The BMW M3 is that annoying friend who turned 40 on top of the world.
Milestone birthdays aren’t always a cause for celebration.
Sure, they can be a pleasant invitation to celebrate with friends, reflect on where you’ve come from, and look ahead to the future.
But if things aren’t so rosy, those big days might be an exercise in regret, cursing with frustration at mistakes or missed opportunities, and worrying about what lies over the horizon.
Luckily, the M3 is the first camp. There are no regrets.
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It still evokes a powerful combination of envy and admiration.
Fit as ever, the M3 looks sharp, is adored by many and reigns at the top of its class in business.
It’s even available with a five-door body that suits family duties of this life stage.
We celebrated the car’s 40th birthday with a party where it all began – on the track.
Originally devised as a “homologation special” for motorsport when manufacturers were required to race showroom-spec cars, the 1986 BMW M3 was an uncompromising race car for the road.
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Like all of us, the car has evolved through the years. It moved from four to six cylinders, then a V8, then back to an inline six boosted by twin turbochargers.
It has grown from two doors, to four and now five, offloading coupe and convertible duties to its M4 sibling while the M3 handles sedan and wagon duties.
The car shown here represents the ultimate expression of the M3 today.
Finished in bright Laguna Seca blue named after a famous Californian circuit, the M3 CS Touring has all-wheel-drive, an automatic transmission, five doors and heated seats.
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You could be forgiven for thinking it has grown soft in middle age.
But you would be wrong.
Powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo six with 405kW and 650Nm, this wagon can rocket to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 300km/h.
It sounds fabulous, with a soaring engine note punctuated by percussive thumps from quad exhaust tips on full-throttle gear changes.
We saw well over 270km/h on a tour of Mount Panorama with room to stop without breaking a sweat.
Huge calipers have no problem scrubbing speed at the end of Conrod Straight, and fat tyres offer immense traction out of slow bends, helped by the brand’s adaptive “X-Drive” traction system.
Electronic toys range from a simple lap timer to a high-tech M Drift Analyser that scores your skid based on its speed, duration and angle. In the right circumstances, of course.
There are traditional performance touches such as spoilers, bucket seats, staggered wheels and a flat-bottomed steering wheel trimmed in suede-like Alcantara.
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That thick wheel is a little thin on steering feel compared to a Porsche or Lotus, but compares well with luxury rivals from the likes of Audi and Porsche that haven’t quite nailed the brief in recent years.
Mercedes-AMG’s decision to transform the C63 into a four-cylinder hybrid was a mistake, and Audi’s RS4 Avant impressed until BMW bettered it in almost every way.
The regular M3 touring is one of the finest daily-driver cars on the road today. But this hardcore CS version with more power and less weight can frustrate at times, with a firm ride and a baffling lack of cupholders.
Claimed fuel use of 10.5L/100km will be beaten on the highway and doubled on the racetrack.
And some examples of the next M3 will not use any fuel at all.
Set to be unveiled later this year, the next-generation BMW M3 will be available with a choice of petrol or electric power. The petrol version should be something like the current model, perhaps with a little more power from mild hybrid assistance.
But the EV will be wildly different, rumoured to set new benchmarks with four electric motors delivering more than 1000 horsepower (745kW) and a new approach to handling dynamics.
It’s just around the corner, proving that there are plenty of great days to come for the M3.
BMW M3 CS Touring
PRICE: From $253,900 plus on-road costs
ENGINE: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo, 405kW and 650Nm
WARRANTY: 5-yr/unlimited km
THIRST: 10.5L/100km
BOOT: 500 litres
SPARE: Repair kit
