The new M3 is a bigger step away from the standard 3 Series coupe than any of its predecessors ever were. It’s different in a number of areas, but all the intrinsic M3 qualities remain.
The fourth-generation model boasts twice the cylinder count and double the power of the first-generation model. The most-advanced engines ever to head into a road car: double Vanos variable camshaft control, individual throttle butterflies for each cylinder, equal-length stainless-steel exhaust system, force regulated oil supply and ionic current knock detection governed by the most powerful engine-management system BMW has developed—the so-called MS S60.
A power button located down by the driver’s thigh on the center console also offers two different engine maps. Stick it in normal mode, and you think it feels strong until you dial up the more aggressive sport mode and there is a heightening in response.
Significantly, the 4.0-liter is lighter and shorter than the six it replaces, allowing BMW to mount it farther back in the engine bay for an even more favorable weight distribution. It’s the output that steals the show, though. With a heady 420 hp at 8300 rpm, the new V8 endows the new M3 with 77 hp more than its predecessor while retaining the car’s reputation for delivering more than 100 hp per liter. Torque has also risen by 27 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft at a high 3900 rpm.
