(Obligatory fanboy plug: Long live the E30 M3, long live the Cossie-headed Mercedes, long live the Cosworth Fords, and mad props to Paul "Nockenwelle" Rosche, the coolest engineer this side of a currywurst.)

The love flowed rich and fast yesterday for the Datsun 510- just not for a 510 that happened to have been shoved through the ricer on its way to the West Coast JDM-gasm show. That bad boy racked up a 75% Crack Pipe vote despite its clean enough to eat off of it VG30 installation.

As we noted yesterday, the 510 had been considered the poor-man's BMW due to its similar boxy shape and sporting pretensions. At the time, BMW gave little notice to the aspirations of the Japanese wannabes, because they were too busy taking the racing technologies that their M-Technik group had been developing into their road cars. The first fruit of this labor was the homologation of the M1 supercar, and the next was the the E30-based M3, an example of which is our debate club subject for today.

Now, BMW drivers have a reputation as being a bit egotistical, and wearing their cars as extensions of their manhood for all to see. Whether that's true or not, the cars themselves are almost always a cut above the ordinary. The M-series cars have also always been a cut above that.

This 1988 M3, in steel gray with a charcoal interior, has stepped out of a time machine. While many of the first generation M3s have been beaten to death, this car, with only 37,000 on the clock, appears factory fresh. The second-owner seller claims the car has been consistently garaged, and, while not restored, has been refreshed as needed. That condition is reflected in the asking price, which is sitting in the nose-bleed seats at $39,000. Actually, he'll sell it without the Evo pieces for $5,000 less.

Now, KBB doesn't go back to '88, but for an 1989 M3 in excellent condition, they quote a private party price of $12,650! This M3 had better do more than just carve canyons, it should also bring you your beer and slippers when you're done, and feign ignorance of your whereabouts when the cops arrive shortly after.

But that's not to say this is an outrageous price- after all how many low-milage E30 M3s do you come across? So, do you think $39,000 is a fair price for so ultimate an example of this driving machine? Or, does that ultimately drive you to look somewhere else?

You decide!

Autotrader or go here if the ad disappears. Hat tip to jogales!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

Piper Motorsport is behind this build. We'll let them talk you through it:

Welcome to the build of the "Franken M3". The car is a current project of ours which started September of 2007. The idea behind this project was to build the ultimate BMW using the best of the best from BMW's line up. Some may argue whether or not the E30 M3 had much to improve on in the first place? Of course not! The E30 M3 is and always will be a great performer in factory trim and truly is a classic. We've simply started with an E30 M3 and built a whole new breed of the BMW M series.

To start we stripped the car of everything suspension, engine and drive train related and tossed it aside. Come to think of it, nothing but a few miscellaneous body panels and interior pieces have remained thus far.

Next, all new E90 (06-07 BMW 3 series) front and rear sub frames with all associated suspension components where assembled on a chassis jig and adjusted to fit within the stock body of the M3. To achieve this, the stock front frame rails have been removed and new rails where constructed to adapt the new sub frame. We've even raised the front shock towers to allow proper suspension travel for the E90 suspension. The rear of the car was completely cut and removed, excluding the exterior body panels of course, then re constructed to fit the new rear suspension package. This includes the fabrication of new rear shock towers, frame rails, spring mounts, wheel tubs and all related sheet metal work.

Many have asked us, where's the roll cage? Just look closer. Knowing that the customer wanted some form of interior re installed, the roll cage was integrated into the body. The A and B pillars have been sectioned and removed. The bars are inserted into the body making the cage virtually invisible. Door bars are normally just too intrusive on a street car so the inner rocker panels were also sectioned. A hefty piece of box steel was then welded in place connecting the front of the cage to the back while offering some additional side impact protection as well. Essentially all that will be seen after interior is installed will be the rear X and harness bar.

Now for the part everyone's been waiting for, the infamous S85 M5 V10 power plant. This motor was chosen for obvious reasons and it's been matched up with the M5 6 speed manual transmission, differential and half-shafts. The installation of the engine actually started during the first few steps of the suspension assembly on the chassis jig. The new E90 front sub frame was completely reconstructed, among other things to adapt the new engine. Firewalls generally get in the way when stuffing big motors into little cars, so the firewall and transmission tunnel have been removed and were later reconstructed around the new engine and trans. We were very happy with the final placement and balance of the engine, in fact the top of the cylinder heads are just shy of sitting lower than the top of the wheels themselves.

