BMW Group says the M3 has defined its M cars for four decades, from the 1985 original to the limited M3 CS.
BMW says its M3 has defined the M car for four decades, dating from a 1985 debut at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt. The company's review covers six generations, race wins from the DTM to the Nurburgring, and the limited M3 CS, its fastest series-production M3 at 3.4 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h.
BMW Group has marked 40 years of the BMW M3 with a look back at six generations of the performance sports car. The company says the model has set the template for what a BMW M car should be, combining agility and driving pleasure with a long run of race wins.
The first three generations
The original M3 was first presented in 1985 at Frankfurt's IAA motor show. Under the bonnet sat a 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit using four valves per cylinder, delivering 147 kW/200 hp, and the car weighed 1,200 kilograms. BMW says it went from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and topped out at 235 km/h. Its competition career brought race wins in the DTM touring car series, in the World Touring Car Championship and in the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
Launched in 1992, the second generation took a more mature direction, with a six-cylinder engine and a four-door sedan alongside the coupe and convertible. From 1996 buyers could specify the Sequential M Gearbox, known as SMG.
The third generation arrived in 2000 with a 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine producing 252 kW/343 hp. The special-edition M3 CSL added more power and weight savings, producing 265 kW/360 hp and reaching 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The M3 GTR won races in the ALMS series in the United States and twice took the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring.
V8, DTM and the turbo six
The fourth generation, launched in 2007, used a naturally aspirated 4-litre V8 with 309 kW/420 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds. BMW returned to the DTM in 2012 after 20 years away, and the new M3 DTM delivered the drivers' title, the teams' standings and the manufacturers' championship in the comeback season.
The fifth generation, introduced in 2014, initially carried the M3 badge only on the four-door sedan. A newly developed straight six with M TwinPower Turbo technology replaced the V8, giving more power and torque while cutting fuel consumption and emissions by 25 per cent. The M3 Sedan with Competition Package produces 331 kW/450 hp and set a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.0 seconds.
The sixth generation and the M3 CS
The sixth generation has been on sale since 2020. BMW says M xDrive all-wheel drive arrived in 2021 and the M3 Touring body in 2022. The limited-run M3 CS is the fastest series-production M3 to date, with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed electronically capped at 302 km/h (188 mph).
The company sets out key figures for four milestone cars in the table below.
| Model | Output | 0 to 100 km/h |
|---|---|---|
| M3 (1985) | 147 kW/200 hp | 6.7 seconds |
| M3 CSL (third generation) | 265 kW/360 hp | 4.9 seconds |
| M3 (fourth generation, V8) | 309 kW/420 hp | 4.8 seconds |
| M3 Sedan Competition Package | 331 kW/450 hp | 4.0 seconds |
