Wild Thing! Is BMW’s M3 Competition All its Cooked Up to Be?
Splendid Seats Struggle on the Long Run
Settling down to a regular pace on the national road a little later, I was impressed by how well M3 preserved what was left of the fuel in the tank after all our testing and a quite bonkers first stint of our morning trip. That also gave us a little time to further consider its delectable and comfortable, yet awesome and aggressive cabin.
Firstly, the seats. Despite my 220 lb-plus frame I was comfortable, properly bolstered and secure in the car. In fact, I’d go as far as to say they make you feel like you’re wearing the car. Which I love. But one does become a little fatigued by them in the long run. And I needed to stop earlier that I may normally have for a little coffee break. Also, while the low seat position is great, the side mirrors create a blind spot when you get too low in the car.
BMW’s head-up display with M-specific graphics is a treat and I liked the conventional analogue-like digital instrument display. I think the M version is a bit of a failure though. It’s unnatural and confusing. Why not just switch it to a pure racecar-like dash? Then I’d really be impressed. Of course, BMW’s Live Cockpit Professional infotainment with its cloud-based sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is superb, the tri-zone climate control ever pleasant and it packs the literal kitchen sink, too.
The Elephant in the Room!
All of which leads us to the elephant in the room. Those looks. Someone said they once met a woman who had two vaginas. Whether this design is a tribute to that, or just good old disruptive marketing, we’ll never know. But it certainly is offensive! It also split our team’s opinion — some say it’s horrible, others love it. And then there are those who were just far more pleased with it in the flesh. Whichever it is for you, this cars’ face has made headlines. And as they say, any news is good news, no?
That mutant grille (that’s my personal view) is complimented by an equally aggressive front bumper, super-bright full-LED laser headlights, a more muscular bonnet, wider front wings and vented sills. Add double-mounted wing mirrors, a boot-mounted spoiler tab and a reworked rear bumper. Above a multi-channel diffuser and the default and now also quite grotesque BMW M quad tailpipes.
Whatever it looks like, all in all, I was enthralled by the new BMW M3 Competition. By its under the skin sophistication and its ballsy big performance. True, I was initially surprised learn that this one was actually rear wheel driven after all, thanks to some vague early propaganda. But that’s what made it for me in the end. In our market, we don’t get the manual regular 470 HP M3. If I could, I’d take this full cream Competition in manual. But this is a damn decent compromise.
But That’s What Turns Us on!
What remains, is to now also drive the all-wheel drive M4 xDrive. I imagine that will be a very different, more precise and easier to drive car. And you can still switch off its front axle anyway. All of which renders this car quite unique. A bit like a live and bounding dinosaur. And if like me, that turns you in, then it matters not how much sharper the AWD one is. This is the one for us!
ROAD TESTED: BMW M3 Competition Engine: 503 HP 479 lb-ft 3-litre turbo petrol I6 Drive: 8-speed automatic RWD TESTED: 0-40 mph: 2.22 sec 0-60 mph: 3.72 sec 0-75 mph: 4.98 sec 0-100 mph: 7.85 sec ¼-mile: 11.6 sec @ 120 mph 40-75 mph: 2.39 sec 75-100 mph: 3.27 sec CLAIMED: VMax: 180 mph Fuel: 29.4 mpg LIST PRICE: $72,800 RATED: 10
Images: Michele Lupini