Insurance Group: 44
MPG: 24.6
CO2: 269
0-62 Mph: 5.1 secs
BHP: 420 BHP
Range: 341 miles
The M3 leaves nothing out of the cabin either and comes equipped with almost everything you could want including satellite navigation as standard, although Bluetooth is extra. Unfortunately both the purchase price and running costs are high.
PROS: A huge engine with great power and handling this car has the performance credentials to match its appearance.
CONS: Enormously expensive to buy and equally so to run. The M3 eats through fuel and the suspension is a little uncomfortable too. The coupe M3 is a sharper drive.
The handling in the 3 Series M3 is fantastic, offering controlled and stable driveability thanks to strong breaks and the balanced rear-wheel-drive chassis, which makes easy work of winding B-roads. The metal roof option also means visibility over the shoulder is much better than in a soft-top.
The M3 engine is incredibly powerful, with a great exhaust sound that adds to the style of the car. Apart from this the engine operates smoothly and the cabin is well insulated from external noise. The car responds almost instantly in any gear.
The M3 has a 204 bhp engine delivering 295 lb-ft of torque at 3900rpm and reaches 0-62 mph in 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.
The 3 Series has all the sleekness you would expect from BMW and although it doesn’t quite match the Audi A4 in terms of glamour, it’s not far off. The M3 is a smarter version of the other 3 Series models with loads of equipment and sporty good looks.
The 3 Series convertibles have lots of room in the driving seat, with good adjustment on the seat and steering wheel. The iDrive system is much easier to get to grips with than before as all the controls are angled towards the driver.
BMW’s metal convertible roof (rather than a soft-top) works nicely to keep the sound out when it up and even when the roof is down, the noise in the front seats is still softened.
The Sport Plus convertible comes with leather seats, metallic paint, power steering, stability control, cruise control, climate control, alloy wheels, stereo, MP3 connectivity, rear parking sensors and satellite navigation as standard, with optional extras including Bluetooth for £315.
Having achieved the top five star rating in the NCAP crash tests for overall safety, this car comes with a great number of security features such as a fitted alarm and six airbags. This helps to offer owners all-round protection with the standard warranty and strong reliability record of BMW giving buyers peace of mind over their purchase.
The convertible has loads of space in the front but the rear seat room does suffer thanks to the roof. The boot is smaller than other 3 Series models but folding the rear seats will expand this and a hatch for storing items such as golf clubs and skis is available, making it ideal for its intended use.
The 3 Series benefits from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology, but the M3 will still be a way off the economy of other cars in the range. Whereas the saloons in the 3 Series will make great company cars, the tax on the M3, as well as insurance, is sky high. The M3 model costs £61,430 and has a combined economy of 24.8 mpg with CO2 emission rate of 269 g/km.
A BMW is a good car to invest in due to the assured quality and service and the 3 Series currently has very good resale values - the M3 convertible particularly so.
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