BMW M3 Review 2024

The BMW M3 has been the performance saloon to beat for more than three decades. The latest generation ups the ante in terms of power, comfort and technology, with 517PS and the choice of rear or all-wheel drive. Don’t be distracted by its controversial front grille, as the BMW M3 epitomises this brand’s famous driving dynamics.

In every generation, the BMW M3 has delivered sports car performance in a practical package. The latest BMW M3 is no different.

And if you look beyond the huge front grille you will find a car that is rewarding to drive at every level, whether taking a quiet drive to the shops, hitting the best roads available or taking it to the race track.

The latest generation of BMW M3 is the most powerful ever made, and it comes with a host of gadgets and settings to exploit all that power to differing degrees.

Want a quick getaway from the start line? It will gladly oblige. Want to drift through an apex on a circuit? Just dial in the amount of slide you want. Once you’re done having fun, you can pick up the kids from school on the way home, or head out for dinner with friends.

If you still want more, the BMW M3 CS has less weight and an even more athletic character. It will hit 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and deliver faster gearshifts, more grip and a better soundtrack.

And if by ‘more’, you mean more space, then there’s now a BMW M3 Touring for the first time, too – the ultimate family performance car, perhaps?

The BMW M3 does have some significant rivals, including some you might not expect. The obvious competition comes from the Mercedes C-Class based Mercedes-AMG C63 S, which boasts plug-in hybrid technology and superb dynamics.

Then there’s the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, with its raw emotional appeal. Sadly, Audi no longer has an Audi RS4 saloon and the Audi RS5 is a direct rival to the BMW M4, but there is the Audi RS4 Avant.

Then there are the electric cars of course. We know there is a big difference between the emotion of a BMW M3 and an electric car, but the Porsche Taycan is similarly priced and definitely delivers on performance.

The engineers have created a multitude of systems, including different levels of power, adjustable suspension, an adjustable gearbox, 10 stages of traction control, a drift analyser, launch control and a gear shift assistant that tells you when to change up or down.

To some it might sound gimmicky, but the BMW M3 has the ability to change its personality to suit your needs. You can set it up to be comfortable for the commute, provide superb grip on a country road or drift to your heart's content before recording your lap time on a track.

We’ve said that one of the great things about the BMW M3 is its everyday usability. However, the ride is still very much on the firm side, and you feel it even more in the optional carbon fibre sports seats.

It won’t bother you on smooth tarmac, but there seems to be less of that around these days. So you are going to feel the bumps a bit, although no more so than you would in most sports cars, and the adaptive M Suspension uses active dampers to iron them out as best as possible.

There’s a choice of a rear-wheel-drive model or you can have M xDrive all-wheel drive, which still has a rearward bias.

The BMW M3 CS is only available with M xDrive. An Active M Differential splits power between the two rear wheels and there are plenty of settings to choose where you want the power to go, plus how much control you want the electronics to have over the way the car handles.

The most useful of these is the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with M Dynamic Mode. It has a range of assistance functions including integrated wheel-slip limitation for slippery conditions. It’s also connected to the M Dynamic Mode, allowing for 10 levels of traction control.

Whatever you want the BMW M3 to do, it responds eagerly. The steering is precise, the acceleration a contrast between docile and ferocious, and it is easy to pilot it through corners with accuracy. You can be wild with it in the right situation, but most of the time it delivers a performance car drive that is engaging in every moment.

BMW hasn’t yet added any electrification to the BMW M3 (yet), so it’s all about raw petrol power. That comes from a 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo engine that delivers 517PS all the way to the 7,200rpm redline.

Peak torque is 650Nm between 2700-5500rpm, and the combination enables a rapid launch to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds. It will continue to a top speed of 155mph, but if you opt for the M Pro Package then that lifts to 180mph.

Lots of the engineering work on the engine is focused on track use, so there's extra cooling for the engine block and intercoolers, and the oil sump has been redesigned to cope with dynamic track driving.

It’s all linked to an eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox with carbon fibre paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

There are three transmission settings to alter the response time: Comfort, Sports and Track. More settings adjust the sound from the twin exhaust. Sport and Sport+ modes increase the noise and there’s an additional M Sound button on the centre console to alter it further to suit your mood.

The M3 CS gets a power boost to 558PS, enough to see it reduce the 0-62mph time to just 3.4 seconds. The CS also isn’t reined in, and will therefore keep going to 188mph.

It’s not perfect, as the engine lacks the emotive sound of previous generation M3s. We haven’t driven the new BMW M3 CS yet, but believe the noise is markedly improved. Its ride can be overly firm at times, but the BMW M3 is still very much the benchmark executive performance saloon that others have to match.

