BMW M3 (2007 - 2013, E92) review: an 8400rpm V8 coupe for under £20k
The E92 BMW M3 is a bargain with an all-time-great V8 – and much more besides
After two generations of straight-six-powered M3s, in 2007 BMW turned to a V8 to enable its new E92 coupe (and saloon-bodied E90 sister car) to join the arms race with Mercedes‑AMG, Audi and Lexus.
Taking the E60 M5’s extravagant S85 V10 engine as a base, two cylinders were removed to create the S65, a 4-litre, naturally aspirated V8. This meant that, as with the V10, this V8 wasn’t underpinned by a unit found in BMW’s ordinary line-up, but was instead a pure M creation. And it showed: the result was one of the great naturally aspirated V8s.
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Unlike most rival V8s, the S65 utilised individual throttle bodies for class-leading response (and induction noise), while the screaming 8400rpm red line was also the best in its class. Outputs of 414bhp and 295lb ft put it some way behind the likes of Mercedes-AMG’s W204 C63 on paper, but the way it delivered its power ensured it was a force to be reckoned with. A six-speed manual gearbox was standard, while a costly seven-speed dual-clutch auto was a popular option – and a vast improvement over the single-clutch SMG offering on the previous M3.
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Single-piston front brakes and a slight lack of steering feel gave the E92 room for improvement, but the huge jump in outright pace over its E46 predecessor was hard to ignore, while undeniable dynamic polish ensured it was more than a one-trick pony. The Competition version that arrived in 2010 took things one step further with a 10mm drop in ride height, an increase in chassis focus, the fitment of Electronic Damper Control as standard for variable damping rates and a fetching set of CSL-style wheels.
What to look out for
Browsing online forums could have you believe the E92 M3 is a ticking time bomb, but the horror stories of failing connecting rod bearings needn’t become reality if the car is well cared for. Tight tolerances in the S65 engine mean proper warming procedures and regular oil changes are a must. However, if you’re unsure of the history of the car and/or the condition of the rod bearings, the only surefire way to avoid problems is to replace them, usually to the tune of £1500-3000 – hence why you’ll see some classified ads proudly proclaiming ‘rod bearings done’. This issue aside, the main concerns with the E92 are the same as you’ll encounter with most M cars of its era, from minor oil leaks to issues with the VANOS and throttle actuators.
What to pay
The E92’s clean aesthetic has helped it age particularly well, so it’s easy to forget that the earliest examples are now 17 years old. This, and a plentiful supply (you’ll find around five times more E92 coupes than E90 saloons in the classifieds) help explain why you can now pick up an early, non-cat, 100,000-mile car for as little as £13,000. More tempting examples on around 50,000 miles can fetch around twice that figure, while the very best, with BMW Individual paint colours and in Competition spec, will set you back between £30,000 and £40,000.
What we said
'We could spend countless pages discussing the merits and pitfalls of the journey from E30 to E92 M3, but whatever your viewpoint there’s something undeniably awesome about the 21-year progression from delicate 2-litre, four-cylinder, 200bhp road-racer to 4-litre, eight-cylinder, 414bhp monster. Few models have gone through such a total transformation, yet the M3 badge’s power to provoke fevered pre-launch speculation and post-launch scrutiny remains as strong as ever.
When ‘our’ car appears I have to confess to being mildly underwhelmed, for as we saw from early pictures, the new M3 isn’t as pumped as the car it replaces. There’s still something about it though, a discreet but tangible potency that makes you look twice. And this fitted with standard 18in alloys rather than the optional 19in rims that will doubtless become the default choice with customers, as they were with the E46. Subtle or not, it still has presence.
The most obvious visual identifier is the so-called ‘powerdome’ – required to make room for the new V8 – with its accompanying intakes that help the new engine breathe (although one of the intakes appears to be a dummy). Add the aggressive intakes on the nose, the unpainted carbonfibre roof and the four exhausts jutting from the rear and there’s no mistaking M Division’s latest product for a lesser model.
After all that, it’s a relief to start the engine. Bizarrely the 3999cc V8 settles into a dry and slightly busy idle that’s spookily reminiscent of the old 3.2-litre straight-six, and it continues to sound like the old six when you’re shuffling through traffic, but the illusion lasts as long as it takes you to depress the throttle a little further, at which point it emits a more guttural rumble and pulls with early, muscular insistence.
A few empty stretches of motorway present themselves before our junction, and though prudence prevents me from probing for the 155mph limiter, the way the M3 hammers up to 135mph is more than enough to convince me that, were it freed from its invisible shackles, this 3-series would seriously spoil a 911 driver’s day on the autobahn. The way the brakes begin to grumble during heavy braking is less impressive, but they work well enough.
The mountains beckon, and as we peel off the motorway the shift from fast sweeps to tight twists is my prompt to thumb the M Drive button. The transformation is less marked than working your way through a Ferrari F430 or 599’s manettino settings, but the combined effects of tensing the dampers, loosening the DSC, sharpening the throttle and reducing the steering assistance is tangible and satisfying.
For the first few turns the M3 feels woolly and wayward. Something’s not right, but it only takes another corner to conclude it’s the road not the car. Polished to a high sheen and covered with dust, the surface feels like ice, and while it’s fun to feel the car slither and slide almost in slow motion, it’s a relief when the Michelin Pilot Sports (made to BMW’s own specification) find some fresh, grippy and super-smooth EU-funded tarmac.
