The Ultimate BMW M3 Review: E30 vs E36 vs E46 vs E92 vs F80 By Car Throttle

For millions of car lovers around the world, the BMW m3, is the ultimate expression of driving nirvana over 30 years, five generations, multiple racing victories and an assortment of engine configurations. It's been BMWs, most successful, halo, car, combining power, balance, refinement and fun into arguably an unrivaled package. This video, something I've dreamed about doing for years, brings all generations together in what can only be described as undiluted m3 indulgence. Of course, the aim here is to explore each car's pros and cons the progress that's been made through the generations and to show you that, yes and three still love to burn rubber, but before we look into the geography of automotive cloud formation, I jumped into the e30 m3- and this is the very, very first time that I have driven an e30 m3 I used to own any 3325, a coupe, a that was very, very lovely, but nothing on this. You will know what the e30 m3 is about. It showed very few body panels with the original ether t coupe a, namely being the on it: the roof, the sunroof and the door panels as well.

Everything else for the e30 m3 was completely new suspension. Gearbox I've got a five-speed, get track, gearbox here, dogleg as well, so that takes a bit of getting used to, but when you are used to it into fourth, fourth being fifth, that feels really, really weird and then into six, which is actually fifth, that's. Third, the e30 m3 dominated Touring Car championships in the 1980s clearing up with multiple titles, which is why limited edition models such as this Robert Byrne Valid, were made only 25 units of this very car made it to the UK, so a very, very rare car. Indeed, how we've got 215 brake horsepower from the inline 4-cylinder 2.3 engine doesn't really make it go very quickly. This is foot flat to the floor, a lots of happening and that's despite this car weighing around 1,200 kilograms.

So if you're thinking that this car is going to be super, super superfast you'd be mistaken, but don't forget the e30 m3 wasn't about the engine. Wasn't all about the power this car was about handling. It was about feel it was about grip, and this is what this car has got. Buckets of, though inside the cabinet's pretty much just like any other ether, tea really there's not much to differentiate it, except for the lovely seats, and I've got M badges on the dash there I'm forever having to look down to make sure I'm in the right gear currently I'm in third, if I put it into what I think would be fifth, there we go I'm in fourth now engine in exhaust noise, not really getting a lot of that at all it just I mean it sounds like a 4-cylinder there's no way around it. This car is all about handling and dynamics.

That's what it's about! It's also about looking darn, sexy and I. Don't know about you, but this is by far the sexiest car in this video. The saying goes that you should never meet your heroes because of the possibility of shattered expectations. I went into the e30 m3 with this sentiment in mind, but even so, I was left a little disappointed. The car didn't feel is keen to pull as hard as I was hoping for, and it wasn't as special to drive as I was expecting.

Okay, so back in its day, the e30 m3 would have been considered a great thing, but today it just didn't. Give me the fizz next up we're winding the clocks forward to between 1992 and 1999 for the e36 generation. M3. Welcome to the second 3-series to carry the m3 name. This is it the e36 m3 and this particular car belonging to a lovely chap called Alex Batsman is a saloon version.

Yes, they made a saloon version of the e36 m3. They obviously made the coupe a and the convertible. There are a few changes that have been made to this particular car, namely, it's got a short shifter, which is vibrating a little. It's got a box springs and also genuine Alpina wheels, the rest of the car completely standard. So this is the first m3 of many to feature a straight-6 engine.

We've got 360 brake horsepower, which is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the earlier e36 m3 came with a 5-speed, but in 1995 or thereabouts they were upgraded. The engine was enlarged to 3.2 from 3 liters, and you also got this beautiful 6-speed on now. These engines feature something called canons and if you don't know what canons is think of it, a little like TEC when you get above 5,000 rpm the cam profile changes, and then the power comes in yes, nor 260 in this roughly six seconds. This is more of a kind of luxury car I've got computers, I've got more leather, it just feels more expensive. Really.

This was a grand touring. Car wasn't quite so focused on dynamics and handling, as he thought he was. This car was more about the engine now I'm, currently looking to buy any 36 m3 employment. This has pretty much yeah. It's pretty much sealed the deal in my mind.

