The BMW M3 Competition is a potent sports sedan with a mix of power and sharp handling. Let’s see how it handles the challenging moose test.
Sweden’s Teknikens Värld conducts this evaluation. To pass, a vehicle must go through the cones with an entrance speed at least 44.7 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) while fully loaded to the gross weight limit.
This rear-wheel-drive M3 Competition passes the test with no problems. It sucessfully does the manuever while starting at 47.2 mph (76 kph). Teknikens Värld says the car is “easy to handle on the limit.” There’s just a small amount of understeer in the middle of the evaluation.
The BMW M3 Competition has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine that makes 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet. An eight-speed automatic allows the sedan to reach 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Drivers can select from various modes for the engine, chassis, and power steering to tune the setup to their preference.
Since launching the regular M3 and Competition model, BMW expanded the lineup with the CS variant. It still uses twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine but additional tuning pushes the output to 543 hp and 479 lb-ft. The only drivetrain choice is an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive with a selectable rear-drive mode. The sedan reaches 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 188 mph.
The M3 CS also sheds about 75 pounds by making use of carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic pieces. They include the hood, front splitter, mirror caps, roof, rear diffuser, and trunk lid spoiler. The material shows up on the interior for the shift paddles, center console, and sections of the trim.
In the United States, the CS starts at $119,695 after the $995 destination fee.
The halo at the top of the current M3 and M4 range is the limited-run 3.0 CSL. BMW is making just 50 of them. The vehicle features a far more aggressive body than other variants. In this guise, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine pumps out 553 hp and 404 lb-ft that runs through a six-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. BMW workers are making some of the carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic components by hand for these cars.
For more M3 discussion, check out this episode of Rambling About Cars:
