Sports cars are great for delivering driving fun, but their singular focus on driving thrills means that they’re often too impractical for daily use. These days, though there are sports cars that offer a broad breadth of capabilities, once you start filling up these cars with people and cargo, you start to realize that sports cars aren’t a one-car dream garage option for most people.
That’s where today’s performance car comes in, because not only is this practical for a family, but it’s also a benchmark in being the jack of all trades. You see, the jack of all trades is often the master of none, but what about a vehicle that is the master of being the jack of all trades? Makes sense? Well, while my ultimate dream car is a Porsche 911, the performance car for today’s article is my dream one-car garage solution.
Good Things Come In ‘M’ Threes
Front 3/4 shot of a 2025 BMW M3BMW
If you want a performance car so balanced that it can pretty much serve as a well-off household’s singular car, the 2026 BMW M3 is pretty much the perfect vehicle for the job. For the folks living in North America, the M3 is only available as a sedan. Elsewhere, like where I live, the M3 is available as a practical and good-looking wagon or Touring in BMW’s marketing speak.
The Right Performance Hardware
2026 BMW M3 engineBMW
The 2026 BMW M3 may be based on the 3 Series, but significant upgrades have been made to this vehicle that it now drives far more capably than the vehicle it is based on. For one, the vehicle itself is wider, as you’ll see with the blistered arches, and this is to accommodate the wider stance. The aggressive hood hides the S58, a significantly enhanced version of the B58 3.0-liter straight-six. Now featuring two turbos, along with forged components like the crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons, the S58 is a true race-bred engine that simply happens to be road and emissions legal.
2026 BMW M3 Specs
Engine
3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six
Transmission
6-speed M/T (M3)
8-speed A/T (M3 Competition models)
Layout
RWD, AWD
Horsepower
473 hp (M3)
503 hp (M3 Competition)
523 hp (M3 Competition xDrive)
Torque
406 lb-ft (M3)
479 lb-ft (M3 Competition models)
0-60 mph
4.1 sec. (M3)
3.8 sec. (M3 Competition)
3.4 sec. (M3 Competition xDrive)
Top Speed
155 mph
180 mph (with M Driver’s Package)
Base MSRP
$79,300
The S58 in the M3 has three versions. The standard M3 produces 473 horsepower, while the M3 Competition produces 503 horsepower. Opting for xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) in the M3 Competition adds another 20 horsepower. And in typical BMW fashion, the M3’s chassis can easily handle all the S58’s power output. There’s unique suspension tuning, adaptive dampers, and an extraordinary amount of additional chassis bracing. There are also specialized M Compound brakes or optional carbon ceramics if you have plans to track the M3 for multiple laps. The optional xDrive AWD can also disconnect the front axle for pure rear-wheel drive (RWD) thrills and drifting action if you even desire.
And Just The Right Practicality
2025 BMW M3 front seatsBMW
But of course, since this is based on the 3 Series, all of this sedan’s practicality pretty much carries over to the M3 as well. With seating for five, along with a decent-sized trunk, the M3 is perfect for a family of four, while the raised middle seat means that the third rear passenger won’t have the most comfortable experience. Okay for short journeys, but an interstate ride won’t be comfortable. The M3 is also a compact sedan, which means that maneuverability is just right, and it’s not intimidating for daily use. Here’s how the BMW M3 compares to a standard 3 Series, and perhaps even a Honda Civic, just for good measure.
Compact Sedan Interior Dimensions Comparison
BMW M3
BMW 3 Series
Honda Civic Sedan
Front headroom
40.6 in.
38.7 in.
39.3 in.
Front legroom
41.6 in.
42.0 in.
42.3 in.
Front shoulder room
56.0 in.
56.0 in.
57.0 in.
Rear headroom
37.8 in.
37.6 in.
37.1 in.
Rear legroom
35.6 in.
35.2 in.
37.4 in.
Rear shoulder room
54.6 in.
54.6 in.
56.0 in.
Trunk space
16.9 cu. ft.
16.9 cu. ft.
14.8 cu. ft.
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What An M3 Feels Like To Drive
Front 3/4 view of a 2024 BMW M3 Competition TouringIsaac Atienza
With the right performance hardware and the right practicality, the 2026 BMW M3 isn’t just a great all-rounder. Even in 2026, it continues to set the benchmark for driving dynamics among high-performance sports sedans. Thankfully, I’ve lived with an M3 Competition Touring xDrive as a press car, so here’s what you can expect from this wonderful machine.
Emotional Straight-Six, Well-Tuned Vehicle Systems
BMW
Indeed, the defining character of the M3 is its straight-six, which, at the time I drove the pre-facelift M3 Competition Touring, produced 503 horses. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, because how it delivers this power is linear and easy to manage, especially at the appropriate drive mode. It sounds amazing, too, though do note that from the inside, there’s a bit of piped-in engine noise through the speakers.
BMW M3 G80 interior viewBMW
Whereas drive modes often feel like a gimmick, the ones here in the M3 drastically alter the vehicle’s personality. For instance, the DSC can be adjusted to have full intervention, reduced intervention, or no intervention at all, letting you explore your limits as a driver. The engine’s power delivery and even the brake feel (it’s brake by wire, after all) can be adjusted, and yet even the brake feel is very natural. The steering, though a bit light for my liking, feels direct and precise. Thankfully, it does become heavier at the appropriate drive mode. Ditto the eight-speed auto, whose smooth shifts have adjustable shift speeds and can be tied to the various drive modes.
Fun Yet Compliant
Exterior views of Lexus IS500 and BMW M3 Competition.Garret Donahue
Once you’ve gotten past the BMW M3’s various driver aids to suit your driving style, you’ll start to realize that this is one of the few analog sports sedans you can still buy today. The grippy handling is too good to be fully exploited on a public road, but you don’t even have to break speed limits just to enjoy this vehicle. That’s because the M3 already feels great to drive even at around seven-tenths. Being able to tell the vehicle’s behavior through the chassis and the steering lets you attack a corner precisely as you intended, whilst easily adjusting to the ever-changing road conditions with confidence. And you know what? Its behavior jives with what you intend to do on a twisty road.
2025 BMW M3 rear driving shotBMW
And yet, even with all of its performance credentials, I adore the M3 for still being perfectly usable for daily drives. If you want peace and quiet, the M3 can settle into a place of calm. Though the aggressive tires deliver more tire roar than a standard 3 Series, the cabin remains largely hushed. In typical German car fashion, the chassis is rock solid and stable, quelling any vibrations that can upset the serenity of the M3. Yes, serenity indeed is possible in the M3, because even the adaptive dampers can slacken off to a point that it rides like an M340i or an M Sport 3 Series. Finally, this is also a reasonably efficient car. In my use case, the M3 Competition Touring xDrive did an average of 9.5 km/l or 22 MPG, which is excellent considering this vehicle’s performance caliber.
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What An M3 Offers In 2026
2025 BMW M3 front 3/4 shotBMW
The BMW M3 received a mid-cycle facelift in 2025, which, apart from the 20-horsepower boost for the M3 Competition with xDrive, brings incrementally enhanced design and features.
Same Same, But Different
2025 BMW M3 rear 3/4 shotBMW
Beginning with the 2025 model year, the BMW M3 received new LED headlights with vertical LED daytime running lights. The bucktooth grille remains, but personally, I’ve come to a point where the M3’s design is now considered striking, even if it’s not exactly beautiful. Elsewhere, the M3 continues to feature those widened wheel arches, the L-shaped LED taillights, and a subtle rear spoiler. New color choices and new staggered 19- and 20-inch silver wheels enhance the available customization options. You also have the choice between a sunroof and a carbon fiber roof (I know which option I’d rather pick).
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Even More Interior Options
2025 BMW M3 dashBMW
Following in the footsteps of the recent minor facelift for the 3 Series, the M3 received a slightly new dashboard design in the 2025 model year. There’s a new central panel that contains a fresh set of LED ambient lighting, along with redesigned air vents. This is also complemented by a new steering wheel design. Thankfully, the interior has an absence of gloss black surfaces, too. The M3 and thus, the 3 Series, continue to feature one of the most well-built BMW interiors in 2026, since the X3 and 5 Series have a notable decline in plushness or solidity.
2025 BMW M3 gear leverBMW
Various interior options are available, from blue or brown Merino Leather upholstery, brushed aluminum or carbon fiber trims, as well as M Carbon Bucket Seats that still retain their power adjustment. Unfortunately, if you want cooled front seats, they aren’t compatible with the optional carbon buckets. You can extend the leather all the way to the dash, while for those who want even more performance, the M Driver’s Package raises the top speed, as well as giving you a one-day class at the BMW Performance Center. Unfortunately, if you want the aforementioned adjustable DSC, the M Track mode, and the M Drift Analyzer, you’ll have to splurge for the M Drive Professional, which we think is well worth the $900 upcharge.
Sources: BMW