2009 BMW M3
- Used BMW M3
BMW M3 - What the Auto Press Says
The 2009 BMW M3 is an exceptional performer -- providing speed, agility and comfort in a single package.
Model Overview
The BMW M3 is a performance-tuned variant of the popular 3-Series, which is highly regarded as the benchmark of upscale midsize cars. Introduced in 1988, the M3 quickly became a favorite of critics and enthusiasts for its 195 horses of power, track-tuned settings, comfortable ride quality and overall practicality. Today, the M3 features a lot more power (414 horses to be exact) and is still adored by many for those very same reasons.
The M3 is available in three body styles: coupe, sedan and convertible hardtop.
- "It doesn't get much better for enthusiasts than the 2009 BMW M3, which offers near-supercar performance and daily-driver livability in coupe, sedan and convertible body styles." -- Edmunds
- "This is a sporty-looking, fast-driving and easy-handling car that turns heads wherever it roams. It's more than a little luxurious, but maintains its overall sense of drivability first." -- Carseek
- "Everything is configurable on this hyper-tech machine, especially compared with the one-form-fits-all 911. ... You can change the shock stiffness, vary the steering weight, and pick the shift speed and harshness from one of six settings. All for a price that, with the other options, still undercuts our Amish Edition 911 by $7845." -- Car and Driver
- "[I]t's hard not to fall for the M3's rev-happy V-8, sensual steering and ultra-predictable chassis - not to mention the versatility of the model's platform configurations. Single? Married with kids? Spouse love top-down touring? If you can afford to dance the dance - including a not-so-economical-in-these-days-of-high-fuel-prices 14 mpg city/20 highway - you're covered." -- Road and Track
The Bottom Line
It's hard to find fault with the BMW M3. It sets the standard for what a high-performance coupe, sedan and convertible should be. Audi and Mercedes-Benz stand aside, the M3 is the clear choice for anyone in the market for an upscale midsize high-performance machine.
Performance Dynamics
Test drivers are left enamored by the M3's ability to blast to rocket-like speeds and handle with ease. Though critics prefer its six-speed manual transmission over the optional M Double-clutch, most agree that the M3 is an engineering marvel.
The BMW M3 features a 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 414-horsepower at 8,300 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. While a six-speed manual transmission is standard, an M Double-clutch Transmission with Drivelogic is optional. According to BMW, the M3 has a top speed of 155 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds with the coupe, 4.8 seconds with the sedan, and 5.1 seconds with the convertible.
The EPA reports that the BMW M3 nets a city/highway fuel economy of 14/20 mpg.
Aiding performance for the rear-wheel drive M3 is vehicle-speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering, dubbed M Servotronic. The M3 also features a sport-tuned M suspension system. While high-end models like the M5 and M6 come equipped with standard electronic damping control, it's only available as an option for the M3. What's more, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) helps the M3 maintain road composure, while an Anti-look Brake System (ABS) and Dynamic Brake Control bring it to a halt.
- "The M3 is a rocket that gives up only a bit of midrange torque to other V8 sports cars." -- Consumer Guide
- "The high-performing engine will actually scare you a little the first few times driving this car. It's powerful. It's sharp. It delivers drivers the pleasure of feeling like they are commanding something that should almost be illegal." -- Carseek
- "I've just spent a week in a BMW M3 with the much-anticipated M-DCT dual clutch automated manual transmission, and although it's impressive for what it is, I can't help but feel that for all the hype about this technology, it's ultimately not as satisfying as a traditional manual or even a good automatic." -- Automobile Magazine
- "With the M3's many buttons, you can make of it what you want: loafing commuter, track animal, high-speed touring express. But no matter how you set it, the M3 astounds. There's more front-end grip than most people have the guts to exploit, the steering wheel able to carve perfectly elliptical arcs up a winding road at foolish speeds. Where the 911 battles each corner, sometimes in a nerve-jangling sine wave of alternating grip and push, the M3 is dead calm. It shows hardly any body roll or bobble, the chassis balanced with the poise of a Bolshoi star." -- Car and Driver
- "Riding on a specially modified all-aluminum suspension, with 18-inch wheels and tires (19-inchers are optional) and a variable locking rear differential that optimizes traction on a wide range of road surfaces, the BMW M3 handles like few models this side of an exotic sports car." -- Forbes
- "Braking is phenomenal -- in our 60-0-mph braking test, the M3 came to a halt in just 100 feet, which is among the shortest distances we've ever recorded." -- Edmunds
