Since its launch in 1986, the BMW M3 has been a performance icon. Conceived initially to be what used to be known as a homologation special, it only made production because BMW wanted to go racing in it. That first M3 was quite a raw car, more at home on the rally stage than the Autobahn. A four cylinder 2.3 litre engine, loosely based on BMW’s Formula 1 engine of the era provided 238 bhp, which, in a light bodyshell, proved more than ample. Like many things, the M3 has moved on and become more sophisticated. The last two models were propelled by increasingly more powerful versions of the Bavarian maker’s iconic inline six and the M3 has evolved to encompass saloon and convertible versions, to further broaden its appeal. So far over 150,000 examples have been sold. The launch of a new M3 is always noteworthy, especially when the new car has evolved so much. Not wishing to get …
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