly better balanced for street/track use. An eight-inch center screen is more than enough for me, and the gauge cluster is uncluttered and easy to read.
The closest, appearance-wise, you could get to this configuration in an M4 is by buying a pre-LCI model with iDrive 7. Both iDrive 7 and iDrive 8 are more responsive than the system in the Chevy. The M4 has better materials, and overall fit and finish. Particularly, the steering wheel, which legitimately feels and looks worse than the one I had in a 2025 Altima press car a few weeks ago.
Price
The C8 I tested out stickered for $74,985. The M4 I drove was super pricey, but you can get something with less options for around $80,000. On the secondhand market, today, comparable Vettes fetch $62,000. Used, post-LCI M4 Competitions are still pricey, since they’re still fresh, but prices will fall closer as the cars age. I think both offer particularly strong value today at the $65,000-$70,000 mark.
So, Used C8 or Used M4?
The C8’s strong points are its exceptional handling and always-exciting dynamics. It’s also a bit of an extrovert; be prepared for random waves and exclamations of joy from passers-by. The M4 feels more premium—though not necessarily more special—all the time and is also arguably better as a daily driver. I’ll cite the backseat, available xDrive, and solid trunk space as reasons enough.
The M4 might take itself a bit too seriously, and the C8’s cabin might feel a little cheap and claustrophobic. But both cars are a remarkable value on the used market and I can’t recommend either one enough.