Once the motor was in place and the firewall sealed up, then it was time to wire the car. Rather than spending countless hours ourselves, we decided it was best to contact the best at Apex Speed Technology in CA to complete the task. They worked with a Pectel SQ6M12 management system and wired the car front to back. They made multiple trips from CA, spent countless hours, worked late nights and weekends but we couldn't be happier with the results. There are many neat features that one would never expect to see on an E30. Such as programmable and adjustable traction control, full variable camshaft control for all 4 cams, full electronic throttle control for both throttle banks, driver selectable Anti-lock Brake system, Digital Pi OMEGA dashboard with multiple pages to monitor all vital functions and a Ole Buhl Racing power management system with electronic load control and power distribution

As you could imagine, with the new suspension and wheel/tire combo the fender clearance became an issue. So we've extended the front and rear fender flares to accommodate the wider track which gives it a more aggressive, but subtle look. To finish it off a stainless steel dual exhaust system with twin mufflers exit through the rear bumper.

After our job with the metal fabrication was finished our friends at Old School Enterprises took on the body work and paint. After a very short turn around time the car was back at the shop with a beautiful, no tint silver paint job. The attention to detail is outstanding. With body work and paint to such a high standard, the M3 hardly looks modified.

We'll only show a glimpse of the paint until the final product is unveiled.

So where are we at now? We've recently received the car back from Ai Design with an all new interior. They have done a fantastic job which to the untrained eye has an OEM factory finish.

Before pictures are posted of the finished product the M3 will make its way back to Old School Enterprises one last time for the finishing touches.

Stay tuned...

[via Piper Motorsport]

This evening in Berlin, the Jamaican sprinter broke his own world record of 19.30 at the 200 meter sprint with a time of 19.19 seconds.

The M3-flipping Bolt is now the man who holds the world title, the Olympic title and the world record in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters: he set the former on August 16 with a time of 9.58, besting his previous record of 9.69 from last summer at the Beijing Olympics.

With first places worth $60,000 and world records worth $100,000, the lanky Jamaican bagged a cool $320,000 at the Berlin world championships-more than enough to replace his crashed BMW M3 for his 23rd birthday, which is tomorrow.

(Yes, the clock reads 19.20 on the photo above, but his official time is 19.19 seconds.)

Photo Credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images, OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images, Sky News

M Power usually comes in a greater number of cylinders: six in an E46 M3, eight in the current M3, ten in an M5 and twelve in the McLaren F1. But this little four-pot—and you guessed S14B23 if you guessed right—is what powered the original E30 M3, that Lego block of automotive perfection able to give grown men the wobblies in the knees and the sighs on eBay.

The S14B23 has got quite a pedigree. The engine block is the M10, which has scaled in horsepower from 75 in the 1962 BMW 1500 sedan all the way to around 1500 in Gordon Murray’s sublime Brabham BT52, which gave Nelson Piquet the Formula One world title in 1983. The cylinder head is straight off the M88 engine from the M1 supercar, minus two cylinders.

In the E30 M3, the engine is 2.3 liters (93.4 mm bore × 84 mm stroke), naturally aspirated like every proper M and develops in the close neighborhood of 200 HP. Not bad at all for an unblown street engine in 1986.

But transcending all the numbers is the sheer ferocity of noise as the S14B23 approaches its readline of 7200 RPM. If you care—and are surrounded by noises less pleasant—you might as well hit play and listen to the sixteen valves of the very engine pictured here do their magic around a racetrack.

The stock M3 isn't exactly lacking for power, which might explain why all of the upgrades with the exception of some H&R Sports Springs to assure the do-not-drive-over-speed-bumps look, are of the aesthetic variety. On the outside, the coupe gets Amuse bumpers and drunks with carbon fiber touches on the mirrors, diffusers, and vents painted in a Jerez Black with orange highlights. The wheels have been replaced with custom matte black Modulare M6s with more black-on-orange treatment. The interior, in true Darth Maul fashion, is bright red.

[BMW Blog]

According to his manager the sprinter is fine, though video from Sky News shows a bandage around his foot. Given the condition of the car he appears to have been lucky. Reports also mention a female passenger, so we're a little curious about what might have been going on inside the car to cause the quick Bolt to lose his attention.

