BMW has an incredible track record of making cars that are not only mature and luxurious, but surprisingly sporty too. So it’s no wonder that the brand has been responsible for a multitude of breathtaking sports cars such as the BWW M1, Z3, Z4 and the new M8 Competition over the years.
Little known is that BMW even developed some of the best engines known to mankind, like the V12 of the McLaren F1, but best known by far for its 3 Series sport sedans. The nameplate is focused on bringing the most exhilarating experience to the driver by sliding the stern on command, providing a driving experience without costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
From the golden oldies to the tech-infested modern ones, all M3s are great driving machines, but to be honest and brutally honest, some BMW Models that definitely overshadow others. Whether that’s due to a particular engine configuration, driveability, or just design, certain generations are more loved by the auto community, and let’s explain why.
9 Best of all: E92 M3 Competition
BMW
The late 2000s BMW M3 stands out like a sore thumb from the rest of the M3 range, as they abandoned the traditional six-cylinder engine for a much less refined, rougher V8 that pumps 414 horsepower through a sleek six-cylinder to the rear wheels. Speed.
Via: BringATrailer
And if you add the Competition package to the configuration of your E92, you end up with a ride height lowered by 10 mm, three-stage electronic dampers and characteristic lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels that are similar to those of the E46-generation M3 CSL, but more to this die-hard German racing driver who was later adapted for the road. Oh, and before we forget, the Competition package gave a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds, which was 0.5 seconds faster than the standard E92 M3.
8th Worst of all: E93 M3 convertible
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The aforementioned E92 was considered a wonderful M3 that pushed the boundaries, but as soon as the E93 added a bit more weight with its electric retractable roof, it lost a lot of its appeal … well, throughout history, drop-top M -Cars have never been as successful as their hardtop counterparts.
via www.caranddriver.com
The new roof mechanism not only slowed the M3 down by adding 350 lbs to its curb weight, it also cost 220 liters of trunk space, and on top of that, if the E90-generation V8-powered M3 hadn’t cut your wallet by its questionable reliability leaching enough, you’d prefer a leaky roof over the sexy carbon fiber roof of the E92.
7th The best: E46 M3 CSL
via BMW M
There’s no doubt that the E46-generation M3 will go down in history as probably one of the best-designed M-cars, but the CSL was much more than just a pretty face. “CSL” stands for Coupé Sport Leichtbau, which means Coupé Sport Lightweight, and if you look at it more closely.
Via BMW
This E46 M3 went on an extreme diet and lost nearly 250 lbs, all thanks to its reshaped carbon fiber roof, aluminum hood, and rear window that was instead redesigned from thinner glass. Not only did the M3 CSL go on a diet, it went to the gym, which boosted the COPs of its 3.0-liter inline-six to 355 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.
6th Worst: F80 M3
over top speed
In retrospect, the F80 M3 was far from a bad car, in hindsight it might even have been a great car. This 4-door M3 had a 430-horsepower turbo engine, optional standard gearbox, slippery rear-wheel drive, and aggressive looks, but it wasn’t exactly a great M3.
Via bmwblog.com
Typically the M3 are naturally aspirated 2-door coupes with an optional sedan variant, but the F80 completely broke with tradition by being offered exclusively as a sedan (with the coupe shape renamed M4) and it was the first M3 to be who ever introduced a turbocharger that had undesirable turbo lag and used an electric power steering system instead of a hydraulic one. Aside from feeling not quite like a real M3, it even lost to some of its rivals like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrofoglio.
5 Best: G80 M3
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Yes, the distinctive front of the latest BMW M3 may look a lot like pig noses when you look through a wide-angle lens, but it’s definitely overgrown us, and if you drive a real M3, you don’t want to walk down the street and mingle with the crowd Traffic a.
Via caranddriver.com
Powered by a 3.0 liter six cylinder engine that sends 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, and unlike the M3 Competition, the standard M3 is accompanied by a super satisfying six-speed stickshift transmission. We can’t emphasize the huge difference this gearbox made; Not only has it harnessed all of the power of the M3 so that you don’t feel unsafe, but you also couldn’t get engulfed by all of its technological advances.
4th Worst of all: G80 M3 Competition
Via BMW
The M3 Competition may have had the upper hand over the stock M3 in terms of performance, but that seemed pretty useless if you couldn’t control it yourself. Of course, the competition was incredibly fast and accompanied its 502 hp number with the unbelievable xDrive system from BMW, 0-60 was possible in just 3.5 seconds. This all sounds like heaven on earth, but there is one great inconvenience.
via netcarshow
Only when you sit behind the wheel yourself and realize that you cannot grow through your own gears like with the standard M3, then the powerful experience seems more simulated and it feels like any other fast car, and not like a real M3 should feel.
3 Best of all: E36 M3 lightweight
Via lbilimited.com
When the M3 Lightweight hit the market, it got some strange looks. Nobody really understood the reasons for the individuality of this limited E36 M3 except for the M flag stickers and the subtle rear wing. Back at the ranch, the M3 Lightweight was exactly what the name suggested, a barebone E36 M3 that weighed less than 3,000 lbs, a nifty 240-horsepower 3.0-liter in-line six alongside a 5-speed manual transmission. and took over the chassis from the European M3, after all they were superior to the American in almost every respect.
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Nobody can say exactly how many Lightweight models were actually produced, but some sources claim that around 126 units were sold in the US and if that’s not enough reason to prove that the M3 LW was a fantastic M3, Paul Walker definitely agreed with us as he had 5 of these and one sold for $ 385,000 at a 2020 Barrett-Jackson auction.
2 Worst: E36 M3 US spec
Via BMW blog
Yes, the E36 M3 was an incredible sports car that deserved the M badge, but when American vehicle regulations lowered its M-ness, the US specification was far worse than the M3 that the European auto community received.
bmwblog.com
Both had a 3.0-liter straight-six alongside a five-speed manual transmission, but the American M-car lacked more than 50 horsepower compared to the Euro specification, and that gap eventually grew to a whopping 80 horsepower. The icing on this disheartening cake; However, the European market eventually got a 6-speed transmission, while only a tragic 4-speed automatic was added for the US market. The land of the free has been royally screwed up, if you ask us.
1 Best of all: E30 M3 Sport Evolution
Via: BMW
The E30 M3 Sports Evolution, also known as the Evo III, would have looked like a normal 3-generation E30 with a unique little rear wing to the untrained eye, but in reality the Evo was a completely different machine.
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The 4-cylinder in all E30 M3 now had 235 hp, and outwardly the Evo only shared the hood with its base model, every other inch of the Evo was specially designed to ensure that the Sport Evo is the best possible M3 could be . If you see any of these with your own eyes, consider yourself a lucky man, as only 600 units were ever made and now cost well over $ 100,000.
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About the author
Marnus Moolman
(54 published articles)
Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automobile writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself despite his young age. His passion for cars is translated into the real world through his extensive vehicle detailing and soon opens his own workshop.
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