2023 BMW M3

History/Overview

The last couple of years were big ones for the storied BMW M3 sport sedan, which was completely redesigned in 2021 and in 2022 gained an AWD option for the first time.

What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year

This year’s only notable update is the rollout of a 50th anniversary limited edition package, of which 500 examples will be sold in North America. It will be offered with five updated takes on classic M3 paint colours, and will come with a carbon fibre roof, front splitter, and tailpipes.

Available Trims

BMW offers the M3 in base and Competition configurations, the latter being where you’ll find AWD and a 30-hp bonus (for 503 hp total) from the car’s 3.0L turbo six-cylinder engine. In base cars, power goes to the road through a six-speed manual transmission, while Competition models get an eight-speed automatic.

Standard Features

Entry-level M3 spec includes 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, LED headlights/taillights, passive keyless entry, an adaptive suspension, active differential, sport exhaust and brakes, and auto-dimming/power-folding side mirrors. Inside, there’s leather upholstery, a curved digital gauge display, navigation, an auto-dimming interior mirror, power-adjustable/heated sport front seats, three-zone A/C, and ambient cabin lighting.

The driving assistant suite of safety features includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, and rear collision prevention.

Key Options

A premium package adds power trunk operation, a drive recorder, laser headlights, upgraded gauge cluster and stereo, a head-up display, surround-view cameras, an M drive pro track driving system, sensatec dash trim, and galvanic controls.

The M carbon package adds more aggressive sport seats, and carbon fibre trim inside and out.

Fuel Economy

BMW’s fuel consumption estimates for the M3 are 14.7/10.1 L/100 km (city/highway) for the base model, and 14.6/10.5 L/100 km for the Competition package.

Competition

The M3’s key competition comes from the Mercedes-AMG C 63 and Audi RS5, and Cadillac’s CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing.