BMW M3 G80 Review (2021-present)

What is the BMW M3 G80?

The BMW M3 is one of those cars that anything with even a remotely similar price, power or performance intent will be measured by. It’s more than a benchmark, it’s virtually a blueprint for practical performance cars, and as such the world of fast SUVs and saloons will all be judged by its standards.

Yet the G80 BMW M3 reviewed here is not the guaranteed king of its class. The outgoing generation, codenamed F80, was often criticised for not delivering as much on-road fun as you might want, despite its formidable pace and precision. That F80 generation was also where the coupe variant of the BMW M3 gained its own identity, becoming the BMW M4. Prior to that, the three-door BMW M3 had always been known as a BMW M3 Coupe but today the BMW M4 is just as well-known.

How practical is it?

Being a BMW, the M3 is practical and lavish to live with, as well as fun. You’ll get two adults in the back seats no problem and the 480-litre boot is big enough for a chunky buggy, but the hatchback boot openings in the Audi RS 5 and Porsche Macan will make life easier if you regularly lug big items around.

Alternatively, there's the BMW M3 Touring estate. Yes, for the first time ever, BMW makes an estate version of the M3, and it has as much space (500 litres of boot space) and practicality as any other 3 Series wagon. Competition for that variant includes the Audi RS4 Avant and Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate.

The cabin finish feels suitably expensive, meanwhile, but we'd advise you avoid the optional carbon fibre bucket seats; they’re expensive and they have peculiar protrusions in the middle of the seat base that won’t suit everybody. Electrically adjustable sports seats with leather upholstery are standard.

What's it like to drive?

The 2021-onwards BMW M3 – known as the G80 - is the sixth generation of this long-lived performance giant. It features an all-new platform offered with rear-wheel drive or the switchable ‘xDrive’ four-wheel drive system, which allows for full rear-wheel-drive shenanigans when you want them, and active four-wheel drive the rest of the time. It's the first time that the BMW M3 is available with four-wheel drive.

The UK only gets the high-spec BMW M3 Competition, which means that the twin-turbo, in-line, six-cylinder engine produces 503bhp and sends power through an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, replacing its predecessor's dual-clutch gearbox. There’s no manual gearbox; that’s only offered in the lower-powered M3 variant that is, sadly, not coming to these shores.

We’ll not mourn the absence of the more basic BMW M3 for too long, though, since the new BMW M3 Competition is more than a little diverting. It's savagely fast with 0-62mph despatched in 3.9 seconds. More importantly, it’s got enough grip to not be too frightening, but it’s also playful and engaging when you want it to be. It’s certainly a more characterful drive than its predecessor, even if it’s still brimming with the trademark BMW M3 brutality.

Given its agility, you might expect the M3 to be a little short of comfort, but not a bit of it. Sure, there's enough edge to the ride to remind you of what sort of car you're in, but there's enough forgiveness that it never becomes jarring or unsettled, so the car flows along very nicely on most types of road surface. And that's with the adaptive suspension in its rawest setting: select one of the more relaxed ones, and things become a shade cushier.

But despite this civility, the M3 still manages to deliver a raw, edgy character that feels totally appropriate. The BMW M3 really does have the feel of some unholy blend of supercar, muscle car and executive saloon, with its precise, meaty steering and explosive, high-revving 3.0-litre engine.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

The G80 BMW M3 is well equipped as standard, so you don’t need to add anything. There are even seven standard paint options including a bright yellow, and five metallic shades ranging from sensible anthracite grey or black to bright orange, green or blue. But you'll probably spend loads on options anyway, and BMW is very ready to oblige, with an extensive and expensive extras list. From keyless entry to advanced adaptive LED lights or a de-restricted top speed of 180mph, there’s an extravagant list of stuff to tempt you. But be choosy, as you could easily end up with a £100,000 BMW M3 if you aren’t careful.

The infotainment, meanwhile, is fantastic. The big screen has some of the best graphics of any in the market, and it’s easy to control via a rotary switch and shortcut buttons. There's standard gesture control and voice control, along with Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, satnav, Bluetooth, digital radio and online connectivity. It’s a great finish to a dashboard that’s easy to use.

BMW M3 running costs

The BMW M3 isn’t cheap by any measure. The Audi RS5 Sportback and the Porsche Macan Turbo both undercut it by a useful amount, while the Mercedes-AMG C63 – which is a plug-in hybrid with a four-cylinder petrol engine, four-wheel drive and powerful electric motor – costs even more.

If you’re that fussed about fuel economy then the BMW M3 Competition probably isn’t for you. But in the scheme of super saloons with more than 500bhp, the official economy of 28mpg is perfectly respectable, and you could even see that sort of economy in the real world on an unhurried motorway run.

Otherwise, the 20-inch rear tyres are going to wear out quickly (even if you go for xDrive four-wheel drive) and won’t be cheap to replace, and the M3 sits in the highest insurance group. But you’re buying a car with near-supercar performance, so none of this should come as a surprise. Nor will the fact that you’ll take a big hit of depreciation initially, but the BMW M3 typically holds its value reasonably well by the standards of big, expensive performance saloons, as there’s always demand on the used market.

BMW M3 running costs

The G80 BMW M3 is too new to offer much reliability data. Even the BMW M3’s S58 engine is heavily modified, but the 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged straight-six has been around in various forms for some 10 years or so and has proven very reliable. There aren’t any drastic common issues to report other than some reports of crank housing failure; this is a very rare issue, often linked to cars that have had aftermarket engine modifications to raise the power output. Ultimately, the BMW M3 should prove a reliable option.

BMW as a brand was rated a healthy 12th out of 32 brands rated in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, putting it ahead of premium German rivals in the shape of Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. A three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty comes as standard.