2021 BMW M3: For 35 years BMW’s M3 has been the standard bearer for luxury-performance sedans and the 2021 model could prove to be the most capable yet. The M3 is all-new with more power and greater performance. As in the past, the M3 is a 5-seat, 4-door sedan with rear-wheel drive. Rivals include the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Audi RS 5 Sportback, Cadillac CT4-V, Lexus IS 350 F Sport and Mercedes-AMG C 63.
Powering the standard M3 is a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine making 473 horsepower – a bump of 48 over the previous model. If that’s not enough power, buyers can choose the M3 Competition, which increases output to 503 horsepower. The base M3 can have either a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission. M3 Competition comes only with the automatic. BMW pegs the 0-60 MPH time for the standard M3 at 4.1 seconds and 3.8 seconds for the Competition.
Standard safety features include forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and brake intervention, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitor. BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is standard and comes with wireless support for Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Options include a head-up display, wireless charging pad and adaptive LED headlights. Prices range from $70,000-$74,000.