Safety is well taken care of in the BMW M3, with all the equipment from the related BMW 3 Series. This includes multiple airbags, Isofix child seat anchor points, autonomous emergency braking, traction control and ABS. All models also have parking sensors front and rear, along with a reversing camera.

There's a towbar on the options list for £1100, but BMW doesn’t provide any figures for towing capacity on the BMW M3. That can only mean it’s not really suitable to tow, so the towbar is really meant for fitting a cycle carrier.

Many people regard the BMW M3 as the true driver’s car, not just because it delivers awesome performance, but because it does so with the practicality of four doors.

It’s spacious, with room for five adults and decent boot space. There are a few M-specific details such as the seats, trim colours and seatbelts, but otherwise it’s all about premium luxury.

Where the BMW M4 is more about coupe style, the BMW M3 can accommodate up to five people, has rear doors that make it easy to get in and out, and has a boot that will carry 480 litres of luggage.

The bucket sports seats are comfortable, even on longer journeys, although less so if you go for the carbon fibre ones in the M Carbon Pack.

The interior is mostly regular BMW 3 Series as well, so you’ll find hard-wearing materials, easy-to-use controls and lots of storage space. It all makes the BMW M3 practical enough to use every day, to commute or run to the supermarket (preferably one at the end of a fabulous mountain pass).

The focus might be on performance but behind all that power is a BMW 3 Series. There’s the usual level of premium quality in the materials and layout of the interior. The multiple layers of the dashboard all look classy and fit together well.

There’s a solid feel to most of the buttons, air vents and things you open and close. Beyond the hints of sportiness in the red buttons on the steering wheel, the sports seats and the M logos, the interior is all about BMW 3 Series refinement and quality.

You may notice the odd rattle or squeak creep in over time, depending on how hard you drive the car. After all, most BMW 3 Series models aren't subjected to the same driving intensity as this one.

The BMW M3 features the latest generation of BMW’s iDrive operating system. The focal point is the touchscreen high up on the dashboard, which provides access to a wealth of information, connectivity and settings.

Whether you choose to prod at the screen or use the rotary controller in the centre console, it’s easy to find your way around without being too distracted from the road ahead.

Once in the system, you have DAB radio, navigation, vehicle settings and internet connectivity that gives you weather, news and other information. Additionally you can use buttons on the steering wheel to access some of the functions, or there’s a voice assistant.

Much of the infotainment info can also be shown on the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. This has a number of themes you can select, and you can choose what info you want displayed. It will also change depending on the driving mode.

Then there’s a head-up display that provides essential info, including the gear shift indicator in the sportier modes.

At the time of writing, prices start at £81,195 for the BMW M3 Competition with rear-wheel drive. Upgrade to the M xDrive all-wheel-drive model and that will start at £84,070.

Then there are a whole load of options, many of which are grouped together in useful packs so you don’t find yourself bemused by which extras to go for. If you want more power and reduced weight – and let's face it, who doesn’t? – then the M3 CS comes in at £115,900.

Beyond the lofty price of the BMW M3, the running costs aren’t going to be cheap either. Fuel consumption is almost best not mentioned, but we’re honest here, as you know, so expect an average figure in the mid-20s MPG range, possibly a bit higher if you spend a lot of time driving sensibly.

With CO2 emissions of 223g/km you’ll be hit with a first year VED (road tax) bill of £2,220, but in subsequent years it will be £570. Insurance is going to hit your wallet as well, with the M3 sitting in group 41 (out of 50 groups in total).

BMW maintenance costs are similar to most German premium brands and you can buy an optional service plan.

There’s no base model BMW M3 anymore. Instead, the range starts with the BMW M3 Competition, available with either rear-wheel drive or M xDrive all-wheel drive.

All models have 19-inch alloy wheels as standard, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a BMW iDrive operating system with a 10.3-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and wireless phone charging.

There’s climate control air-con, Bluetooth connectivity for your phone and audio streaming, plus a multitude of settings from the driver and front-passenger seats.

Then there’s the BMW M3 CS, with a roof and other bodywork made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) to reduce weight. It has M Compound brakes, its suspension has been tailored for the CS and it has track tyres as standard, measuring 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear.

Options include the Technology Pack with a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system and the Technology Plus Pack with Driving Assistant Professional and a drive recorder.

A Comfort Pack provides a heated steering wheel and an electric boot lid. If you plan to spend lots of time on-track, the M Pro Package provides M Carbon Ceramic brakes and the M Driver package to remove the speed limiter. Other options are carbon ceramic brakes, M Sport carbon fibre seats and an electric glass sunroof.