BMW M3 Coupe: first details announced - Faster, lighter, stronger

The new car is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine, which replaces a six-cylinder in the previous car. The all-new engine has 420bhp, 295lb ft of pulling power and it redlines at 8400rpm.

All this means the car can manage 62mph from a standstill in 4.8sec, and it'll go on to a limited top speed of 155mph. The new M3 is 8% more fuel-efficient than the last car, though, with an average consumption of 22.8mpg.

Part of the car's increased efficiency is due the amount of weight-saving BMW has achieved. The M3 has a reinforced carbonfibre roof, which saves 5kg over a conventional roof and also lowers the car's centre of gravity for better road-holding.

Additionally, the new V8 engine weighs 15kg less than the previous engine, despite it having two more cylinders. The front axles are made entirely of aluminium, while the rear axle has aluminium components, too.

Another part of the car's greater efficiency is due to BMW's Brake Energy Regeneration system. It uses the alternator to charge the battery when the engine is slowing down with what would otherwise be wasted energy.