When I got the call from the dealership to say my new M3 Competition was ready to be collected, I could not get there quick enough.
Owner: John Keller
- Sitting in it
- Not driving it
When I got the call from the dealership to say my new M3 Competition was ready to be collected, I could not get there quick enough.
After reading up on various motoring websites and Youtube channels on how good this thing actually is, and to finally see for myself, was a real sense of excitement.
The sound and feel of the M3 driving home were something else. I could not wipe the smile from my face. I had the G20-series 330i previous to this, which is a great car in its own right, but I went ahead and bought this because it became available and I just wanted it, it’s an M3 Competition!
Oh, did I mention that this is the xDrive model?
Fast-forward four months and with only 3200km on the clock, the M3 shines like no other. The ride is comfortable. Yes, it does become a little harder when in Sports mode, but that’s what it is: a race car for the road that can seat four adults in comfort.
It has all the mod cons you would expect these days, and for the price tag! I would have liked seat cooling, but this is a minor gripe. The infotainment is good, the presentation and layout are top-notch, but the levels of configurability for the driver are not as good as, say, in an Audi RS car.
The exterior was a big talking point when this first appeared, in particular the front end. I could understand why this was, as I also had reservations, but upon seeing it in person, I think it looks fantastic. A lot of people comment on how good it actually looks in person too.
The engine, wow, what an engine – 3.0-litre straight six with a pair of turbos making a claimed 375kW and 650Nm, 0–100km/h in 3.5 seconds! I’m yet to test the full capabilities, but boy does she go. This will keep up with many $300K+ supercars.
The drive in Comfort is really good, but not great. You still feel any undulations in the road and rough surfaces, but on decent and smooth roads it is fine. I find in Sports+ it is still fairly compliant, but you definitely feel the difference, and it’s more composed to the ground. It handles corners with ease, and the slingshot out of corners with its XDrive system in play is nothing short of incredible, and in the wet too. It can kick out as it’s rear-biased, but this quickly settles once the front comes into play.
The eight-speed transmission is very smooth, quick to respond, kicks up and down when required, and using the paddle shifters is a delight. A nice touch with the red backing and dimple effect too. Maybe not as quick as a DSG? I wouldn’t know, but I don’t have any issues with it.
The brakes are great. The only downside is the brake dust on the wheels, which do become very dirty very quickly after a wash. The tyres fitted to my M3 are the OEM Pirelli P Zero. These do a good job of everyday driving and have plenty of grip, but I would have preferred the OEM Michelin tyres.
Another improvement I would make is more of an aggressive look. I have ordered a front splitter from the UK, which I think should come standard as the front does look a little ‘bland’. Also, the exhaust sound should be beefed up somewhat.
I can’t fault the new M3 Competition xDrive. The overall package is exceptional, comfortable and fast, and I look forward to having many more smiles in it.
I plan on giving another update sometime in the future to see if any of my opinions have changed. Happy motoring!
Owner: John Keller
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