The 2027 BMW M3 is a four-door performance sedan that has spent decades earning its reputation as the benchmark for what a sport sedan can be. This year’s big news is the M3 CS Handschalter, a special-edition manual-transmission variant joining the lineup. At MotoPickers, we dug into every trim to help you figure out which version is worth your money and whether this car fits your life.
MotoPickers Rating
The M3 is one of those cars that makes you reconsider what a daily driver can be. The twin-turbo inline-six pulls hard enough to make highway passing feel almost unfair, and the chassis is tuned to reward drivers who actually want to feel the road. If you drive with any enthusiasm at all, this car will match you.
Where it falls short is everywhere else. The ride in Sport Plus or Track mode is punishing on anything but smooth pavement, rear passengers get cramped quarters, and the tech score reflects an infotainment system that trails the segment on refinement. The M3 is built for the person who drives for the joy of it and treats everything else as a secondary concern.
| Category | Score (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Performance | 8.3 |
| Comfort | 6.2 |
| Technology | 5.6 |
| Value | 5.0 |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.3 |
What’s New / Updates Over Previous Version
The headline addition for 2027 is the M3 CS Handschalter, a special-edition trim built around the six-speed manual transmission. BMW has been listening to enthusiasts who wanted a more focused, driver-operated option, and this is the answer. It’s a significant addition to the lineup and worth understanding before you decide which trim to buy. The Trim Guide below covers exactly what you get and what it costs.
Beyond the Handschalter, the lineup carries over largely unchanged, with updated pricing across the board as the most notable difference. The Competition and Competition xDrive variants continue with their respective power outputs and transmission pairings, covered in detail under Power and Performance, and no major suspension or body changes are confirmed for this model year. If you were considering a 2026 M3, the core driving experience remains the same — the Handschalter is the reason to look at 2027 specifically.
Competitors
The Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance adds a plug-in hybrid system to the performance-sedan formula, which changes the ownership math considerably. The Audi RS 5 Sportback brings standard all-wheel drive and a sleeker roofline for drivers who want traction in all conditions. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is the manual-transmission enthusiast’s American alternative, often at a lower price. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio offers a Ferrari-derived V6 and one of the sharpest steering setups in the segment. The Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance brings a naturally aspirated V8 and a long reliability track record for those who distrust turbos.
Exterior Spotlight
The G80 M3’s body is wide, low, and aggressive without being theatrical. The flared fenders are functional, housing wider tracks front and rear, and the kidney grille is large enough that you either love it or you’ve made peace with it. It reads as a serious car from every angle.
Color Options
Six colors are available: Alpine White, Brooklyn Grey Metallic, Black Sapphire Metallic, Dravit Grey Metallic, Portimao Blue Metallic, and Toronto Red Metallic. Portimao Blue is the crowd favorite for good reason—it photographs beautifully and looks different in every light. For those who prefer something more understated, Brooklyn Grey and Dravit Grey are the natural daily-driver choices, while Toronto Red makes a statement without going full track-day cosplay. Alpine White and Black Sapphire, meanwhile, are classics that hold resale value well and never look out of place.
Wheel Options
The base M3 runs 18-inch front and 19-inch rear alloys, a staggered setup that keeps a little more sidewall between you and the road. The upper trims, Competition and Competition xDrive, step up to 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloys, which fill the wheel wells more aggressively and look proportionally right on those wider-output variants. The larger wheels sharpen the visual stance but reduce the cushion on rough pavement. If you live somewhere with bad roads, the base trim’s wheel package is worth factoring into your decision.
Interior Analysis
The M3’s cabin is driver-focused to the point of being honest about its priorities. Everything angles toward the person behind the wheel, and the materials are premium without being fussy. Rear passengers and cargo get what’s left over.
Features
At the heart of the cabin sits a 14.9-inch curved display running BMW’s iDrive 8 system, which demands some initial patience to learn but responds quickly once you’ve mapped out where things live. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included, along with wireless phone pairing for both platforms, though connections can occasionally require more than one attempt to establish.
Audio duties fall to a Harman Kardon surround sound system that delivers capable output across the cabin even at highway speeds, making it a solid everyday setup. Connectivity is well covered up front with two USB ports, supplemented by two more for rear passengers and a wireless charging pad in the center console. Rounding out the tech package, a head-up display projects speed and navigation prompts directly onto the windshield.
Comfort
Front seat comfort is genuinely good for a performance car. The M Sport seats hold you firmly through corners without creating pressure points on longer drives, and with 41.6 inches of front legroom, most drivers will find a comfortable position without compromise. Headroom up front measures 40.6 inches, which works for drivers up to about six feet two before the roofline starts to feel close.
