In today’s automotive world it’s hard to please everyone. If your history is filled with iconic sports cars, that job is even harder right, as we’re mass migrating towards soulless, quiet, clinical electric models. In the case of BMW, many have already claimed that it lost its way, but the new BMW M3 is here to prove us otherwise though even if some would just scoff at the idea.
Reviews have been rather good so far, as long as you can move past the design. There’s so much more to this car than just a set of grilles up front, that you’ll be doing yourself a favor if you’re actually trying to look past that. And there’s a lot to discover if you do. The M3 is now offered in both manual and automatic guises which is a very rare thing to see these days, albeit the manual is also only rear-wheel drive and a bit down on power.
But what about the review? If the BMW M3 is so good, why is it still just the second-best car the Germans are making these days? It’s quite simple, actually: because the M2 CS exists. The BMW M2 CS didn’t get so many awards and glowing reviews for no reason. It is universally loved because it’s as close to an analogue car as it gets in today’s high-tech world. The M3 has to satisfy a wider variety of tastes and therefore has to include a lot more electronics in the process.
It also has to be a bit more compliant on the road, as people will buy it to be a multifunctional tool, instead of a scalpel, like the M2 CS is. Therefore, it all depends on how you look at these two cars. If you’re interested only in the amount of smiles per kilometer (aka enjoyment) the M2 CS is still the weapon of choice. If you want an all-rounder, the M3 will be a better overall car.
