BMW 3 Series M3 4dr Car Review - March 2012

The handling in the M3 is fantastic, offering controlled and stable driveability thanks to strong brakes and the balanced rear-wheel-drive chassis. The manual gearshift needs to be operated with a deft touch or else it can be a bit clunky, particularly at low speeds.

The M3 engine is very quick, powerful, smooth and quiet, with the cabin insulated from outside sounds, although there is a little wind noise at high speeds.

The M3 has a 420 bhp engine delivering 295 lb-ft of torque at 3900 rpm, and reaches 0-62 mph in 4.9 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The M3 is a fantastic looking car. It doesn't look all that different from standard cars in the 3 Series range but a number of badges down the car's flanks give the game away. You'll get a respectful nod and begrudging respect from petrolheads.

The M3 comes with leather seats, metallic paint, power steering, stability control, cruise control, climate control, rear parking sensors, satellite navigation, alloy wheels, MP3 connectivity and stereo as standard, with optional extras including Bluetooth for £315.

BMW has a great track record when it comes to reliability. Safety is top rate too with standard equipment including six airbags, dynamic stability control, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control and dynamic traction control.

Despite the supercar performance, the M3 can easily function as a family car, with plenty of space in the front and back seats. The boot is sizable too with 450 litres of space on offer and the option to take down the split-folding rear seats to extend this.

The car also comes with BMW's 'Efficient Dynamics' technology and this utilises a number of functions to give drivers high levels of efficiency and low running costs. This makes the car practical, safe and reliable and the Active Security Package (with lane change and lane departure-warning systems) is available as an additional option to enhance these credentials.

The M3 costs £53,220 which is expensive for a BMW. However, as it offers supercar-like levels of performance, it could be argued that it is incredible value for money. With a combined fuel economy figure of 22.8 mpg and CO2 emissions of 290g/km, it will not be cheap to run. The fuel efficiency is also a bit optimistic and if you drive it quickly, you won't get anything near that.

Overall, this is a supercar for those who love speed and power combined with practicality but it is not the best option those looking to save money on running costs. The car also comes with loads of equipment – but not that much more than the M Sport trim - and this means you are paying for the engine power and handling, as well as the looks and space that are on offer. As a well known brand, BMW is a wise investment and the 3 Series currently has very good resale values.