BMW M3 Competition

If you’re a performance car enthusiast, the M3 needs no introduction. Thanks to a bloodline that can be traced directly back to the stripped-out E30 model that wowed the motoring world in 1986, BMW’s coupé has been keeping customers happy for nearly 25 years.

And, although the current V8 version is far removed from the high-revving 2.3-litre, four-cylinder machine that was built with motorsport in mind, the spirit and engineering ethos that has come to define these machines through the years is no less apparent.  

Our test car came equipped with the recently launched Competition Pack. This £3,315 kit comprises lowered suspension, bespoke 19-inch CSL-style alloy wheels and EDC electronic damper control. The pack
also includes revised stability control software that allows for more slip in extreme situations.

As with the standard model, the M3 Competition Pack is a lovely piece of design. Muscular and taut, it features all the famous styling touches, such as the quad exhausts and aerodynamic mirrors, but adds 19-inch alloys and a lower ride height. Our test car also featured BMW’s striking new Frozen Grey paint finish. Although it costs an eye-watering £1,755 as a special-order option, it gives the M3 a unique matt look.

The same can’t be said about the interior. Despite the addition of some great sports seats and a chunky three-spoke steering wheel, the M3 doesn’t have quite the same premium feel as the Audi. Space is
also tighter, with considerably less shoulder room and a smaller, non-extendable 430-litre boot. However, BMW’s widescreen sat-nav comes as standard, while the once troublesome iDrive cabin control system has been developed into one of the best set-ups around.

Stir the M3’s 414bhp V8 into life, and any concerns about space and cheap trim soon fall to the back of your mind. With a crisper, more metallic engine note than the RS5, the 4.0-litre unit feels born to work hard. Peak power comes at a heady 8,300rpm, and it requires some serious willpower not to explore the outer reaches of the rev range when you find an open stretch of road. Equally entertaining is the optional DCT twin-clutch transmission. Although it adds a hefty £2,590 to the price tag, it complements the engine perfectly, banging up through all seven ratios with breathtaking speed and blipping the throttle expertly on downshifts.  

Being smaller and 70kg lighter than the Audi, the M3 feels more precise and focused when it comes to tackling twisting road sections. The Competition Pack features springs that sit the car 10mm closer to the tarmac.

While that might not sound like a big deal, it reduces body roll and gives the M3 a front end that feels significantly keener to turn in than the Audi.

And it’s this, along with revised traction control, which allows for a greater degree of slip that makes the BMW the more engaging machine to drive.

In terms of value, the Competition Pack-equipped M3 is on a par with the RS5. Although the list price of the standard, manual model undercuts the RS5 by £5,410, once the Competition Pack and DCT twin-clutch gearbox have been added, the price rockets to £59,180. Which, for some, may make opting for the BMW that little bit harder.

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Chart position: 1
WHY: Still the benchmark fast coupé, the M3 has been given a raft of improvements with the Competition Pack, which make it sharper and even more engaging to drive.