A2

Justin Pritchard
Pacenews

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A BMW 3-Series can be a sensible and level-headed car- until engineers cram the engine bay with a rev-happy 414 horsepower V8 and install all the racecar hardware to go with it.

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That constitutes the latest version of BMW's performance tuned M3. It's sold in coupe, sedan or convertible variants, so there are numerous ways to justify it to your significant other.

M3's designers have clad this tuned-up 3-Series coupe with a carbon fibre roof, big wheels, air-dams and a bulging, vented hood that's there for a reason. The rear terminates with the M3's signature centre-mounted quad-pipe exhausts that call to mind artillery cannons hanging from an assault chopper.

The package is easily identified as an M3, but the look bears the same discreet elegance the rest of the 3-Series lineup is known for.

Same thing goes inside- with even more subtle upgrades setting apart the cabin. The steering wheel is stitched in red and blue- the colors of BMW's "M" division. There's a checkered leather appliqué running the length of the dashboard for a bit of flare, too.

Forget flashy colors or chrome dress up in here- as a focused and simple approach is favored. You almost wouldn't expect features like navigation, a high-tech i-Drive controller and amusing motorized levers that hand you your seatbelt once you're comfortably seated.

There's a magnificent stereo as well, though I've got no idea what it sounds like.

Built at the same facility as BMW's F1 engines, the four liter V8 delivers output smoothly over the course of about 8200 RPM. It's quiet during gentle cruising, and it's got a dirty sounding idle note that turns heads. Thanks to variable timing, this engine is very flexible and smooth- even in high load, low-rev situations.

Gentle acceleration sees a hint of V8 sound effects entering the cabin, though it's the high revs where this powerplant really sings. The boss says we can't use foul language, but it suffices to say that the sound of the M3's V8 engine revving hard to 8000 plus is fundamentally awesome.

The M3's new paddle-shifted dual-clutch gearbox keeps the next or previous gear cog just milliseconds away from the driver's fingertips. Set the shift-speed selector into its fastest setting, and downshifts call up throttle blips that elicit guttural, pit-of-the-stomach laughter from occupants. It's like summoning a thunder-clap with a simple click.

Gearing up at full throttle sees the car lurch forwards when the gears shift- rather than briefly losing momentum like most transmissions. Full out, the DSG transmission works fast enough to light the tires up into second gear, and chirp them into third. The sensation is absolutely unbelievable and leaves most passengers reeling. Well worth the $3,900 asking price for novelty alone.

Acceleration is fierce- though the M3 is less a torque monster and more like a four-wheeled street-bike. The screaming engine augmented by the forward-lurching gearshifts and F1 style shift lights add up to a performance of totally unparalleled magnitude.

Of course, handling and brakes are engineered to match the power. Massive vented rotors in front and back provide devastating and fade-free stopping power, and the handling will slice any imaginable corner into bits. A stability control system keeps things in check as drivers explore the M3's limits, and the suspension can be tuned from comfortable to track-ready at the press of a button.

M3 allows drivers to assign various settings to the steering wheel mounted "M" button- adjusting things like steering feel, suspension damping, throttle sensitivity and gearshift speed to their liking.

It's the proverbial big red button with the 'do not push' warning- though it toggles the M3 from a relaxing, auto-shifting coupe into an all-out factory racer in a fraction of a second. M3 will masterfully lap a circuit all day long, but it's also comfortable enough to drive your Grandma to church in on Sunday.

Complaints are few and far between. At the end of the day, that BMW's mainly taken the performance car compromise factor and hurled it out the window. As long as there's one in your driveway, it's like Christmas morning every day.