BMW s M range used to be a straightforward concept to get your head around. There was the small, racy one: the M3. There was the bigger, more relaxed one: the M5. And that was pretty much it. But that was also 30 plus years ago and it really is time we moved on, isn t it? After all, BMW M has.
Yet as with any institution there has been controversy with such evolution, but none has felt it with quite so much vigor as this new G80-generation BMW M3 Competition. Debuted with a challenging new look, the use of a torque converter automatic transmission and the lack of a six-speed manual option (in the UK), plus the availability of all-wheel drive and a substantial weight gain across all its forms, the latest M3 Competition had a mountain to climb before it even hit the ground.
*Engine, gearbox and technical specs BMW M s S58 engine and ZF box continue to get better; a recent software update has also yielded improvements.
*Performance and 0-60 time With or without xDrive, the M3 is unnervingly, almost irresponsibly rapid.
*Ride and handling It s a big car, and with lots of weight to manage, but feel and precision are in abundance.
*MPG and running costs Driven carefully it ll do good numbers, but consumables all-round are big.
*Interior and tech Superbly built, great tech and materials, and big enough for the whole family, the interior s a highlight of the G80 M3.
*Design Ahem, it s challenging, and for mostly the wrong reasons. Spec carefully, though, and it does have a definite menace.
*Long term test Our Isle of Man Green longtermer was a superb daily performance car; refined, engaging and brutally fast, it'll be missed.
