Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £50,935 to £50,935
Rev-happy V8, styling, carbon roof, manual gearbox, minimal electronic interference.
Expensive, artificial steering feel doesn't inspire confidence, too refined.
An excellent 21st century interpretation of the M3 - not perfect, though.
You may think that as it's a two-door coupe, the M3 isn't going to be as accommodating as its four-door saloon rivals, but the M3 - like all 3-Series Coupes - can actually hold four six-foot adults in relative comfort.
The ride is good - even in Sport mode - and while engine noise is present when you're revving hard, it's a noise that you'll enjoy. However, the engine does keep relatively quiet on a motorway cruise at legal speeds. It's also pretty quiet on start-up, so you won't annoy your neighbours when you fire up the engine in the morning.
Leather trim is standard, as is a full-colour DVD-based sat-nav system, automatic air-con, auto lights and wipers, electric seats and mirrors and rear parking sensors.
The standard wheels are 18" alloys, with 19s an £800 option - it's likely that most buyers will opt for these, so bear it in mind when speccing your car for future resale.
Other options include even more leather, Bluetooth and wired phone kits, DAB radio and a Freeview TV receiver. The EDC electronic suspension is a recommended option.
Latest Readers' Drives About the BMW 3 Series Coupe
wrote on 21 09 2007