Secret performance cars of 2006 - BMW M3

On sale Early 2007
Price £44,000 est

The new BMW M3 isn’t expected to arrive until the very end of 2006 at the earliest, and will use a V8 engine. Based on the M5’s V10 engine, the new powerplant will produce about 400bhp.

Four-door and estate versions of the M3 will be available for the first time. Prices are estimated to start at around £44,000, making it cheaper than the RS4, but as it will be slightly less powerful, and at least a year behind the Audi, it might have some ground to make up.

The same people that produced the fantastic M5 are developing the new BMW, and it could offer some serious competition. Despite having slightly fewer horses under the bonnet than the Audi RS4, the new M3 has about the same amount of pulling power, and may prove to have the edge in terms of handling and driver enjoyment.


See the February 2006 issue of What Car? magazine for a free 100 Secret Cars of 2006 and Beyond supplement.