Over the years, BMW M has put out several sort of ultimate-spec M3s, versions of the BMW M3 that were lighter, sharper, and more exciting to drive. All of them are revered by BMW enthusiasts and all of them are incredibly desirable. So imagine bringing them all together, on one day, on one track, for a bit of fun. That’s exactly what Carfection’s Henry Catchpole had the chance to do.
Admittedly, this test isn’t very new, Carfection did it awhile back. However, they’ve just released a longer, more uncut version of the video, giving us more M3-goodness. And it’s proper jealousy-inducing stuff.
In this video, you’ll see the E30 BMW M3 Sport Evo , the E36 M3 GT, E46 M3 CSL, the E92 M3 GTS, and lastly the F80 M3 CS. All of which are sensational driver’s cars, with their own unique characteristics. But which one is best?
That’s sort of an impossible question to answer, isn’t it? The E30 M3 Sport Evo is the original and the only one to be a genuine homologated race car for the road. The E36 M3 GT is a gorgeous, incredibly rare M3-special but it lacks the sort of driving thrills of the E30. Of course, the E46 M3 CSL is legendary but it isn’t exactly perfect. When the E92 M3 GTS debuted, fans thought it was just a parts-bin special but it feels far more exciting than that. Lastly, the F80 M3 CS felt like an entirely different animal than the standard F80 M3 and was what the standard car should have been from the beginning.
All five cars are excellent and are pieces of BMW M’s history. But some are certainly better than others and it’s incredibly interesting to see the differences between them. I don’t know if I could honestly pick a favorite. Can you?
