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Motor 1
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
A Rippin' Green Stick-Shift Machine: This Is the Modern M3 I've Waited For
Most auto writers are quite hard on BMW. Especially when it comes to the M3. It's impossible to shake our preconceived notions of what a 'real' M3 represents, though there's hardly consensus. Ask a middle-aged dork like me and I'll tell you: Peak M3 arrived in 1987. Every M3 should reflect the dogmatic principles that the E30 established. I'd know, because I owned an E30 M3 when they were cheap enough to run ragged, well before the Bring-A-Trailer crowd turned them into bubble cars. BMW E30 M3 Photo by: Petrolicious In 2025, however, E30 M3s start at $50,000, and the new breed of owners are far less likely to drive them as Paul Rosche/God intended. So the younger members of Motor1's staff idolize 2001's E46 M3. To them, the E30 is mostly just buzzy and slow. And they're correct on both counts. No doubt, if you're reading this in the distant future when I'm long dead, the staff of this very publication will idolize whichever M3 is currently about 20 years old. So it goes. This nostalgia, which frames every conversation about what the M3 should be, often clouds the conversation about what it actually is. And what the M3 is—right now—is a class-leading bruiser of a sedan that's finally found the right mix of absolute pace and a sort of effortless, relentless quality to the way it drives. It's the first modern M3 I love. Yes, this is a screencap from BMW's Individual configurator. Yes, I forgot to take good photos of this M3. Photo by: BMW Those first turbo-six M3s (and then-new M4) were perhaps too sharp, equipped with a stiffly sprung chassis and a set of tires overwhelmed by the engine's punch of midrange torque. I once nearly looped an M3 Competition in the middle of an innocuous Ann Arbor, Michigan, intersection after turning the traction control off (as one does) by habit after starting the car. Later, I accelerated to catch a yellow light and ended up grabbing an arm full of countersteer to keep me from spinning into oncoming traffic. I couldn't have been driving more than 35 miles per hour before gently punching the throttle. To that end, there's a better balance to this modern package than those early turbo M3s, and that balance informs every contact point a driver touches. Of course, the most important contact point sits right in the middle of this M3: The stick. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 My younger colleagues complain relentlessly about BMW manuals. I don't understand the fuss. Mostly, I'm just happy there's a brand left among the German superpowers willing to chuck an honest shifter in between the front seats. There may be some rubberiness to this six-speed's action between the gates, but there's also a notchy assurance familiar to stick-shift BMW owners since about the early '90s. Crucially, there's no seventh gear to confuse your muscle memory like you'd find on the C7 'Vette or some modern Porsche 911s. Just an honest-to-Rosche six-speed. It is not a perfect shifter—only Honda does those anymore. But it's a critical component that elevates this modern M3. Take it for granted at your peril. The best stick on earth (right now)? It's the Civic Type R. Of course, each of the three pedals underfoot is calibrated for easygoing manners. Individually, each pedal responds in a less-feelsome and more-linear way than classic M3s, but takes less effort overall—and I mean actual physical effort—to modulate. That makes for breezy commuting, but also more bandwidth for operating around the car's enviable limits on a race track. The steering wheel is just about the right size and shape, transmitting the heft of the car in an honest way and revealing more road texture than I remember the five or six M3s I've driven in the past decade. Not perfect, but better. Progress. Kyalami Orange leather punches up the M3's rather spacious interior. My son's car seat fit behind the front passenger seat with a huge amount of room to spare, for both him and the person riding shotgun. That can't be taken for granted when competitors like the C63 AMG—with its complicated hybrid setup and underfloor batteries eating interior space—can't fit a folded stroller in the trunk and grudgingly accepts a car seat. This is a usable, handsome interior space. I dig it. But then there's the exterior. Photo by: BMW I may never love the gawping pig snout, but I've never seen a better-looking M3 of this generation. The all-black 'Shadowline' treatment does the bulk of the heavy lifting here, pushing aside the visual impact of that grille and letting the paint color literally and metaphorically shine. A brief moment to express my love for this paint. It's a BMW Individual color called 'Dark Emerald Metallic.' It's perfect. Dark enough that under overcast skies, the color backs away into a deep Noble-Fir green. In direct sunlight, a brilliant metallic finish reveals itself, highlighting the M3's aggressive body accents with a diamond's sparkle. Photo by: BMW BMW has consistently offered the best colors of any mainstream automaker for the better part of thirty years (fight me). Dark Emerald Metallic costs $4,500 on top of the M3's MSRP, and it's money well spent indeed. That option, among others, stacked about $25,000 onto the M3's $76,000 MSRP, totaling $101,875 (with the destination fee included). That's not peanuts, nor is it out of line with the car's on-paper performance and versatility. Only a CT5-V Blackwing would turn my head in the segment (the Caddy is arguably an M5 competitor, but I digress). I'd be plenty happy to ditch BMW's $15,000 carbon package, with its upgraded brakes and interior upgrades bundled in. I'd even give up the orange interior leather, but you can pry that green paint from my cold, dead fingertips. Photo by: BMW Call it eighty-ish grand then. For that price, the M3 will do a lot of things on paper that'll give fits to more-expensive cars, but I don't think that's a useful metric here: The M3 has never truly been a value statement. You buy one because you buy into whatever ethos the car represents at that moment. Now, in 2025, that means a car which neither reflects the E30's hardline stance nor the E46's handsome looks. This new M3 isn't as scrappy on throttle as its turbocharged predecessors, and its curb weight continues to balloon. But with three pedals, a good-enough stick, the best steering calibration in a generation, and a coat of the most gorgeous green I've ever seen, BMW finally built a modern M3 that sent me to the configurator with lust in my heart. I think that's worth celebrating. More On the BMW M3 The BMW M3 Touring Is Just Better Than the Sedan: Review We Drove Three of the Best BMW M3s Ever. One Stood Out Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? 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Top Gear
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's every generation of the BMW 3 Series: which is your favourite?
