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2025 BMW M3: Sixth-generation performance car gains power, poise, and ferocity

BMW once again jacks up the performance of the M3 Sedans

2025 BMW M3 Competition (European model) front view on a country road.
BMW / BMW

Welcome to the sixth-generation BMW M3 sedans.

If you thought BMW M3 Sedans were already wild and crazy enough for drivers committed to wringing the most from production performance cars, you might want to sit down before you read further. The new M3s will be here this summer, and, in BMW’s own words, “The BMW M3 has sharpened its already impressive skills in a host of areas.”

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If that message isn’t sufficiently clear, BMW’s promise that the 2025 BMW M3 Competition Sedan with M drive has “more ferocious, sustained power delivery that adds another layer of intensity” is perhaps more to the point.

Why the fuss about BMW M3 sedans?

2025 BMW M3 Competition (European model) right front three-quarter view.
BMW / BMW

A quick bit of already shortened M3 history: BMW wanted to enter a high-performance sedan in Group A racing but could only do so if they sold 5,000 street-legal versions in 12 months. The 200-horsepower 1986 BMW M3 sedan was a hit with customers and a winner in touring car races. A fan favorite because an owner can swap tires on the family car and race it successfully on the track on weekends, BMW has continued to beef up the M3’s performance ever since.

The sixth-generation M3 Sedans once again prove that BMW engineers will never say, “That’s fast enough!”

New with the 2025 BMW M3 series

2025 BMW M3 Competition (European model) front seat interior view of seating and dashboard.
BMW / BMW

All M3 models have 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engines with M TwinPower Turbo. The 2025 M3 engine produces 473 horsepower and has a 6-speed manual transmission. The M3 Competition pumps out 503 hp and uses an 8-speed Steptronic transmission.

The leader of the pack, the M3 Competition with M xDrive, produces 523 hp, 20hp more than the M3 Competition, making the best advantage of the car’s engine management system. This configuration also cranks out 479 lb-ft of torque from 2,750 to 5,730 rpm, an extremely wide full powerband for a street car. The top-spec engine, which shares roots with the M4 GT3 race car, can rocket from zero-to-60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

Other upgrades for the new generation include new LED headlights, a curved display, and freshened interior and exterior details. The biggest deal, however, is the new level of ferocity with the 2025 M3 Competition with M xDrive.

In July, BMW begins production of the 2025 M3 Sedans with all variants shipping worldwide. The starting prices, including destination and handling fees, are:

2025 BMW M3, $77,175
2025 BMW M3 Competition, $81,375
2025 BMW M3 Competition with M xDrive, $86,475

2025 BMW M3 Competition (European model) rear view on a country road.
BMW / BMW
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Bruce Brown
A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…
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