This year, German premium brand BMW is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3. The icon was first unveiled at the 1985 IAA Frankfurt motor show, with production and sales beginning in 1986. Over the past four decades, the BMW M3 has collected numerous motorsport accolades and gained a loyal fan base, thanks to its agility, dynamism, and driving pleasure.
The original E30 M3, produced from 1986 to 1992, was powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with four-valve technology, delivering 147kW and weighing just 1,200kg. Its distinctive styling, featuring a two-door shape, body kit, and large boot-lid spoiler, set it apart from its family-focused cousins. The E30 M3 could accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of 235km/h. Although initially only available in left-hand drive, a few units were imported to South Africa as grey imports.
The second-generation E36 M3, launched in 1992, was a more premium proposition that retained the spirit of the original. It featured an open-top variant and a naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. The E36 also broke with tradition by introducing a four-door sedan cousin as an alternative to the two-door coupe. From 1996, the E36 M3 could be specified with the sequential manual gearbox (SMG).
The third-generation E46 M3, which arrived in 2000, featured a more powerful 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine developing 252kW. This generation was available as a convertible but not as a four-door sedan. The E46 M3 also saw the introduction of the small-batch BMW M3 CSL and the BMW M3 GTR, with the former being sold in South Africa.
The fourth-generation E92 BMW M3, produced from 2007 to 2014, featured a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter V8 engine delivering 309kW. This car spearheaded BMW's winning ways in the 2012 DTM championship after a 20-year absence. The E92 M3 also debuted the dual-clutch auto transmission (DCT) and was available as a convertible, four-door sedan, and the rare, track-focused limited-edition M3 GTS.
The fifth-generation F80 M3, launched in 2014, returned to the six-cylinder format but with a twin-turbocharged engine, developing a higher 331kW output while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. This generation was available as a four-door M3 and two-door M4 coupe/convertible, with the faster and grippier Competition Package also available. Special models included the M3 CS, GTS, and M3 DTM Champion Edition.
The current G80 M3, launched in 2020, retains the turbo six-cylinder setup with a choice between traditional rear-wheel drive and the newer, adjustable M xDrive. In 2022, BMW introduced the BMW M3 Touring, a new shape of the nameplate. Limited-run models include the BMW M3 CS, the fastest series-produced BMW M3 yet, which sprints from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds. Looking to the future, BMW revealed the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse in 2026, an electric expression of the M3/M4 with an estimated output close to 1,000 kW.
Key points
- The BMW M3 has been in production for 40 years, with six generations and numerous accolades.
- The current G80 M3 features a turbo six-cylinder engine and adjustable M xDrive.
- BMW is planning an electric future for the M3/M4, with the M Concept Neue Klasse revealed in 2026.