A Jamaican man who witnessed the crash give Bolt a "10" for his landing of the BMW. An Australian woman who also saw the accident only gave it a "4" due to a previously unheard of technical efficiency. Hat Tip to Damian!

[Sky News]

Consider this another JaloPSA: The BMW M3 is a carefully honed missile of Bruce, in the proper hands it will do magical things on the track. It will not do those magical things in the dirt. It will also not respond well to high centering on the edge of a track. Do not handle your BMW M3 in this manner or you will report directly to your local BMW dealer, who will have much heavier pockets when you leave. If you're a real masochist, click through for the before and after videos. (Thanks for the tip Paul) [Youtube]

The music is a little too Night At The Roxbury for us, but we can let that little detail slide.

[via YouTube]

While sitting in the extremely uncomfortable camp-style folding chairs, Brilliance Auto executives rambled on and on about how happy and proud they were to be in Detroit. At one point they even suggested that Brilliance would soon come to the U.S. though we think its as likely as former Detroit mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, making a comeback run for Governor. They never actually talked about their products, rather impressed upon us soulless journalists how awesome they are. Though we disagree. Check out their Pininfarina-Giugaro, BMW sponsored, Porsche engineering-inspired, European 4-star crash test designed Brilliance Auto M1, M2, M3 and FRV. They're truly exciting.....Zzzzz.

Four Models Showed In Detroit
Brilliance Auto Seeking Development With Mutual Benefit and Win-Win
2009 North America International Auto Show was held ceremoniously in Detroit, Michigan, United States in Jan. 11th to 25th. Brilliance Auto Group, Chinese national brand main force, showed four models totally, including Brilliance M1, Brilliance M2, Brilliance M3, and Brilliance FRV. Brilliance Auto Group Vice President He Guohua and General Manager of Brilliance Jinbei International Sales Company Shan Long, etc. attended this activity together.
On the exhibition site, Brilliance brand four models forestalled its opponent by a show of strength, either fashionable, or gracious, or dynamic, attracting attention of many guests once appearing.M1, M2, and M3 equipped with Brilliance 1.8T engine, with its excellent power and stable handling, won unanimous appraisal of many guests on the exhibition site. Moreover, FRV, representing brand-new direction of Chinese automobile consumption, with its special appeal of “Big hatch-back”, attracted all people.
The reporter learned that, at present, Brilliance auto has models of Brilliance M1, Brilliance M2, Brilliance M3, Brilliance FRV, Brilliance Wagon, Jinbei Haise minibus, Jinbei Granse MPV etc., with products covering each and all markets of passenger vehicles. The domestic market sales volume of Brilliance brand has broke 280 thousand units. Haise, with sales volume of more than 800 thousand units, occupies half of the light bus market. Market sales volume of light trucks is the number four of the whole nation. Complete vehicle export will break 40 thousand units this year. While basing itself upon domestic market, with a view to global world, Brilliance auto actively carries out cooperation of international technology and market. At present, Export projects of Brilliance car to EU,Russia,Egypt etc. also constantly achieves material breakthrough. “3+1” international market export pattern of Brilliance auto in Europe, North America, Russia and other markets has primarily come into being.
The practice of China’s 30 years reform and opening proves that through active opening to outside, rapid development of Chinese auto industry was brought along. Rising Chinese auto enterprises more need to strengthen communication and intercourse with international auto circle in technical research and development, etc. and realize mutual benefit and win-win. Someone in charge of Brilliance Auto expressed that, it’s necessary for Brilliance Auto to participate in the global construction to promote market consumption standard, only in this way the purpose of mutual benefit and win-win can be realized. We hope that through this exhibition, we can strengthen the communication and intercourse with international auto circle, meanwhile, precious experience can be accumulated for development of Brilliance Auto.
Since 2007, Brilliance Auto has participated in many international auto exhibitions like North America auto exhibition, Paris auto exhibition, Genovese auto exhibition, Frankfurt auto exhibition, and Russia auto exhibition, etc. successively. On these international stages, Brilliance Auto opened a window for the world to know China, fully showed strength of Chinese automobile manufacturing standard. Just in the successful appearance in international auto exhibitions, Brilliance Auto further showed its confidence to actively participate in the global construction.

