I'm digging the Laguna Seca blue. It looks great on the current M3.
(I'd be tempted to opt for Dakar Yellow, though)
It’s part of the gearhead code: We’re supposed to hate on new versions of classic favorites. Too big. Too heavy. Too expensive. Only for poseurs and rich kids.
There’s an E46-chassis BMW M3 sitting in my garage and, know what? I totally enjoyed my time with the latest version.
One thing that helped a lot? Our 2025 BMW M3 test car, drenched in classic Laguna Seca Blue, had the six-speed manual transmission. Maybe the automatic option is quicker–BMW says 3.8 seconds to 60 for the automatically shifted M Steptronic eight-speed box yet a leisurely 4.1 seconds for the manual–but I don’t care: The manual box made the M3 feel like an M3.
And that gearbox doesn’t disappoint. Throws that are neither too long nor too short. Not notchy but not vague. Goldilocks would call it just right. It reminded me of home.
Likewise, the steering recalls the E46. I’ve heard people call the E46’s steering numb. Numb? How about we call it calm and direct. An Alfa 4C or Porsche 930 this is not. Nor is it a Miata. It’s a more grown-up performance car. It’s direct but doesn’t beat you up.
But the new M3 is bigger than my old one, right? Yeah, I concede that–plus it has two more doors. Length has gone up (189.1 inches vs. 176.6). Curb weight, too: 3840 pounds vs. 3415 for the coupe.
Part of the M3 appeal, at least for me, is how it blends performance and comfort. Even back in the day, we heaped praise on the E36 and E46 M3 for seemingly being able to do everything so well: autocross and track, commuting and touring. It was one car that could successfully conquer nearly any task thrown at it. It fully reset our bar regarding a do-it-all machine.
The new one continues that trend. It’s firm yet comfortable, quiet yet not silent. It has a very usable trunk, and looking forward to when we can get one on track.
How’s normal-person performance? BMW rated the E46 M3 at 333 horsepower at 7900 rpm–so max horsepower just before redline. Max torque of 269 lb.-ft. came in at 4900 rpm. So, yeah, you had to spin that 3.2-liter inline-six for max performance.
What about today’s M3? BMW rates the TwinPower turbo six at 493 horsepower at 6250 rpm, with 406 lb-ft. of max torque coming in between 2650 and 6130 rpm. So, yeah, much more flexibility. You can almost drive the M3 like a diesel. (The current M3 Competition, by comparison, makes 503 horsepower along with 476 lb.-ft.)
The rest of the new M3 pretty much delivers everything else I love about mine: comfortable, well-bolstered seats that never get tiring; a clear, relaxing view of the surroundings; and just enough fender flare. The car simply blends performance, comfort and presence.
There’s a price premium for all of this, right? After all, the 2004 BMW M3 carried a starting MSRP of $47,795. (I pulled the press kit for the official number.)
The 2025 M3 price starts at $76,000.
But once you adjust for inflation, that $47,795 figure from back then calculates to $81,613 today.
And the new nose? On the four-door M3, I don’t mind it.
I'm digging the Laguna Seca blue. It looks great on the current M3.
(I'd be tempted to opt for Dakar Yellow, though)
BMW has been good at keeping the weight down on the new cars. I remember reading a review of the new M5 a bit ago and there was some complaining that it was heavy at about 5000 lbs. My 08 E60 M5 is a bit over 5000 lbs. and if I remember the new one had a battery in it.
The styling of the new BMW cars is, how do we say it, polarizing? But if they did not change they would get flack for being stagnant with there designs. The buck teeth look or as I have heard them referred to a the German cousin of Mater from the movie cars does not bother me like it used to to. It was jarring when it came out but now it is just a BMW thing.
Wait? A BMW sedan with a manual transmission? I can't afford one, but I hope they sell a bunch of them. And I'll long for a long-roof version.
They have a ton of mid range torque as soon as you're on boost. However that's really low so unless you're on the freeway at top gear and floor it, its going to go. Visually its grown on me a bit since release. Still a bit over styled to my taste. However we are getting close to the next gen. Rumors are that there will be a ev m3...
Thank you, BMW, for doing what some other manufacturers seemingly won't: have a choice to have an interior that is similar color to the exterior.
I swim well downmarket from the M3, but try to convince Mazda to allow a red interior on a Mazda 3 hatch with the red exterior.*
Or even "mix and match"...apparently Acura says I can't get a red interior with a blue exterior on an Integra Type S.*
I respect MINI and Porsche for their historical willingness to separate a customer from his/her money by selling what is requested. Sure you’re gonna pay for it, but that's a choice.
*both statements are based upon when I last tried, which was a couple years ago, so maybe they've changed by now. Dunno/no longer care.
edit to add: as others have said, I too, have grown used to the Bugs Bunny teeth-grill, so it's not as jarring to me as it had been. It takes a lot of air to keep everything cool in that front end. I can say that I like the way this car looks. And a manual? ❤️
I'm confused. I always heard E46 M3s were around 3,400 lbs. Yours weighs 3,781?!
In reply to Coniglio Rampante :
BMW calls that interior colorway "Yas Marina Blue/Black with Yellow Accent." As far as I can tell it's available with any exterior color choice.
Like you, I'm a fan of loud(ish) interior colors, and I'm annoyed, too, that Acura doesn't let you combine the red interior with the blue paint.
CyberEric said:I'm confused. I always heard E46 M3s were around 3,400 lbs. Yours weighs 3,781?!
Yeah, that number does not seem correct. I recall seeing weights from them for Solo Nationals and I swear they were in the 33xx range.
For some reason the Laguna Blue makes the front much less revolting.
But something BMW is usually really good at, wheel design and filling out the arches with said wheels, seems to be lacking on this car.
My bad on the weight: 3700 was for the convertible. M3 coupe, according to BMW, weighs 3415 pounds. Story has been updated.
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