New BMW M3 is now AWD only.
The BMW M3 Competition has received multiple performance and tech upgrades, along with a mid-cycle design update.
- BMW M3 gets an ECU remap
- Does 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds
- Comes with a 14.9-inch curved infotainment display
BMW M3 now available in Competition spec only
The new M3 is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six as before (codenamed B58). The Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance rival, as part of the update, receives a 20hp power boost from an ECU remap, so it now produces 530hp and 650Nm of torque.
Because the M3 is now exclusively four-wheel-drive, the Competition variant is now the only one available. However, the system is predominantly rear-biased and can send all of its power to the rear wheels if the stability control is disabled.
Peak power is delivered at higher revs than it was before, at 6,250rpm, compared with the old car’s 5,600rpm. Peak torque is also sustained for longer in the rev range, maxing out at 5,730rpm versus 5,500rpm. Both of these performance tweaks provide more aggressive and sustained power delivery and have been designed to optimise performance on a track.
The M3’s 0-100kph time is 0.4sec faster than before, at 3.5sec, and its top speed is limited to 250kph. Customers can option an M Driver’s package that increases the top speed to 290kph for the sedan or 280kph for the M3 Touring estate. Both, the sedan and estate variants are also 0.5 seconds quicker to perform the 0-200kph sprint, taking 11.8 seconds and 12.4 seconds, respectively.
BMW M3: what else is new?
Outside, the new M3 features a range of subtle styling revisions, including new arrow-shaped LED headlight designs, new alloy wheel designs split into 19-inch sets at the front and 20-inch sets at the rear, new colours for the wheels themselves, and redesigned M3 badging.
Revisions inside are more extensive. Included is the introduction of BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment system, as in the standard new 3 Series. This introduces a widget bar that can be customised with the driver’s favourite functions, as well as augmented reality for the sat-nav, 5G connectivity and a streamlined system to connect the car with the MyBMW app.
All models come with a 14.9-inch curved infotainment display beside a 12.3-inch instrumentation display, with graphics specific to M cars. Additionally, there’s a new flat-bottomed steering wheel from the 5 Series and 7 Series available in leather and – for the first time – Alcantara, as well as new aluminium trim pieces that now come as standard when they were an option before. The M3 Touring has the same boot capacity as before, at 500 litres when the rear seats are in place, and 1,510 litres with them folded down.
The new M3 is set to go in series production in July this year. Expect more details about the updated car and its India launch timeline sometime later in the year.
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