The M3 Competition retails at around £75,000, which is around £1,300 cheaper than its two-door M4 Competition stablemate. You'll need a little more (around £77,000) if you want the optional xDrive AWD system, which BMW expects around 80% of M3 customers to choose. Of course, as the M3 and M4 models are mechanically identical, it's only fair to see them priced so similarly, although historically, that hasn't stopped BMW pitching cars that are broadly similar under the skin at vastly different prices. M5 and M8 anyone? Nevertheless, around seventy five grand might seem quite a whack for a fast BMW 3 Series and some will ask whether this M3 is really worth all the extra over the quite extravagantly talented M340i xDrive model.
Of course, you get a lot for the asking figure, particularly inside where signature M details include red accents for the M buttons on the M leather steering wheel and the start/stop button on the centre console. The selector lever with-Drivelogic switch is leather surfaced with an embedded M logo and stitching in M colours. An anthracite-coloured BMW Individual headliner and interior trim strips in Carbon Fibre High-gloss are standard. Fine-grain Merino black leather trim is standard as are M sport seats, which are electrically adjustable and heated. These seats have pronounced side bolsters, integrated head restraints and an illuminated model badge.
A highlight of the options list is the new M Carbon bucket seats for the driver and front passenger, which include CFRP in their construction and save 9.6kg over the standard M sport seats. These can be specified on their own or within the M Carbon Package.