BMW marks 40 years of the M3, tracing six generations of its performance icon
BMW is celebrating 40 years of the M3, the high-performance sports car that has been the archetype of a BMW M model since its debut at the 1985 IAA show in Frankfurt.
- 40
- 6
- 3.4 seconds
- 147 kW/200 hp
What Happened
The BMW M3 has served as the archetype of a BMW M car for 40 years, spanning six generations of high-performance sports cars for the premium midsize class. Agility, dynamism, striking looks and driving pleasure of the highest order are as much a part of the M3 as its regular supply of standout race victories. It was not the first model in the history of BMW M GmbH — that honour goes to the BMW M1, a small-series, mid-engined sports car — but it is the M3 that has defined the brand for fans around the world. BMW notes that this press kit is a revised version of its existing kit marking 25 Years of the BMW M3.
The original M3 makes its first official appearance at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt am Main, with a 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine using four-valve technology, output of 147 kW/200 hp and a vehicle weight of 1,200 kilograms; the two-door reaches 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph), and a soft-top version is added later.
The second generation launches as a more grown-up two-door coupé, powered for the first time by a six-cylinder engine, with a four-door sedan debuting alongside the coupé and convertible; from 1996 the BMW M3 can be specified with the optional Sequential M Gearbox (SMG).
The third generation arrives with its power dome, flared wheel arches and dual-branch exhaust system, powered by a 3.2-litre six-cylinder in-line engine developing 252 kW/343 hp; the special-edition M3 CSL raises the bar with 265 kW/360 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.9 seconds.
The fourth generation adopts a naturally aspirated, high-revving 4-litre V8 delivering 309 kW/420 hp, accelerating the BMW M3 Coupé from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds.
Only the four-door sedan variant carries the BMW M3 badge in the fifth generation, and a newly developed high-revving straight six with M TwinPower Turbo replaces the V8, bringing more power and torque but 25 percent lower fuel consumption and emissions; the M3 Sedan with Competition Package produces 331 kW/450 hp and sets a new fastest M3 time of 4.0 seconds for 0 to 100 km/h.
Race competition runs through the M3 story from the very first generation, which racked up a scarcely believable collection of wins all over the world, including the German DTM touring car series (then known as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft), the World Touring Car Championship and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. The BMW M3 GTR celebrated numerous victories in the ALMS series in the US and also won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on two occasions. In 2012, BMW returned to the DTM — now Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — after an absence of 20 years with the new BMW M3 DTM, and the comeback was a triumph: Bruno Spengler was crowned the drivers' champion, BMW Team Schnitzer topped the teams' standings and BMW won the manufacturers' title.
The sixth-generation car has built on the fabled lineage of the BMW M3 since it joined the fray in 2020, with the six-cylinder in-line engine still present and correct. In 2021 the intelligent all-wheel-drive system M xDrive made its BMW M3 debut, and in 2022 the new BMW M3 Touring added another body variant to the line-up. The limited-run BMW M3 CS is the fastest series-produced BMW M3 yet, the sedan sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 302 km/h (188 mph).
- 6.7 seconds in 1985 versus 3.4 seconds in the limited-run BMW M3 CS
- 235 km/h (146 mph) in 1985 versus an electronically limited 302 km/h (188 mph) in the M3 CS
- 2.3-litre four-cylinder with four-valve technology in 1985 versus a six-cylinder in-line engine in the sixth generation
- BMW M3 Sedan: 10.4 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 237 – 235 g/km; CO2 class G
- BMW M3 Competition Sedan: 10.0 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 228 – 226 g/km; CO2 class G
- BMW M3 Competition Sedan with xDrive: 10.3 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 235 – 233 g/km; CO2 class G
- BMW M3 CS: 10.4 – 10.1 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 234 – 229 g/km; CO2 class G
- BMW M3 Competition Touring with xDrive: 10.7 – 10.6 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 242 – 241 g/km; CO2 class G
- BMW M3 CS Touring: 10.5 l/100 km combined; CO2 emissions 238 g/km; CO2 class G
Previously from BMW
BMW's most recent announcements have centred on electric models rather than combustion-engine performance cars. On 7 October 2026 the company unveiled the iX4, a fully electric Neue Klasse SUV coupé arriving in March 2027 with all-wheel drive, up to 828 km of range and a 612 hp flagship, and also revealed the iX3 M60 xDrive, described as the most powerful version yet of its Neue Klasse electric SUV, combining 450 kW (612 hp) with up to 754 km of WLTP range.
- BMW reveals the new iX4: a fully electric Neue Klasse SUV coupé with up to 828 km of range
- BMW unveils iX3 M60 xDrive, a 612-hp electric M Performance SUV with up to 754 km of range
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of BMW's official releases.
Why this matters
The M3 is the model BMW M fans treat as the archetype of a BMW M car, so its 40-year, six-generation history is a compact record of how high-performance cars have changed — from a 200 hp four-cylinder in 1985 to a limited-run CS that hits 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. That record speaks directly to enthusiasts and buyers who follow BMW's performance line and its racing heritage.
Terms in This Story
- DTM
- A German touring car racing series, known first as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and later as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.
- SMG
- Sequential M Gearbox, a BMW transmission that changes gear sequentially rather than through a conventional manual shift pattern.
- ALMS
- The American Le Mans Series, a North American sports car racing championship.
- M xDrive
- BMW M's intelligent all-wheel-drive system, which distributes drive between the front and rear wheels.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.