Review of the new BMW M3 Coupe Edition

By any reasonable measure, BMW's M3 is a very special motorcar. The flagship performance version of the Munich firm's ever-popular 3 Series, the M3 has come to stand for capability, history and class. It isn't, in other words, the kind of car that would necessarily benefit from a package of racy styling tweaks. A supermini or family hatch might be enhanced by some oversize alloys and a few spoilers but messing with an M3 in a similar fashion would be inadvisable. It's far better to leave any makeover work to the experts. Do that and the result should be far more sympathetic, similar to the M3 Coupe Edition model perhaps.

The visual differences between an M3 and one of the more powerful 3-Series models in M-Sport trim don't sound that huge on paper but you know when you're looking at an M3. The bonnet bulges, the quartet of exhausts, the road-hugging stance. It's all doing its best to hint at the car's potency. It isn't subtle but it's about as subtle as a compact coupe with 420bhp can be in all good conscience. The M3 Coupe Edition model amounts to a special edition version that sets out to embolden these looks but in a way that avoids going over the top.

The V8 engine plumbed beneath the bulging bonnet of the M3 had a lot of commentators a little worried at first. The balance of the six-cylinder E46 model was so exquisite that the prospect of a big four-litre 'bent-eight' shoehorned into the svelte 3 Series shell smacked of an almost Mercedes-like obsession for power at any cost. Seems we needn't have worried. BMW assures us that the weight of the V8 is, at 202kg, a full 15kg lighter than the old 'six'. BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and an electronically-limited top end of 155mph although it is said to nudge 180mph with the software nanny shackled. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard with a seven-speed SMG sequential box available as an option. With a stiffer body, carbon-fibre reinforced plastic roof and an even more aggressive version of the legendary M-diff hydraulic centre differential, the M3 isn't just all about that astonishing engine.

"The M3 remains one of the World's premier performance coupes"

The aural signature from this engine is like no other road car powerplant. To sit beside Germany's Nurburgring race track and hear development cars screaming past was otherworldly. Every single time the engine note came bouncing off the Eschbach trees, it sounded as if a sawmill had just cranked into operation somewhere in the valley. The cause is the induction system which features an oscillating tube fed by eight lightweight intake funnels. Add a fruity exhaust blare and you have a car that will swivel heads from a long way out.

There are four exterior paint colours available with the M3 Coupe Edition and once customers have made their choice between Alpine White, Black, Dakar Yellow and Monte Carlo Blue metallic, they can select from a variety of colour-coded leather interiors. In addition, all of the Coupe Edition cars feature 19" alloy wheels that can be ordered either in standard sliver or with a striking black gloss finish. Around the bodywork, the grille, side vents, bonnet vents and exhausts are finished in black chrome while the wing mirrors are coloured black. Completing the Coupe Edition's more aggressive look is a ride height that's 10mm lower than on the standard M3.

A Coupe bodystyle isn't always strong on practicality but the three-door M3 is better than you might expect when asked to do more than go indecently fast. The rear seats are usable by adults even if headroom is somewhat pinched and there's a respectable boot tagging along behind. Built quality is strong and the upgraded materials used on this Coupe Edition model do much to raise the tone.

Buyers interested in the M3 Coupe Edition have only six months to get their order in. These special versions of the M3 are only being produced in this limited time frame to preserve their exclusivity. Only the Coupe bodystyle is being offered but customers have the option of choosing the M Double Clutch Gearbox with its paddle shifters in place of the standard manual unit.

Expect to average not much more than 20mpg in normal motoring. Plus you'll be hit hard in the wallet by your insurance broker (expect a group 20 classification). Some compensation however, should come with low depreciation - particularly for this special edition model that's likely to prove popular with M3 enthusiasts and collectors.

Some cars lend themselves to a spot of aftermarket tweakery but the M3 from BMW is best left as the manufacturer intended. That's not to say that buyers seeking an M3 with added aggression and a smidgeon more road presence than the standard car are out of luck. The M3 Coupe Edition is a limited run model with comprehensive styling enhancements carried out with typical BMW aplomb.

The M3 remains one of the World's premier performance coupes with its phenomenal V8 engine and beautifully balanced handling package. Despite its hardcore edge, it can still deliver levels of comfort and refinement that make it perfectly usable as an everyday car. Running costs will be significant but it's hard to imagine ownership being anything short of hugely rewarding.

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