In other parts of the world, BMW offers its new M3 sedan in a beguiling spec: 473 horses, manual gearbox, and rear-wheel-drive. Alas in the markets like the UK (and in the Philippines), they have to make to do with [checks notes] the most powerful and most…4WD versions.
Now, BMW has filled both those ‘Competition’ versions of the M3 sedan and M3 Touring with even more horses and even more acceleration.
Not to 100kph, which remains the same for the M3 sedan (3.5sec) and, OK, is one-tenth faster for the excellent M3 Touring (3.6sec), but from 0-200kph. Because both cars can crack that benchmark half a second faster than before, with the M3 sedan taking just 11.8sec and the Touring 12.4sec.
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That’s thanks to a power boost from—yes, more numbers!—503hp to a new high of 523hp, courtesy of “optimized configuration of the digital engine control unit”. Which we understand to mean that somewhere deep in the M3 Competition’s ECU, a few 0s were changed into 1s. Possibly.
There’s 649Nm of torque on offer from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six, which, says BMW, offers an “even more ferocious, sustained power delivery,” especially when on a circuit. Which is probably where that improved 0-200kph time makes sense.
So, enough numbers, time to play Spot The Difference. No, still the same. Nope, that’s the same too. Correct! The headlights are new: a new design that excitingly brings both low and high beams into a single module, with arrow-shaped vertically arranged LEDs.
There’s a new steering wheel inside, “sophisticated” materials for the instrument panel (perhaps they like jazz and a glass of red), version 8.5 of BMW’s Operating System, and new 19-/20-inch alloys. Otherwise, it’s as you were before: eight-speed auto, 4WD, prodigious pace and talent, tons of driver assistance, lots of M-focused goodies, M-specific modes, and that kidney grille.
Very accomplished cars, Messrs M3 sedan and M3 Touring, of course. Prices in the UK kick off from £82,420 (P6.14 million) for the four-door, and £84,700. (P6.31 million) for the wagon. Though, we wouldn’t begrudge a beguiling, even-baser spec of fewer horses, a manual gearbox, and rear-wheel-drive.
More photos of the BMW M3 2024 sedan and Touring:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