Spied by a reader of MotorTips, this odd looking BMW 7-series was parked at a supermarket in a town roughly 100km outside of Munich, Germany. At first glance it appears as if this BMW 7 was merely modified by its owner with new quad-exhaust, bigger black-painted wheels and lower profile tires, but the badges appear to be covered in order to mask the cars identity. Upon closer inspection, it appears as if this suped-up seven may in fact be a early build prototype for an upcoming BMW M7 super sedan.

BMW has never officially mentioned an M version of its luxurious 7-Series sedan, but with the AMG-tuned Mercedes S63 and Audi S8 gobbling up sales, albeit in small numbers, it only makes sense that BMW gets into this game. Also adding pressure is Aston Martin's upcoming Rapide and Porsche's ghastly Panamera, two luxo-sport sedans that will surely be game changers.

[motortips via wcf]

While the aesthetes in us are relieved by the 2010 BMW Z4’s lack of fish-faced ugliness, the drivers in us are a bit worried. Only available as a folding hardtop, we’re a bit concerned about the added weight and lack of a sexy coupe, but mostly, we’re disturbed by the absence the S54B32. Though the Z4 will use inline-six engines, ranging from a 2.5-litre 201bhp to a 302bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre, it won’t be getting the 343 HP naturally aspirated 3.2-liter unit. That means the old Z4, which has now gone out of production, was the last production BMW to use the legendary powerplant.

The S54B32 engine is an evolution of the S52B32 engine of the E36 M3. It makes 343 HP at 7,900 RPM, 269 Lb-Ft of the creamiest torque you’ll ever use at 4,900 RPM and revs all the way to 8,000 RPM. It was used in the E46 M3, 2001 and 2002 Z3 M Roadster and Z3 M Coupe, the Z4 M Roadster and Coupe and even the Wiesmann Roadster.

The reasons for its popularity are two-fold: its specific power output exceeds 100 HP/liter without the aid of forced induction and its torque curve is fat, smooth and gap-free across the rev range. The S54B32 revs quickly, makes power everywhere, sounds like nothing else on the planet, responds instantly and, most importantly, is really, really fast.

The S54B32 won the overall International Engine of the Year award upon its introduction in 2001, then went on to win the 3.4-liter category for six straight years. It happens to be this particular Jalop’s favorite engine of all time, preferably housed in a flat black Z4 M Coupe, or in his dreams, a Caterham Super7, which would allow him to experience the engine as it repeatedly bounces off its redline in all its undiluted glory. [via CAR]

First in-car Morse Code: "Too many gears"
That's obvious given the commentary from Jeremy Clarkson.

Second in-car Morse Code: "I like Mr Sulu"
Who knew?

You like the Ferrari 360, but you say it's just not extreme enough for you? Well, then you're an obvious candidate for the 360 Challenge, the stripped-down, race-only version of the 360 Modena, and we think you have what it takes to convince the bureaucrats in your state that it deserves street-legal status. Before you can do that, however, you need to find one that you can afford (hey, all those lawyers ain't gonna be cheap), so we've found you this one for a paltry $40,000. No doubt you're having a hard time accepting that a genuine Ferrari 360 Challenge can be purchased for that kind of small-time cash, but it's for real. You see, it needs some work. Tell the truth, it's been in a bit of a fender-bender… or maybe a more accurate term would be chassis-bender. You know how most Ferraris come with an exhaustively documented history? How boring! Not so in this case, though; the seller states "I really can not tell you alot about this car,I do not know how it was wrecked,I do not know how many miles or hours are on this car." It appears that the engine was spared during the crash- though perhaps it was one of those throw-rod-then-hit-wall incidents- and the seller adds that he or she "was told engine was recently overhauled by ferrari of new england but i do not have the paperwork at this time." So there ya go- blurry photos, information-free description, no title, all on a hideously mangled somewhat battered factory race car. We like it!

