Item: BMW M3
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The M3's 3.0-litre straight-six engine engine packs a big punch – 503bhp to be exact. That's enough for claimed 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds. 

M3 xDrive Competition M

Saloon

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

The M3 is reasonably well equipped on the safety and luxury front, although you might be surprised to learn you have to pay extra for keyless entry and a powered tailgate.

M3 Competition

M3 Competition 4dr Step Auto

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Audi RS4 Avant

Audi RS6 Avant

Audi RS7 Sportback

Audi S4

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BMW Alpina B3 Touring

BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupé

BMW M240i

BMW M3

BMW M4

Mercedes CLA 35 AMG

Mercedes CLA 45 AMG

Mercedes-AMG C63 S

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The BMW M3 Competition looks rather expensive when compared with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/giulia/saloon/review/n17264">Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio</a> and (estate-only)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs4/estate/review/n189">Audi RS4 Avant</a>. But bear in mind that it's only slightly pricier than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n17218">Mercedes-AMG C63 S</a>&nbsp;and, like the C63 S, the Competition is the most potent version in its model range.&nbsp;

The M3 Competition is also predicted to depreciate more slowly than the Quadrifoglio and C63 S. Don’t expect it to be a cheap car to run, though –&nbsp;in our real-world tests the M3 averaged 26.3mpg. That’s not bad for something with more than 500bhp (under the same conditions the C63 S Coupe returned just 23.3mpg), but it’s hardly parsimonious either.

You’ll also need deep pockets to run an M3 as a company car because its hefty CO2 emissions place it in the top 37% band, so benefit-in-kind payments (BIK) will be substantial.

On the plus side, the M3 is well equipped. It has 19in alloy wheels up front and 20in ones at the back (what BMW calls a staggered set-up), a leather interior, a carbon fibre roof and heated seats. Perhaps surprisingly, you have to pay extra for keyless entry and a powered tailgate.&nbsp;

There are loads more options, many of which can be bundled into the trim packs. For example, the M Carbon Pack lumps together carbon fibre exterior highlights and the fantastic carbon bucket seats we mentioned earlier, while the Ultimate Pack adds both those plus laser headlights, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel, a more advanced parking function and additional safety kit.

The M3 hasn’t specifically been appraised for safety by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-euro-ncap-and-how-does-it-work/n14328">Euro NCAP</a>, but we suspect it will perform very well. That’s because it’s very closely related to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/review/n91">3 Series</a> saloon, a car that scored excellent marks when tested. You get plenty of safety kit as standard, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, an attentiveness alert and a rear crossing traffic warning.

Most modern performance cars give you some control over settings, but the BMW M3 takes that concept to extremes. Next to the stubby gear selector you’ll find a button that's actually labelled ‘Setup’. Prodding it&nbsp;brings up a list of settings on the infotainment screen, letting you&nbsp;change everything from the sensitivity of the brakes to the loudness of the exhaust.

The sheer number of possible configurations can seem a little overwhelming so it’s handy that BMW includes preset modes that work well straight out of the box. Once you get more familiar with the M3, though, you’ll appreciate being able to fine-tune it for your own tastes. You can leave the steering in its lighter Comfort mode, for example, while having the engine at its most responsive.

With everything in Comfort mode (the most relaxed), the M3 is a surprisingly comfortable and refined daily companion. Its turbocharged six-cylinder engine remains hushed at low revs, and the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox (there’s no manual option) shuffles smoothly through the gears. Thanks to standard adaptive suspension, it floats gently along the ups and downs of a subsiding B-road, only showing&nbsp;a hint of brittleness over sharply calloused sections.

Even in Comfort, body lean is kept in check very well – but if you really want to push on, the firmer Sport setting is better for making the most of country roads. It helps tie the car down, as well as giving the steering a little more heft, so you can gauge your inputs more accurately&nbsp;– but without it feeling unnaturally heavy. The steering itself is a halfway house between the hyper-alert setup of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/giulia/saloon/review/n17264">Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio</a> and the slower but ultimately more feelsome steering in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n17218">Mercedes-AMG C63 S</a>.

