Over the years, tweaks to the BMW’s chassis and drivetrain calibration helped, but it wasn’t until the M3 Competition version arrived that the F80 M3’s potential was finally realised.

A handbuilt in-line four or a CSL’s straight-six it might not be, but it’s streets ahead of the F80 M3’s power plant, both in terms of reponse and overall performance. It’s the reach of t ...

So far, there have been six BMW M3 generations, starting with the homologation special E30 in 1989 and its 2.3-liter inline-four engine. The second-gen E36 BMW M3 models followed in 1995 with the ...