Who says a sports car can’t have four doors? Moreover, who says your daily driver can’t stir your emotions and make your blood pump? Before you get unnecessarily heated and pound on your keyboard, rest easy in the knowledge that those questions, while debate-provoking, are rhetorical. As it turns out, some cars can do both. And one car has a history of doing both better than just about anything else on four wheels: the BMW M3.
Granted, the 2026 BMW M3, part of the G80 generation, wears the controversial buck-tooth fascia that divides fans and critics. However, the latest G80 M3 lives up to its M car moniker in just about every respect. Is it sporty? Yes. Fast? You bet. And can you live with it on a daily basis? Absolutely. In fact, the M3 might be one of the best sports sedans on the market, even with competition like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 in the conversation. And if two doors are a vital part of your everyday sports car formula, the M3’s coupe sibling, the M4, can handle things without the extra entries.
The 2026 BMW M3 Can Do It All
For 2026, the BMW M3 is available in three flavors: the “base” M3, the M3 Competition, and the all-wheel drive, range-topping M3 Competition xDrive. Regardless of which one you go for, the M3 has a couple of constants. They’re all four-door sedans with a usable trunk, and they’re luxuriously appointed inside. To the uninitiated, it looks like another BMW sedan. Perhaps a more aggressive BMW sedan, but a four-door product of the beloved Bavarian automaker, nonetheless. Of course, to those who know, drive one, or take a ride in one, the truth is far from a soulless, family-hauling sedan. As it has been in the years past, the BMW M3 is a gunship in a dress uniform. A heavyweight boxer in a three-piece suit. In short, it’s quite simply one of the best do-it-all sports sedans ever made.
Supercar Numbers With Space For The Family
Let’s start where all talk of performance cars should: with the beating heart. Every member of the 2026 BMW M3 lineup is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. However, depending on the spec, horsepower and torque figures vary greatly. We wouldn’t call the lower-trim M3 a “base” or “entry-level” offering, but it is the least powerful of the bunch at 473 horsepower. In its defense (not that it needs much of a defense), the standard M3 is the only one of the three BMW super sedans to offer a six-speed manual transmission.
Opting for the Competition or Competition xDrive bumps output up to 503 and 523 horsepower, respectively. However, going that route means bidding Auf Wiedersehen to the manual in favor of an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Either way, the explosive sports sedan has space for the family, the groceries, and likely whatever else you might need. With nearly 17 cubic feet of trunk space, the M3 has a much roomier boot than segment rivals like the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and the Mercedes-AMG C 63. It’s certainly more than enough space for a weekend away or a generous haul of groceries.
No Touring Spec For Us Americans
So the 2026 BMW M3 can handle your everyday needs and your track day shenanigans. That’s good news. Now for some bad news. BMW made a wagon variant of the G80 M3, but you can’t have one. The BMW M3 Touring, with its cavernous cargo volume, is available to customers in Europe, Australia, and Japan. Americans? Not so much. BMW M head Frank van Meel said the decision to skip the G81 BMW M3 Touring for the American market was “the logical decision to make at the time.” You can, however, get your mitts on a wagon-ized version of the BMW M5. Fold those rear seats down, and the M5 Touring will swallow up 67 cubic feet of whatever you need. Unfortunately, the big-grille M3 goes without a wagon option, though.
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Legendary Performance
The BMW M3 has employed a formula over its four decades of development. Take the 3 Series’ footprint and add firepower. What started as a homologation for a DTM car became one of the most beloved luxury sports sedans ever. Over the years, the M3 got bigger, heavier, and more powerful. But that doesn’t stop the 2026 BMW M3 from living up to the legacy.
2026 BMW M3 Competition xDrive Specs
|
Engine |
Twin-Turbocharged 3.0-Liter I6 |
|
Transmission |
8-Speed Automatic |
|
Horsepower, Torque |
523 HP At 6,250 RPM, 479 LB-FT At 2,750 RPM |
|
0-60 MPH |
2.8 Seconds |
|
Quarter Mile |
11.0 Seconds at 124 MPH |
To get as close as possible to the M3’s old-school formula, the entry-level trim offers rear-wheel drive and a smooth-shifting six-speed manual transmission. In that spec, the M3 will rocket from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Add the extra horsepower and all-wheel drive grip, and the M3 Competition xDrive will hit 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. That’s supercar territory in a 4,000-pound four-door sports sedan.
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Blurred Lines
Within the G80 BMW M3’s doors, things are apropos of an executive luxury sedan. Leather and microsuede adorn the M3’s surfaces, including the aggressively bolstered front seats. And what modern M car would be complete without gratuitous additions of carbon fiber? The lightweight material stretches from one side of the cabin to the other, reminding passengers that they’re settled into the brand’s resident luxury sports sedan. In short, the BMW M3 will waft you around in comfort. Take it to the track, though, and the M3 will shed its road manners in favor of much smokier, sideways driving action.
2026 BMW M3 Pricing
|
2026 BMW M3 |
$79,300 |
|
2026 BMW M3 Competition |
$83,500 |
|
2026 BMW M3 Competition xDrive |
$88,600 |
The entry-level M3 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, the time-honored recipe for M car antics. Paired with an adjustable brake pedal, adaptive dampers, and optional carbon ceramic brakes, even the lower-trim M3 will cling to corners and clip apexes with the best of them. On the other hand, the heavier all-wheel-drive M3 Competition xDrive gets the added benefit of 523 horsepower and four-wheel grip. But as soon as you’re done eating through your tire budget, you can drive home in executive sports sedan comfort.
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So, Should You Buy One?
Car enthusiasts often engage one another in debates over single-car garages. The old, “if you had to have just one car” conversations. Well, the BMW M3 is a single-car solution. With seating for up to five and segment-leading cargo volume, the M3 is a capable daily driver. Add in explosive acceleration and track-day aptitude, and BMW’s tenured super sedan is something of a Swiss Army Knife in the luxury car market. That said, there are concessions.
For starters, the G80 M3’s looks are, well, divisive. However, getting the sports sedan in a darker color can break up the look of the double big kidney grille. What’s more, you can’t have the all-wheel drive, 523-horsepower M3 Competition xDrive with a manual transmission. And, unlike the 3 Series of yesteryear, the four-door sedan is the only option. Want a two-door coupe or convertible? You’ll have to go for the M4 instead.
Sources: BMW, Edmunds