Bigger isn’t better. Why the new M3 has lost its forebears’ purity, by Ben Whitworth
I hope I’m not alone in feeling a little luke-warm about the Whole BMW M3 Thing. Yes, it’s a formidable steer and yes, it epitomises the brilliance and sheer desirability of BMW’s engineering talents. But just look at the numbers. It costs the thick end of £51,000, packs over 400bhp and weighs 1655kg – figures not dissimilar to the old V8-powered M5.
So it’s faster, but bigger, heavier, more complex and far more expensive. Which is why I think that the new M3 is a marketing exercise first and an engineering project second. Rather than steering its own path away from its V8-powered RS4 and C63 AMG rivals, BMW clearly believes ‘if they have more power and a V8, then so must we’. And that’s a shame. The purity of the old M3s has been lost in the quest for higher numbers.
No one I know ever stepped out of the outgoing E46 six-cylinder M3, tutted and said it was a bit of a dog and could do with more power. Which is why I reckon plenty of would-be M3 punters will instead be eyeing up the hot little 135i Coupe. It’s lighter, smaller and posts the same 295lb ft torque figure as the M3, delivered at a low 1300rpm, compared to 3900rpm in the M3. So it should be quick enough to worry a new M3…
The two-door One’s chassis has been heavily revised for heightened driver appeal and its 50-50 front-rear weight balance is complemented by a version of BMW Motorsport’s electronically controlled limited slip diff. At almost £18,000 cheaper than the M3, it’s where my hard-earned would go.