Ferrari, Italy, Pininfarina… blah, blah, blah. Don't your eyes sort of glaze over when Italian-car geeks go droning on about "soul" and "passion" and all that noise? You want precision in your factory race car. Science! Naturally, that means you must start shopping for a BMW… but where could you possibly find one with a description as maddeningly vague as the Ferrari Challenge we just contemplated? Impossible! The bar has been set too high! Put your monocle back on, Helmut, because we've managed to find this BMW E46 M3 (go here if the ad disappears) for the steal-it-today price of 36 grand. The listing for this car- that is, if "car" is the right word in this case- is a genuine Craigslist masterpiece; we can't even figure out quite what's being sold here. The "factory built roll cage is up for sale," but there's also the "rolling chassis is as is in photos shown below." The photographs muddle more than they enlighten; we've got two blurred shots of what appear to be shipping labels, one shot of a car that appears to be a chassis that rolls only on pallet jack wheels, and one shot of a vehicle- perhaps the same one- surrounded by packing materials. Do you get a suspension? Does the cage come with the deal? How about ownership paperwork? We're pretty sure there's no engine involved, so you can go ahead and start building up a wild Bavarian six-banger now; we know you'll leap all the other hurdles as they come.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

You do not have to one-up your idiot neighbors. In fact, do not buy your son a car at all. If you do, buy him a clapped-out 80's-era Volvo. We know you think your son deserves all the best, but he also doesn't deserve to turn into that idiot teen who gets ridiculed on the internet for crashing expensive BMW's into peoples houses — or for ramping off the end of a runway berm, killing everyone in the car. [E46Fanatics]

Haury's Lake City Collision in Seattle, Washington is run by geniuses. What better way to attract customers to your business than by offering the greatest loaner car ever - a 2008 BMW M3. The ultimate M3 (well, at least until the BMW M3 CSL comes out) is available for rent while customers await the completion of their repairs, though we'd bet with a replacement like this, their customers don't care how long it takes. The most brilliant part of this thing — a new BMW M3, owned by the company, that can be written off as a depreciating asset. Freakin. Brilliant. [HaurysCollision via Cardomain]

In addition to the absence of A/C and a stereo, the M3 CSL will also make extensive use of carbon fiber body panels and use cardboard for the luggage compartment, all in an effort to reduce weight. Of course, since reduced weight alone won't justify the $143,000 price tag, power will be boosted 50 HP to 470 HP and production will be limited to only 100 cars. There's no word on whether or not the CSL will use an asymmetrical air intake, but we'll have our fingers crossed when it appears at the Frankfurt Auto Show.
[Autozeitung via Autoblog]

Although we know function is more important than form on a racing car, but if the latter is any indication of the former, BMW will have a real winner with the new M3. Of course, a 485 HP 4.0-liter V8 powering a 2535 lb car will more than likely help as well. We mean, can someone please tell BMW to forget that whole "flame-surfacing" thing and just put widebody kits on all their street cars? [BMW]

The 2008 BMW M3, courtesy of 0-60. The Summer issue is hitting shelves as we speak. Now that my cast is off, expect more of the same in the near future.

First of all, let's talk a bit about the 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X. When we first saw the Darth Vader-like sedan from Trollhättan, we were impressed by it's Swedish looks, the engine under the hood and the bits n' pieces connecting the power to the road. Why wouldn't we be? We're talking about a Saab with an intercooled turbo'ed 2.8-liter V6 under the hood with an output of 280 horses mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a fourth-generation Haldex XWD system to put the 295 lb-ft of torque to good use.

But it doesn't just have all the right pieces. As we've already said — it also looks good — from the 18" black-rim wheels to the interior evoking the look and feel of the classic black Saab 900 Turbo. Even the steering wheel's purpose-built for performance.

But enough, let's move on to the test procedure which is what we were all here for anyway. GM asked the Corvette Racing support team from Pratt & Miller to break away from their Jakegasm for the day to time the laps, and behind the steering wheel of each of the vehicles they dropped the Scandinavian sensation Jan Magnussen and sent him out on the track to do some laps on both a dry and wet track. Yes, that's the same Jan Magnussen with 25 Formula 1 starts, and triple Le Mans 24 hours wins for Corvette Racing. Good guy to have behind the wheel, right?

Each of the vehicles were sent out as stock, and all of them were sent out with traction control nanny systems fully engaged. So how'd the Turbo X do? Well, it's a GM event, so how'd you think they did? Actually, surprisingly better than expected. On the dry track, the Turbo X garnered commendable middle-of-the-road status, beaten by the Subaru WRX STi and the M3 by a couple of seconds and the 3-series by only a few tenths of a second. The Turbo X surprisingly put away the A4 by almost 2.5 seconds.

But it was on the wet track that that new 4th-generation Haldex XWD system really appeared to prove its mettle — blowing away the A4 Quattro, besting the Subie and dropping behind the best M3 lap time by only one tenth of a second.

