2021 BMW M3

History/Overview

The M3 is the original high-performance compact sedan, a moniker it has kept up since the original arrived in the late 1980s. Now many generations on, the M3 still sticks close to its roots, offering a compact platform with supercar levels of performance. A sports coupe for those who need four doors and usable rear seats.

What's New

The M3 is all new for 2021, and now it wears the large BMW kidney grilles that polarize buyers. That doesn't matter from behind the wheel where the car offers loads of horsepower and the choice of a six-speed stick one of the last such transmissions around. A Competition version gets more power but is automatic only.

Available Trims

The M3 comes in two flavours: M3 with 473 hp and a six-speed stick and the sharper in every way M3 Competition with 503 hp and an eight-speed automatic. Both use a 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six to produce their power.

Standard Features

M3 offers a heated wheel, M drive modes, Sport differential, adaptive M suspension, variable steering, multi-way adjustable power seats with lumbar adjustment, heated front M Sports seats, parking sensors, radar cruise control, and driving assistant active safety tech as well as Harman Kardon audio.

Key Options

Premium Package adds ventilated seats (carbon buckets also offered), surround view, automatic trunk, dashcam recorder, wireless charging, laser headlights, and head up display. Ultimate package adds full Merino leather, sunroof, laser lights, M Drive Professional, M Carbon seats, digital display key fob, and the remainder of Premium Package options. Competition has Premium and Ultimate packages as well as an advanced driver assist feature.

Fuel Economy

M3 fuel economy is not yet available.

Competition

The M3 competes with the Audi RS4 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG as well as performance cars ranging from the Porsche 911 to Jaguar F-Type, and anything practical that goes very, very quickly.