Advertisement "It's a perfect place to sit and operate the machinery. The seat and pedals are just-so. Visibility is astounding through deep windows and past slim pillars. It's wonderfully compact and concise. Take hold of the thin plastic rim on the huge steering wheel and head off..." Read Top Gear's review of the E21 BMW 316 here Advertisement - Page continues below "What a brilliant powertrain. It makes 192bhp, which is pretty special for an elderly naturally aspirated two-litre. And it pulls like a happy puppy all the way to 7000rpm, which means about seven-and-a-bit seconds to 60mph, on a weight of just 1200kg..." Read Top Gear's review of the E30 BMW 320iS here You might like "Oh my word, this is a magical car. The E36 got all-new rear suspension, and its principles are still used today. It got a freshly styled body and new cabin. And it all gelled together magically..." Read Top Gear's review of the E36 BMW 323i here Advertisement - Page continues below "Time for another big leap, and a controversial one. This Three got a jagged Bangle-ised exterior and an interior dominated by the primordial iDrive. It feels heavier, is bigger, and more serious than what's gone before. But more likeable? Nope..." Read Top Gear's review of the E90 BMW 320iS here "The main thing is new engines. But then, this is the Bavarian Motor Works we're talking about, so it's what you might call a core competence. One of them wears a new badge on the tail: 340i. Historians will note the significance of a new generation of BMW straight-six, as this turbo 3.0-litre is making its first appearance in any car. It produces 326bhp. It's actually the last man standing in the great tradition of petrol straight-six 3 Series..." Read Top Gear's review of the F30 BMW 340i here "Inside, BMW's finally stopped fiddling with its 1990s design themes and gone chasing after Audi and Mercedes modern-cool ambience. We've got a 12.3-inch digital instrument display that lies flush with a widescreen iDrive console. Metal buttons add a touch of class to fiddling with the air conditioning. There's ambient lighting, more sculpture to the shapes and surfaces, and the centre console's been thoroughly reimagined..." Read Top Gear's review of the G20 BMW 3 Series here Advertisement - Page continues below
7NEWS
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
BMW celebrates 50 years of 3 Series with special six-cylinder sedan
The 3 Series has been a linchpin of the BMW lineup for 50 years, and the German auto brand is celebrating this milestone with a special edition. The BMW 3 Series 50 Jahre Edition is based on the flagship M340i xDrive – powered by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine – and priced at $127,600 before on-road costs. Just 50 examples of the 50-year edition are coming to Australia, appropriately enough, with first local customer deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2025. For context, the standard M340i xDrive is currently priced at $127,752 drive-away for buyers in New South Wales. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. BMW says the special edition has specifications unique to the Australian and New Zealand markets, including BMW Individual Anthracite Metallic exterior paint and a limited-edition build plate on the centre console. Other specification highlights include: 19-inch jet black M light alloy wheels Carbon-fibre interior trim M Sport Package Pro As it's based on the M340i xDrive, that means a 3.0-litre inline turbo-six can be found under the bonnet, producing 285kW of power and 500Nm of torque. It's mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system as standard, and the M340i xDrive's claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is 4.4 seconds. Standard equipment for the M340i xDrive includes: Adaptive M suspension M sport differential Adaptive LED headlights Power boot-lid Sunroof 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system BMW Operating System 8.5 Heated, power-adjustable M sport seats Heated steering wheel Wireless phone charger The 3 Series is now in its seventh generation, and BMW says it's the brand's highest-selling model on a local level since records began. More than 191,000 registrations of the 3 Series have been recorded since official VFACTS records began, keeping the mid-size luxury car ahead of the X3 and X5 overall despite the surge in popularity of SUVs this century. The first 3 Series – the E21 – was introduced in 1975 as a replacement for the 2002. Six-cylinder power arrived in 1977, but the E21 only ever came with two doors. A four-door 3 Series wouldn't arrive until 1983 with the subsequent E30 generation. The E30 also brought the first M3, the first Touring wagon, and the first 3 Series with all-wheel drive. Those options remain available today, and the latest, seventh-generation lineup is the first to combine all three. The previous F30 generation was the first to offer plug-in hybrid power, while the current G20 is offered with electric power only in China (as the i3). The upcoming eighth-generation 3 Series range is set to include not only new internal combustion engine (ICE) variants, but also an electric version that will be based on BMW's dedicated electric Neue Klasse platform yet will closely resemble its ICE sister model.
