BMW M3

BMW M3 at a glance

BMW M3 generations compared

Across the five finished generations BMW built roughly 275,600 M3s. Each step brought more weight as well as more power: the E30 weighed about 1,200 kg according to Motor1, while the G80 Competition saloon weighs 1,730 kg. The numbers for every version are collected in our BMW catalogue.

E30 M3 (1986–1991): the homologation special

The first M3 was shown at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show and built from March 1986 to June 1991. Group A rules required at least 5,000 road cars within a year, so BMW M turned the two-door 3 Series into a road-going racer with box-flared wheel arches and the S14 four-cylinder. The 2.3-litre engine revved to 7,250 rpm and delivered 143 kW (195 PS) with a catalytic converter or 147 kW (200 PS) without one, driving through a Getrag five-speed gearbox.

Homologation demanded a series of evolution models. The Evolution of 1987 (505 cars) and the Evolution II of 1988 (501 cars, 162 kW) were followed in 1990 by the Sport Evolution: 600 cars with a 2,467 cc engine giving 175 kW (238 PS) at 7,000 rpm and 250 km/h. There were also the Ravaglia and Cecotto editions in 1989 and a convertible, of which only 786 were made among the 17,970 E30 M3s.

E36 M3 (1992–1999): six cylinders and a saloon

The second M3 went on sale in November 1992 and switched to a straight-six. In European form the 3.0-litre S50 developed 210 kW (286 PS) and 320 Nm. North America received a simpler engine with 179 kW (243 PS), and from the facelift a 3,152 cc S52 with the same power and 320 Nm. A convertible arrived in 1994 and a four-door saloon in December of that year, making this the first M3 with four doors and, per Motor1, the first offered with an automatic gearbox.

The 1995 update raised the European engine to 3,201 cc, 236 kW (321 PS) and 350 Nm, added a six-speed manual and offered the SMG automated manual. The left-hand-drive M3 GT of 1994 (356 cars, 220 kW) and the Lightweight of 1995 (about 125 built) were the rare versions. Production at Regensburg reached 46,525 coupés, 12,114 convertibles and 12,603 saloons, a total of 71,242.

E46 M3 (2000–2006): an 8,000 rpm straight-six

Previewed at the 1999 Frankfurt show and launched at Geneva in March 2000, the E46 M3 was built from September 2000 to August 2006 as a coupé and convertible only. Its 3.2-litre S54 produced 252 kW (343 PS) at 7,900 rpm and 365 Nm, with the limiter at 8,000 rpm; North American cars had 248 kW. With the six-speed Getrag manual or SMG-II the coupé reached 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, and top speed was limited to 250 km/h.

The CSL of 2004 is the collector's E46. It was 110 kg lighter at 1,385 kg, gained 13 kW and needed 4.9 seconds to 100 km/h; 1,383 were made. A Competition Package followed in December 2004. BMW also built a handful of road-going M3 GTR cars with a V8 for the American Le Mans Series, with a price of €250,000 quoted for the road version in 2001. With 56,133 coupés and 29,633 convertibles, the E46 is the most-produced M3 of the finished generations.

E90/E92/E93 M3 (2007–2013): the only V8

The fourth generation arrived as the E92 coupé at Frankfurt in September 2007, followed by the E90 saloon and the E93 convertible with a folding steel roof. It remains the only M3 with a V8 as standard: the 4.0-litre S65 made 309 kW (420 PS) at 8,400 rpm and 400 Nm. Motor1 notes that this engine was about 15 kg lighter than the six it replaced. In April 2008 the seven-speed M-DCT became the first dual-clutch gearbox in a BMW and cut the coupé's 0–100 km/h time from 4.8 to 4.6 seconds.

The GTS of 2010 used a 4.4-litre V8 with 331 kW, weighed 136 kg less and reached 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds; only 135 were built. The CRT saloon of 2011 shared its engine (67 built), and the Lime Rock Park Edition of 2013 was a US special of 200 cars. Coupé production ended on 5 July 2013.

F80 M3 (2014–2018): turbocharging and the M4 split

When BMW gave the two-door 3 Series the name 4 Series, the M3 coupé became the M4, and the F80 shown in Detroit in January 2014 was offered as a saloon only. Its S55 straight-six with two turbochargers gave 317 kW (431 PS) and 550 Nm, 37 % more torque than the V8 had offered. The Competition package of 2016 lifted output to 331 kW and the M-DCT time to 4.0 seconds.

The M3 CS of 2018 (1,200 cars) had 338 kW and 601 Nm and was 50 kg lighter. A 30 Jahre edition of 500 cars marked the model's anniversary. Production ended in October 2018 after 34,677 saloons, with a kerb weight of 1,621 kg and a top speed of 250 km/h, or 280 km/h with the M Driver's Package.

G80 and G81 M3 (since 2020): xDrive and a Touring

The current M3 was unveiled on 23 September 2020 together with the M4 and reached customers in March 2021. The S58 twin-turbo six gives 353 kW (480 PS) and 550 Nm in the base car, which keeps a six-speed manual and rear-wheel drive. The Competition has 375 kW (510 PS) and 650 Nm with an eight-speed ZF automatic, and it was the first M3 available with xDrive all-wheel drive. In 2022 BMW added the first M3 Touring (G81), which weighs 1,865 kg.

The CS comes only with all-wheel drive and the automatic. A detailed test of the launch car is in our review of the G80 M3 Competition. For the next step, BMW M showed the M Concept Neue Klasse in 2026, which previews an electric M3 with four individually controlled motors.

M3 in motorsport

The E30 was built to race, and it delivered. It won the World Touring Car Championship and the European title in 1987, the European title again in 1988, the British championship in 1988 and 1991 and the DTM in 1987 and 1989. It also won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring five times between 1989 and 1994 and the Spa 24 Hours four times. Bernard Béguin even won the 1987 Tour de Corse rally in one.

Later generations raced mainly in North America and in endurance events. The E36 won IMSA manufacturers' titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998, the E46 GTR won the ALMS GT class in 2001 and took overall victory at the Nürburgring in both 2004 and 2005, and the E92 took the DTM drivers' and manufacturers' titles on BMW's return in 2012. In 2026 an M3 Touring 24H race car finished fourth overall and first in the SP-X class at the Nürburgring. The wider story is told in our BMW history.

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