There’s still a softness to the M3’s initial steering response. It’s not understeer – although BMW says it has set the car up to do so very slightly at the limit – rather it’s a lack of feel for the first degree or so of lock. It’s similar to the E46 M3 in this respect, and though a more intimate sense of connection with the front wheels would be welcome during that crucial initial phase, there is feel and grip to be found once you get the nose loaded and a little more steering angle applied. It takes faith to find it, but once there the M3 is clearly more talkative.
On the positive side, there’s little body roll and the chassis’ balance is pleasingly neutral, with plenty of front-end grip to lean on as you begin to feed-in the abundant power of the high-revving V8. Fitted with an M differential, the M3 digs hard for traction, although it’s easy to awaken the stability control even in its most relaxed mode. Fortunately when you disengage the system the M3 remains intuitive and easily steered on the throttle.
One big improvement is the eradication of the infamous M3 fidget, which would often have you bouncing gently in your seat as the car seemed to get out of phase with the road surface. The last-and-best M3 CS was largely cured of this problem, but the E92 is more convincing still, although it should be said that all the test cars came with optional EDC (Electronic Damper Control) suspension – a £1295 option. Once again the specific nature of the test route’s roads make a definitive judgement impossible to call, but all indications are that body control is far better without any penalty in ride comfort.
As I’m sure you’ve guessed, the undoubted highlight of the new M3 is the engine. Sticking to BMW’s ideal cylinder capacity of 500cc, an idea first seen in the 5-litre V10, the M3’s V8 is a terrifically advanced power unit that uses knowledge gained from Formula 1. The secret to its high-revving ability is an impressive reduction in mass – the new eight-cylinder engine weighs 15kg less than the six in the E46.
The block, which comes straight from BMW’s Formula 1 foundry in Landshut, is served by a pair of oil pumps that feed lubricant between the engine’s two sumps. An individual throttle butterfly for each cylinder ensures a fast, precise throttle response, while the Double-VANOS valve-timing system optimises performance across the epic 8400rpm rev-range.
Also new for the M3 is BMW’s Brake Energy Regeneration system, which ensures the alternator only generates electricity during braking and overrun phases, rather than feeding off the engine under power. A noble intention I’m sure, but as our car averaged a fraction over 11mpg during our (admittedly hard) test drive it’s hardly a paragon of planet-saving greenness…
Still, if you’re going to burn fossil fuels there are few more deserving recipients than this searing motor. Beating to the frenzied rhythm of F1, every gear presents you with the opportunity to enjoy a seamless, savage surge from tickover to the red line. This is a 4-litre V8 that spins with the hunger and ferocity of Honda’s finest four-cylinder VTEC units and shades both Audi and Mercedes-Benz’s highly rated normally-aspirated V8s for instant throttle response and sheer appetite for revs.
To be completely honest it won’t be until the second day of our test that I get into the habit of regularly extending the M3’s engine beyond 8000rpm, for it really doesn’t seem possible that a 3-series Bee Em will rev like a mid-engined Ferrari. In truth it feels plenty quick enough if you shift up at around 7500rpm. However, its only when you’ve felt the intoxicating rush continue for another 900 blissful revolutions can you claim to have experienced the V8 M3 in all its glory, as it takes this high-performance icon to an altogether different level. How often you’d work it this hard is debatable, but, in those situations where you can, it makes this car very special indeed. The only disappointment is that the engine sounds better from the outside than the inside, bystanders treated to an incredible, punchy, hard-as-nails howl while you’re left with no option but to wind the windows down to enjoy the full effect.
With the possible exception of the engine, which is more spectacular than we’d dared hope, the new M3 has thrown us no great surprises. It’s quicker – much quicker – than the car it replaces, and more hardcore in its delivery, yet the chassis is more rounded and liveable with than ever. More steering feel wouldn’t go amiss, but the M3 works happily at or beyond the limit. Assuming you could afford the fuel bills, it’s a car you could drive every day, yet it’s capable of delivering a level of performance that cars costing twice as much would struggle to match.' – Dickie Meaden (13/08/07)
Driving the E92 BMW M3 Competition
'Grit your teeth and you’ll find out that mixing Sport mode and UK B-roads isn’t all bad news, though. Yes, the ride can get slightly choppy and busy, especially when you load the nose under braking, but I’d swear that overall damper control is now less snatchy, the M3’s minimal body movements somehow more supple, giving you the sense the car’s more in control, more of the time. Make no mistake though, Sport mode is hard.
The front end is exceptionally accurate, aided by steering weight that always corresponds directly with the amount of work the wheels are having to do, meaning you feel in very close contact with what the car is telling you. For the umpteenth time though BMW, the steering wheel rim does not have to be as fat as a Bratwurst. It really doesn’t help.
The sharper front end seems to add even more turn-in grip, allowing you to bring the rear end into play on corner entry. However, the M3 Competition simply isn’t as playful and adjustable as the M3 Edition we drove last summer. In short it’s got too much grip, and the blame for that can be laid at the door of the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. The Conti CSC3’s that are the other OE fitment (you don’t get to choose which your car comes on) have lower limits, but a more manageable grip/slip balance that suits the M3 to a tee.
Nevertheless, we’re talking small differences, and the M3 Competition does have that bit more edge, helping make it more addictive than ever.' – Ollie Marriage (27/04/10)
BMW M3 (E92) specs
| Engine | V8, 3999cc |
| Power | 414bhp @ 8300rpm |
| Torque | 295lb ft @ 3900rpm |
| Weight | 1580kg |
| Power-to-weight | 266bhp/ton |
| 0-62mph | 4.8sec |
| Top speed | 155mph |
| Price new | £50,625 (2007-13) |
| Value today | From £13,000 |