While that's great for Saab to have a product that can take on the best of the mid-size performance sedans, it's still only a limited-run vehicle. Approximately 600 of the 2,000 special edition 9-3's produced will make it across the ocean to be snatched up by Saab-ophiles, which is not enough to really make a dent in the marketplace. Still, with that understated look and those respectably tough performance numbers, it's an interesting choice for performance-minded buyers of mid-size sedans. That is if you happen to be one of the lucky few able to snatch up this spicy Swedish meatball. But we guess that's the point. Saab marketing folks hope the 9-3x will build a buzz about their cross-wheel drive system that'll be hitting the rest of the 9-3 lineup in the near-term future, and expanding to, you know, other Saab models shortly. In that, we think, they've accomplished what they'd set out to do.

We'd have liked to provide a bit more detail on our experience driving the new 2008 Saab Turbo X after the day's testing was complete. However, because the boss's left foot got a little bit heavy — and a lot bit forgetful — we didn't get more than a lap and a half. And by "we," we mean him. We'll just let his sidebar explanation over yonder explain that one to you. Suffice it to say, the Saab folks were mighty good sports, and our intrepid boss was mighty red-in-the-face at the end of the day as he remembered exactly why his road test editor was given the responsibility for track-days.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: Yes
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: Yes
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: Yes
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
*Audi RS4
*Merceds C63 AMG
*E39 M5
*Porsche 911

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: BMW
• Model tested: M3 Sedan
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $53,800
• Price as Tested: $64,050
• Engine type: 4.0-liter DOHC Double-VANOS V8
• Horsepower: 414 @ 8,300 RPM
• Torque: 295lb-ft @ 3,900 RPM
• Red line: 8,300rpm
• Transmission: 6-speed manual
• Curb Weight: 3725lbs
• LxWxH: 180.4" x 71.5" x 57"
• Wheelbase: 108.7"
• Tires: 245/40 ZR18 front, 265/40 ZR18 rear
• Drive type: RWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 4.7 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 12.9 secs
• Top speed: 155 MPH Electronically Limited
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 14/20mpg
• NHTSA crash test rating: n/a

Also see:

• 2008 BMW M3, Part One

• 2008 BMW M3, Part Two

Acceleration: *****
Say what you want about relatively low torque figures, the all-new V8 revs so quickly and evokes so much power that its acceleration is all-consuming. And since when was 295lb/ft of torque relatively low anyways? The engine shares a perfect relationship with the chassis and leaves us wanting for nothing. Quite simply one of the best road-going engines ever.

Braking: ***
Never lacking in power or feel, but still has that ever so slightly not over-braked BMW feeling.

Ride: ***
Firm, but never harsh, the M3 always feels in control but would prefer you took advantage of the fast steering to avoid potholes.

Handling: *****
Simply one of the best handling cars we've ever driven, this is the M3's forté. Where other cars lie about their ultimate capabilities with over-heavy steering or artificial inputs, the M3 doesn't come alive until you're really pushing, its ultimate limits far beyond other fast sedan rivals and even its own grip levels. Want a car that'll drive sideways? This is it.

Gearbox: ****
Unlike other BMWs before it, the gear lever's throw isn't perfection, being both notchy and imprecise unless you're redlining it. An extra star added for the three pedals combined with six-gears. Thank you BMW for offering us the option.

Audio: *****
The radio works, we guess, but it's the engine you'll want to listen to. Neither woofly like a big American V8 nor screamy like a V10, the exhaust note conveys nothing but power and speed in its own unique way. For the M3, hearing is believing.

Toys: *****
There's more acronyms than we could ever list controlling every function and performance variable you could think of, and many you couldn't. When you're driving the M3, you notice none of them, except through the car's sheer competence. All the electronics serve the sole purpose of making it better to drive and giving more control to the driver, which is exactly how all cars should be. iDrive isn't nearly as infuriating as it used to be, you'll be clicking and spinning like a pro after your first day in a car so-equipped.

Value: *****
At $54,575 the M3 isn't a cheap car. But look at it this way: You get a 420bhp V8, one of the best chassis going and five seats for the price of a base Escalade. Or, if you'd prefer, nearly half the price and over twice the seats of a Porsche 911 GT3.