In other words, it’s a good compromise, and one that allows you to place the car on the road very precisely. That’s handy, because when you deploy all 503bhp the M3 fires you up the road in an almost alarming manner.

On a fairly cold day at our test track, the BMW M4 (essentially the two-door version of the M3) managed to slingshot itself from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds – 0.7 seconds quicker than a C63 S in the same conditions. However, BMW’s launch control systems are notoriously temperamental, and when we tried to set a time in the M3, the system refused to initiate the perfect getaway.

Engine noise is also a little disappointing. Sure, it’s loud, bassy and leaves you in no doubt that lots of power is being produced – but it's not the sort of evocative sound you’ll find yourself accelerating hard just to hear, as&nbsp;you would in the V8-powered C63 AMG.

The M3 takes a bit of getting used to before you can really explore its limits through corners. There’s so much front-end grip and rear-end traction, you have to chip away at the limits before you feel truly confident to grab it by the scruff of its neck.

Happily, once you get there, you’ll find the latest M3 more predictable than its predecessor. If the rear wheels do break traction in a corner, the resulting slide is easy to manage. Thanks to a clever 10-stage system, you can fine-tune how much wheel-slip is allowed before the traction control cuts in. This is a big boon over the Giulia Quadrifoglio, in which the traction control is either on or off.

The M3 comes with regular steel brakes as standard. Carbon-ceramic ones&nbsp;are available as part of the (very expensive) M Pro Package. We’ve only sampled the standard brakes, and while they can be a little grabby around town, we found them progressive, consistent and massively powerful during spirited driving. Indeed, the impressive braking of the M3 helped it&nbsp;to get round our test track (a 0.9-mile circuit designed to simulate a fast B-road) quicker than any other performance car we’ve tested. Impressive.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

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m3-xdrive-competition-m

Don’t worry: you aren’t about to read a review of a road that starts in Surrey and snakes its way down to Southampton. In fact, the BMW M3 couldn’t be any more different than the grey and somewhat dreary motorway it shares a name with.

Since the mid-80s, the M3 badge has been worn by the fastest and most exciting versions of BMW’s popular executive saloon, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/review/n91">3 Series</a>. It’s the same deal with this latest model, except this one’s the most powerful incarnation yet with the firepower to match its archrivals, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/giulia/saloon/review/n17264">Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n17218">Mercedes C63 AMG</a>.&nbsp;

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oK-FAHdnjH0"></iframe>

There are lots of bright colours to choose from as well (the car in our photos is Isle of Man green, if you’re wondering), and you can even have your M3 decorated with carbon-fibre – both inside and out – if you want. Other options include high-performance carbon ceramic brakes and laser headlights

If the BMW M3's qualities appeal but a four-door saloon isn’t for you, there’s also a coupé version called the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m4/coupe/review/n17199">BMW M4</a>, which is almost identical underneath. And in the near future&nbsp;there will even be an estate version to compete directly with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs4/estate/review/n189">Audi RS4</a>.

But what’s the BMW M3 like to drive, and how does it stack up against its key rivals in other important areas? Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

And it you decide to buy a BMW M3 or any other other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tag/best-performance-cars">performance saloon</a>, make sure you check out our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying</a> service to find out how much you could save on the sticker price without any awkward haggling.&nbsp;

In traditional BMW M-car fashion, there's not&nbsp;a great deal of difference between the M3 and any other 3 Series inside – but that’s no bad thing. The 3 Series has one of the highest quality interiors in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-executive-cars-of-2021/n21660">executive car</a> class&nbsp;and we reckon BMW has made enough tweaks to make you feel like you’re behind the wheel of something special.

For example, you get heavily bolstered and&nbsp;supportive sport seats with integrated headrests, seatbelts in M Division colours, a bright red starter button, some carbon-fibre trim and a sports steering wheel with contrast stitching. Interior colour schemes range from traditional black on cream to bright blue on dayglow yellow (we’ll leave you to decide whether&nbsp;Valentino Rossi yellow has any place in your <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-performance-cars/n19982">performance car</a>).