Oh, yes plant it, and then you've got the power. You've got to have your foot flat to the floor. You've got to be above four and a half thousand rpm to really get the most out of this entry. When you do you really notice that search for the veins yeah, this is much better places for these at the moment, range from anywhere between about 5,000 pounds, ? yeah about 18,000 pounds for a really low mileage model. I'm.

Looking for something this, you know fairly average condition, so I'd be looking to spend anywhere between seven and nine thousand pounds. The 36 m3 for me is obviously a massive step-up compared with the e30. It's got more power, it feels more refined, but it feels less of a m3. For me, it feels like BMWs tried to make the e36 a car for everybody. The e36 feels heavy solid and slightly strangled down in the six-cylinder rev range.

Only when you wind the engine up into veins territory. Does it start to make me think? Ah, that's why it's got a m3 badge on the back. The gearbox pedal and steering weights also feel heavier than e30, which means that you have to work more for every ounce of performance. Now it's on to the e46 m3, which was produced between 2000 and 2006. Quite how good this car would be.

I wasn't prepared for- and this is a very special car to my heart, because it belongs to my boss. Adnan now I've been told in no uncertain terms to look after the car. Don't be stupid, just do what you got to do and then get the hell out the car. He is approximately 50 meters away, so um I think we should, shall we get started. That's how you pull away from your boss.

So the first thing you notice about the e46 m3. It feels a lie compared to the e36 know if SC 36 m3, this is a completely different car. That step-up in generations is monumental. I mean if the step-up from the e30 to the e36 was a big jump. This from the e36 to the e46 was a leap.

It really was. Shh, sounds better. It goes better. It feels better, less wind noise, less tire roar. This is a proper M car.

This is a real m3 to me. I wanted to buy any 36 m3 now I'm thinking, actually maybe I need one of this haha. This is so much better. I can't believe how much better this is. This is a heavier car, but it is feels like it's so much lighter this as I said it feels alive.

It feels nimble. The steering is so much quicker. So much more direct Wow we've got straight-6 3.2 liters, 338 brake horsepower and naught to 60 miles an hour in 4.8 seconds now for a kind of 2003-2004 car 4.8 seconds in a BMW, m3, that's mental. The e46 m3 feels like an unshackled beast from its free revving engine, tighter chassis, fast steering and general boisterousness. I now understand why people rave about this car so much I mean to me the e30 is going to be the pinnacle in terms of looks, but in terms of feel.

This is just a step-up and prices for these cars. The e46 s are very similar to those of the 36. I literally, am in a glass case of emotion, right now, I like the 36, because appreciation I think it might gain in value a little more quickly, but as a driver's car, this has got the e36 over a barrel, and it is spanking it spank, spank, spank, with each of those exhaust pipes, is really going in hard. This car is all about dynamics, and it is all about the engine. There really is no kind of centerpiece, whereas with the e36.

It's all about the engine and with e30 all about the dynamics, but this is the complete package and man I don't want to buy your car because I've seen how you drive it, but I do want to buy one very, very similar from six cylinders, let's jump into the e92 VA to see what the years 2007 to 2013 brought to the m3. Now the biggest change for the e90 92 version of the m3 was up front because we've got a VA 4 liter v8 in this. Oh, it sounds glorious Wow. Well, it's fast the experience in the e92, because I've got the coop a's completely dominated by the VA. It sounds amazing.

Oh yes, I thought the e46 out it go, but this is on a completely new level. Obviously, because VA now, this car came as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, but this has got the option up version of the 7-speed M DCT gearbox, which makes shifting a lot quicker than with the manual I'll go through the gears for you, starting in fifth gear, I'm in fifth gear, now doing 45 miles an hour for third second and then foot flat to the floor. It pulls. This is one hell of a fast car, howdy limited. Obviously, all BMWs are kind of limited to 155, but if you took that off this car would do 178 miles an hour, honking 78 doors, 260 times on this approximately 4.8 seconds according to BMW, but some people have managed to get 3.9 seconds out of this car, obviously, with the MDC gearbox, the interior again super luxurious loads, a leather loads of buns here. So if the e46 was a massive leap over the 36 this compared to the 46, is you know it's a bit of a hop bit of a hop and a skip? I mean that's not considering that 4 liter v8 engine which pops out 414 brake horsepower I'm in love with this car.