Overall: *****
Many purists will argue the size, weight and complication are the antithesis of an M car. In practice, these concerns aren't borne out. The 2008 model has as much involvement and more speed than any M3 before it. Where rivals are merely range-topping versions of the more pedestrian models below them, the M3 is a bona fide supercar, capable of satisfying the needs of even the most discerning drivers. This much practicality, this much pace and this much involvement from a four-door sedan? To say we're smitten is an understatement.

Also see:

• 2008 BMW M3, Part One

This thought first occurs as I'm shifting from third to fourth on the same wet, windy and narrow road in the Catskills that had the Jaguar XKR tying itself in knots. Burying the throttle well into three figures that thought comes just after I ask myself if this is a bad idea. The answer is no.

The fast cars following disappear into the spray as the M3 crests yet another apex and accelerate out onto the flat corners beyond. The BMW making that impossibly fast, flat cornering believable, redefining the way in which I think a car should perform. I almost feel sorry for whatever it is I have to drive next.

That the M3 eschews conventional fast car wisdom makes it all the more special. Not present is any kind of manumatic or all wheel drive. The traction control is easy to completely defeat even if the power and electronic damping controls are baffling. The push-random-buttons-then-get-on-with-driving-it setting seems to work for me.

Those buttons, located down by your right leg, are the visible front to an achingly long list of in-car technology. A brief look reveals the usual dynamic stability control, as well as switchable throttle maps, electronically adjustable active dampers and regenerative braking. That you notice none of this once you put the owner's manual away speaks volumes for the fundamental right-ness of the design, none of it interfering as I use the throttle to play with the BMW's backend entering and leaving the mountain bends.

Earlier that morning, swamped in Manhattan's gray sea of traffic on my way out of town, there was little to hint at the M3's performance to come. The light clutch and adjusted-for-speed steering make easy work of the stop and go, while the suspension — firm in any setting — never makes the bumps go away, the jolts fail to affect the stiff body. The engine, while fast and flexible, doesn't hint at the performance its capable of. In fact, the whole thing feels decidedly normal. Looks it too, the bulges and droops making the already unappealing current 3-series even uglier. I like to think of the sedan's body as a form of camouflage; helping drivers avoid the attention a car this capable would normally garner. Even with the badges, those sitting one car over in traffic think of you as an upwardly mobile young executive from New Jersey, not someone hell bent on breaking every traffic law ever written.

But it's not city driving for which people will purchase the M3. It's the sheer involvement with which it rewards drivers. To look at it on paper, the BMW would seem a parallel for fast sedan rivals like the RS4, IS-F and C63 AMG. Gone is the lightweight simplicity of its forebears and present in the kind of complexity that'll make used car buyers shudder in three year's time. But, once you put your foot down, that piece of paper will disappear nearly as quickly as just about any other car on the road. It's just that good.

Thanks to: Brian, Tony and Matt at 0-60

That. Right there. The trunk. Looks at that trunk space with the top down. One could barely fit a golf club in the trunk, let alone many golf clubs, so many in fact to necessitate the use of a golf bag. We dig that sporty body work and the lusty power train, but come on, if we can't get two golf bags at least, we just can't even imagine putting up with this car.

Well, at least until the BMW Blue version comes out. [BMW via EDBMW]

1.) It offers the same collection of modes as SMG, allowing the driver to dial in a range of response patterns, from low-torque, second-gear starts on snow and ice, to comfort, to track day.

2.) It's the first dual-clutch box to be designed for engine speeds of up to 9,000 rpm, with a transmission fluid cooler to lengthen component life.

3.) Like the new Nissan GTR (but unlike the latest F1 cars), it has launch control. How does launch control work? Take it, BMW:

...all the driver has to do with the car at a standstill and in driving program S6 is move the sports shift lever to the front and hold it in this position. Then, as soon as the starter flag symbol comes on in the instrument cluster, the driver just presses down the gas pedal to automatically obtain the ideal starting speed on the engine. Pressing down the brake pedal lightly with his left foot, in turn, the driver can prevent the car from rolling forward, and by briefly tipping the cruise control lever he is able to finely adjust the desired starter speed. Then, after letting go the selector lever, the BMW M3 accelerates with optimum performance and with slip on the rear wheels controlled by the clutch — if the driver wishes, all the way to top speed.

5.) It sounds like a whole lot more fun than SMG.