The driving position can be adjusted to the nth degree. Our test car came with stunning M carbon bucket seats (BMW expects more than half of buyers to pick these). In their&nbsp;lowest setting, they almost place&nbsp;your backside&nbsp;on the floor of the car – particularly handy for taller drivers who plan to attend track days, giving enough head room for a crash helmet. A head-up display is standard, beaming plenty of information on to the windscreen, and the 12.3in digital instrument panel can be set up in all manner of configurations.

The 10.3in centrally mounted infotainment touchscreen can also be operated with a dial between the front seats, which is much less distracting when you’re driving than trying to find and press an icon on the screen. With its super-intuitive layout and responsive operating system, we much prefer it to the finicky system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n17218">Mercedes-AMG C63 S</a>.

The M3's many&nbsp;gadgets also&nbsp;include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>/<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone mirroring, wireless phone charging, a DAB radio, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a wi-fi hotspot and a gimmicky gesture control function. Front and rear sensors and a reversing camera come as standard, which is handy because the M3’s chunky front and rear pillars can obscure your view out when parking.

Staggeringly capable yet surprisingly easy to live with

One of the best things about the BMW M3 (or any performance saloon for that matter) is that you get <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tag/best-sports-cars">sports car</a> performance and handling in a package that’s as practical as a regular saloon.

To that end, there’s enough space in the back for a couple of six-footers (three at a push). The optional carbon fibre front seats have a hard back so they're not very&nbsp;comfortable to rest your knees against, but that will only be necessary if the person sitting in front of you has long legs.

As with any saloon, the boot opening is small, but there’s enough space inside for up to seven carry-on suitcases. The M3 has 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats for those occasions when you need to carry extra paraphernalia.

As it stands, there’s no estate version of the M3, but one will be joining the line-up in due course. In the meantime, if you want a performance-focused <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-estate-cars-2021/n18729">estate car</a> and have this sort of money to spend, consider the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n17218">Mercedes C63 AMG</a>. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs4/estate/review/n189">Audi RS4 Avant</a>, which is exclusively estate-bodied, isn’t very good.

m3-competition

M3 Competition M

m3-competition-m

A brilliant performance saloon that’s far more capable (if not necessarily more fun) than its main rival, the V8-powered Mercedes C63 AMG

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Entertainingly agile handling</li> <li>Eye-widening acceleration</li> <li>Fruity exhaust note</li> <li>Punchy and characterful engine</li> <li>Great driving position</li> <li>Everyday usability</li></ul>

The best performance cars combine sports car-rivalling acceleration with&nbsp;engaging handling. However, they also retain the&nbsp;impressive everyday usability of the conventional saloons and estates on which they're based.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio currently sets the standard. However, the models from BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG also tend to impress.

Performance car

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes. If rear space is crucial and you’re willing to put up with a less-than-premium badge, the Skoda Superb is tough to beat, while if you want a premium badge on the bonnet then the BMW 3 Series is consistently one of our favourites in this class.

And don't think you're limited to just petrol or diesel-powered choices in this class,&nbsp;because at the top end the Tesla Model 3 is well worth considering for its long range and engaging driving style.

Executive

BMW M3 review

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Read review covering BMW M3 boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

One of the best things about the BMW M3 (or any performance saloon for that matter) is that you get sports car performance and handling in a package that’s as practical as a regular saloon.,To that end, there’s enough space in the back for a couple of six-footers (three at a push). The optional carbon fibre front seats have a hard back so they're not very comfortable to rest your knees against, but that will only be necessary if the person sitting in front of you has long legs.,As with any saloon, the boot opening is small, but there’s enough space inside for up to seven carry-on suitcases. The M3 has 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats for those occasions when you need to carry extra paraphernalia.As it stands, there’s no estate version of the M3, but one will be joining the line-up in due course. In the meantime, if you want a performance-focused estate car and have this sort of money to spend, consider the Mercedes C63 AMG. The Audi RS4 Avant, which is exclusively estate-bodied, isn’t very good.,

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