The BMW M1 was BMW M GmbH’s first car, but for four decades the M3 has stood as the archetype of what an M car should be, pairing sharp agility and driving pleasure with distinctive looks and a steady stream of race victories.
It debuted at the 1985 IAA in Frankfurt with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder four-valve engine making 147 kW (200 hp) in a 1,200 kg body, reaching 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and a 235 km/h top speed, with a soft-top version following later.
The first-generation car earned its reputation on track, with wins in the DTM, the World Touring Car Championship and the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
A More Grown-Up Second Generation
Arriving in 1992, the second-generation M3 took a more mature approach, using a six-cylinder engine for the first time and expanding beyond the coupé to include a four-door sedan and a convertible. From 1996, buyers could also specify the Sequential M Gearbox (SMG).
Power Dome and a Legendary Special Edition
The third generation, launched in 2000, stood out with its power dome, flared wheel arches and dual-branch exhaust, backed by a 3.2-liter inline-six producing 252 kW (343 hp).
The limited-run M3 CSL raised the bar with 265 kW (360 hp) and further weight savings, cutting the 0-100 km/h sprint to 4.9 seconds, while the M3 GTR racked up victories in the American Le Mans Series and two Nürburgring 24 Hours wins.
A V8 and a DTM Comeback
The fourth generation, introduced in 2007, used a high-revving naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 delivering 309 kW (420 hp) and a 4.8-second 0-100 km/h time in coupé form.
In 2012, BMW returned to the DTM after 20 years away with the M3 DTM, and the comeback was a clean sweep: Bruno Spengler won the drivers’ title, BMW Team Schnitzer topped the teams’ standings and BMW took the manufacturers’ crown.
Back to a Turbocharged Six
When the fifth generation arrived in 2014, only the four-door sedan carried the M3 badge, and the V8 gave way to a newly developed high-revving straight-six with M TwinPower Turbo technology.
It delivered more power and torque than before while cutting fuel consumption and emissions by 25%, and the Competition Package version, at 331 kW (450 hp), set a new M3 benchmark of 4.0 seconds from 0-100 km/h.
Touring, M xDrive and the Fastest M3 Yet
The sixth-generation car, on sale since 2020, keeps the inline-six, added the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system in 2021, and gained a new M3 Touring body style in 2022. The limited-run M3 CS is the quickest series-produced M3 to date, with the sedan reaching 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 302 km/h.