Perth Now
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
BMW celebrates 50 years of 3 Series with special six-cylinder sedan
The 3 Series has been a linchpin of the BMW lineup for 50 years, and the German auto brand is celebrating this milestone with a special edition. The BMW 3 Series 50 Jahre Edition is based on the flagship M340i xDrive – powered by a turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine – and priced at $127,600 before on-road costs. Just 50 examples of the 50-year edition are coming to Australia, appropriately enough, with first local customer deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2025. For context, the standard M340i xDrive is currently priced at $127,752 drive-away for buyers in New South Wales. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert BMW says the special edition has specifications unique to the Australian and New Zealand markets, including BMW Individual Anthracite Metallic exterior paint and a limited-edition build plate on the centre console. Other specification highlights include: 19-inch jet black M light alloy wheels Carbon-fibre interior trim M Sport Package Pro As it's based on the M340i xDrive, that means a 3.0-litre inline turbo-six can be found under the bonnet, producing 285kW of power and 500Nm of torque. It's mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system as standard, and the M340i xDrive's claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time is 4.4 seconds. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Standard equipment for the M340i xDrive includes: Adaptive M suspension M sport differential Adaptive LED headlights Power boot-lid Sunroof 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system BMW Operating System 8.5 Heated, power-adjustable M sport seats Heated steering wheel Wireless phone charger The 3 Series is now in its seventh generation, and BMW says it's the brand's highest-selling model on a local level since records began. More than 191,000 registrations of the 3 Series have been recorded since official VFACTS records began, keeping the mid-size luxury car ahead of the X3 and X5 overall despite the surge in popularity of SUVs this century. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The first 3 Series – the E21 – was introduced in 1975 as a replacement for the 2002. Six-cylinder power arrived in 1977, but the E21 only ever came with two doors. A four-door 3 Series wouldn't arrive until 1983 with the subsequent E30 generation. The E30 also brought the first M3, the first Touring wagon, and the first 3 Series with all-wheel drive. Those options remain available today, and the latest, seventh-generation lineup is the first to combine all three. The previous F30 generation was the first to offer plug-in hybrid power, while the current G20 is offered with electric power only in China (as the i3). The upcoming eighth-generation 3 Series range is set to include not only new internal combustion engine (ICE) variants, but also an electric version that will be based on BMW's dedicated electric Neue Klasse platform yet will closely resemble its ICE sister model. MORE: Explore the BMW 3 Series showroom
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Watch This Poor 2JZ-Swapped BMW E30 Meet the Crusher After Being Seized
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Having your car impounded can be one of the worst days of an enthusiast's life. On Monday, TikToker JunkyardJeff1966 posted a series of videos of a modified E30-generation BMW 3 Series coming into his junkyard to be crushed after it was reportedly seized by the police, which is a sad story in and of itself — but it's doubly unfortunate because of what was lying under its hood. Specifically, the impounded E30 was sporting what appears to be Toyota's 2JZ-GTE engine under the hood, having likely been swapped in from a Supra. The car looks like it's out of a Fast and Furious movie, complete with HKS and BBS stickers plastered on its multi-colored side skirt, so it feels only right that a 2JZ would be swapped in for period-correct wastegate noises. The interior of the E30 further points to this being a true enthusiast build. A hydraulic handbrake, bucket seats, and a roll cage suggest this machine may have been a potential drift car, while the center console has been cut out to make space for a racecar-style panel of switches. The video shows an interior completely stripped of sound deadening and a fuel cell installed in the bare trunk. The deep-dish "BBS" basketweave-style wheels only add to the early-Aughts styling. "There's a police agency that wants it destroyed, so this is seized for some type of offense," Jeff explains in the video. "Who knows? Maybe it was drag racing!" It's not clear what offense the driver of the car was charged with that warranted the destruction of such a special car. Given that Jeff appears to be based in Michigan, it's not likely to be a lack of emissions certification that is sending this Toyota-powered E30 to the grave. Whatever the reason, we're sad to see this Supra-powered E30 go to its grave. However, if you can stomach it, it's worth watching some of Junkyard Jeff's other videos to see some of the machines he and his auto salvage yard team have been tasked with Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