Again we've got a big break upgrade on this car, so it does stop extremely well the way that this car picks up speed, and it just keeps on going boggles the mind from 60 to 100 miles an hour like that, and it doesn't feel that fast. Thank you very much Mike for lending us your car today for this epic, five generations m3 shoot. This is certainly a car. I will not forget, and then experience today that is etched on my memory. Turning is tight.

Steering is beautiful, feel some, and it's its so rapid, yeah, good job, BMW I just want to drive this round and round and round and round and round all day I mean Mike. The owners got a baby seat in the back, but that kind of tells you enough one car for all purposes. This is a seriously, seriously impressive car. It's just a shame. They don't make up with v8s anymore.

The v8 car is truly modern, refined, smooth and usable. It's the car for every occasion from shop hopping to freeway, destroying there's nothing that this thing can't do brilliantly. This includes drinking through fuel at an alarming rate of early team figures. It is, however, more clinical than the e46 and seems to have lost some of its no dams giving personality, but its engine will go down in m3 history as one of the best I've ever driven. Finally, it's the turn of the f80 m3, with its twin turbocharged, straight-6 and unapologetic power and performance.

This is the f80 generation of the m3. This is the newest m3, and it marks a significant step, a significant change from any other m3, that's been the reason twin-turbocharged. This is the first time the turbochargers have ever been used, but it definitely won't be the last. The power we're getting from this mighty engine is also pretty astonishing.425 brake horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque. That torque figure is interestingly 38% more than you got in the naturally aspirated v8.

The call that I just drove 38% the way that this car just goes through the gears is astonishing. I mean it's blinking, you're missing performance. Super superfast super agile. Now a lot of focus has been made to make this car as light as possible, which is why carbon-fiber has been used quite a lot. You'll find a carbon-fiber roof, driveshaft and also the engine strut is a carbon fiber just to make sure that the m3 is as light as possible and agile as possible.

It worked because yeah performance is let's say brisk. North 62 takes 4.1 seconds and top speed, limited, obviously to 155 miles an hour. I reckon you probably be good for around 195 miles powered you play them, it's a weapon, it's a weapon of mass awesomeness, but I thought the e92 is quick. Now it's got nothing on this, but the way that it just goes through the revs of the way that it just accelerates through the gears. It's astonishing I haven't driven one of these cars for a while.

Now, okay, so it shocked me how fast this is steering feel not as good as the e46 or e92 I will say: electric power steering rack in this. Obviously this car looks insane it. The performance is absolutely monumental, and it's easy to drive when you know the limitations of yourself, because if you push yourself too hard that the back end will kick out very quickly, just like the e92 we've got a DCT, gearbox, seven speeds and again beautiful shifts even faster than the 92. Obviously, because it's an updated version, super-quick, not many sales going to manual cars, obviously or in normal driving. The m3 is your friend, because it slips through its gears smoothly.

Cocoons you in leather and comfort, and keeps you safe but flick a few buttons to change your damper settings. Gearbox aggression and steering sharpness, and you've got an unhinged super saloon that will repeatedly try to con you and your family if you're not paying complete attention to the average driver, it's scary and unpredictable, but to be initiated. It's a beast that quickly teaches you not to take liberties with 55,000 pounds worth of metal. I love driving this thing, but you know with modern cars. I've said this time and time again they drive themselves.

You can be a bit of a buffoon and drive this fairly quickly. Obviously, what's with BS snap overseer, but if you're a reasonable driver, then you can get a lot of performance out this with the generation before you've really got to be on it. Each generation of BMW m3 represents a milestone from the e30 that introduced the world to a super coupe, a e36 injected, the m3 formula, with Auto barnstorming potential and refinements the e46 then came along added some serious gunpowder into the mix which was followed by the V 1892. That proved yes, you can have it all. Then downsizing reared its ugly head and brought the cylinder countdown back to 6, while the power and performance levels were thrown holy 11.

Yes, the m3 has evolved and yes, since filming I've bought my very own e36 m3. But for me the standout car was undoubtedly the e46. It didn't only raise the bar. It completely revolutionized the m3 game and used the aforementioned bar as a beating stick to smash the hell out of its competition.

Source : Car Throttle