BMW M3 Review

Overall Rating

Downshifting - wow, I say no more! Go test drive and see for yourself. Tip - drive at 60 in either 4th or 5th and drop down a gear. Listen to the noise (it double declutches and revs to the optimum level in that gear). What a joy this sound is! I downshift all the time just to hear it. And cause fuel is 1/5 of UK prices here.
SMG II gearbox and paddle shifts
'Sports' mode
Torque at 3000rpm in any gear
The tacho lights that tell you engine temp and optimum revving rpm
BMW interior, layout and leather
Big boot
4 seats

Exhaust note in certain driving situations / speeds / RPMs - tinny 'ball bearings in a tin can' - this is well known however and it more than made up for once you get the car above 40mph in any gear.

This BMW M3 Coupe has always been my dream car. I have owned 4 BMWs in the UK (318is, 325, E36 M3 saloon, 535i) and am lucky enough to now have an E46 SMG.
To the crunch. This car has 2 personalities:
1) Well mannered
2) Aggressive, i.e. a race/track car

The beauty of this car is that you can drive around the town centre, and it behaves with the elegant and reassuring poise that you come to expect with the 3 series. This type of driving is best when not in sports mode.

Now, the other personality is activated when you do press the sports mode button. The engine notes it produces, in any gear, above say 2.5k rpm, is frankly Mozart to the ears. It purrs and roars at the same time. Plenty of torque and power in reserve in all gears, for most any normal driving situation and you know that you can pretty much always overtake anything you want because changing gears to allow the extra power is so quick and effortless.

It may not be as fast as a modern Ferrari (for that matter my wife's Cayenne Turbo seems as fast, in second gear anyway, mind you that does have 450bhp!) but you have the best of both worlds in this car. The best clutchless manual in production (outside of F1), the looks and gravitas of driving an M3, the comfort, finish and luxury of sitting inside one, and the frankly brilliant flat 6 343 BHP engine that just makes you want to drive faster. However, I feel this is a safe car as the M3's brakes, handling and cornering are all so pinpoint and sharp.

I test drove a new Ford Mustang GT before I bought this - very nice engine note (better than the M3 for me) and quick too, but it was like driving a speedboat - from the back. You couldn't see past the huge bonnet. With the M3, you have a shorter, stubbier front end, making you feel totally connected with the road and able to drive fast with utter confidence.

Final note - this thing also corners better than anything I have ever driven or ridden in. Go buy one. Own it for 2 years, then get a 911, but by then only the Turbo will do. After that, well, what is there left? Either you are a millionaire and keep both the M3 and 911 and add a Ferrari or Lambo to your collection, or frankly you just can't get any better for your money.