The rear seat is where the M3 asks you to make a trade. Rear legroom comes in at 35.6 inches and rear headroom at 37.8 inches, meaning adults can sit back there for a commute, but a two-hour road trip will have them shifting around. In practice, the M3 is a four-passenger car, not five.
Dual-zone climate control lets the driver and front passenger set their own temperatures independently, and a power glass moonroof is available to open the cabin up on good-weather days. Ride quality in Comfort mode is livable for daily driving, though dialing into the sharper suspension settings firms things up enough that you’ll feel every expansion joint on the highway.
Cargo
The M3 is a sedan, so cargo lives in a conventional trunk offering 16.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, the only configuration available, since the rear seats don’t fold. To put that in perspective, the space accommodates two large rolling suitcases and a carry-on, or a medium-sized dog crate for a Labrador-sized dog, though not both at the same time.
For everyday use, the space holds up well. A weekend’s worth of gear for two people fits without issue, and groceries for a family of four load in easily. Where you’ll feel the limit is on longer trips with more than two passengers, because the rear footwells eat into what you can stack behind the back seat.
The trunk lid is a conventional hinged design with no hands-free opening, meaning you’ll need a free hand to pop it, and there’s no under-floor storage, what you see is what you get. For a car at this price, the absence of a power trunk or hands-free option is a noticeable omission, and if cargo flexibility matters to you, it’s a real consideration before you sign.
Power and Performance
The M3’s engine is the reason this car exists. Everything else is built around making that inline-six feel as good as possible from the driver’s seat.
Engine Specs
All three M3 variants share the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six architecture, but BMW tunes each one differently. The base M3 produces 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels through an M Sport Differential. The M3 Competition steps up to 503 hp and 479 lb-ft, paired with an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. The M3 Competition xDrive tops the range at 523 hp and 479 lb-ft, with the same eight-speed automatic but adding BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. xDrive includes a rear-drive mode for when you want the car to behave like a traditional rear-wheel-drive M car.
The segment average for performance sedans in this class sits around 450–480 hp, so both the Competition and Competition xDrive clear that bar comfortably. The base M3’s 473 hp lands right at the top of that range for a manual-transmission car, which is a notable pairing.
Performance Data (0-60)
The M3 Competition xDrive gets to 60 mph in around 3.4 seconds. That’s the number you’ll feel when you merge onto a highway on-ramp with room to run. The car doesn’t build speed gradually. It compresses the distance between you and traffic ahead in a way that takes a few drives to fully calibrate to.
The eight-speed automatic in the Competition variants is the transmission doing its best work under hard acceleration. It holds gears longer than you’d expect, then snaps through shifts quickly enough that the power delivery feels continuous rather than stepped. In normal driving it’s smooth and unobtrusive, shifting early to save fuel. Push it and it responds immediately.
The manual gearbox in the base M3 requires more from the driver, which is exactly the point. The clutch engagement is precise, the throws are short, and getting a clean upshift at high revs is satisfying in a way the automatic simply can’t replicate. If you’ve driven manuals before and enjoyed them, this transmission will feel like a reward. If you’re newer to manuals or spend most of your time in traffic, the Competition’s automatic is the more practical daily choice.
Fuel Economy
The base M3 and Competition both return around 16 MPG city and 23 MPG highway, with a combined figure of about 19 MPG. The Competition xDrive drops slightly to 18 MPG combined. On the 15.6-gallon tank, that works out to roughly 285–360 miles between fill-ups depending on how you’re driving and which roads you’re on.
Highway-focused drivers who keep it near the speed limit can push toward the 23 MPG figure, which stretches the tank to around 360 miles. City driving and spirited acceleration will pull that number down quickly. Budget for premium fuel and plan on filling up more often than you would in a crossover. This is not a car you buy for fuel economy, but 19 MPG combined is respectable for 473–523 hp.
Tech Overview
The M3’s tech package is built around BMW’s iDrive 8 system. The hardware handles most tasks well, but the interface takes time to learn and doesn’t always feel as intuitive as what rivals offer.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The 14.9-inch curved display dominates the center stack. It’s a touchscreen running iDrive 8, and it responds quickly to inputs. The menu structure takes a few days to learn, but once you know where things are, it moves fast. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, and they connect without needing a cable.
The M3 is equipped with a Harman Kardon surround sound system as the standard audio setup. It handles music well at highway speeds and has enough output for the cabin size. The head-up display projects speed, navigation turn prompts, and driver assist status onto the windshield. Two USB ports are up front and two more are in the rear, with a wireless charging pad in the center console for the driver’s phone.
Features / Drive Modes
The M3 offers four drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, and Track. Each one changes the suspension stiffness, throttle response, steering weight, and stability control thresholds simultaneously. Comfort is the mode for daily commuting. Sport sharpens everything without making the car tiring. Sport Plus and Track are for roads where you can actually use the car’s limits.
Adaptive cruise control works smoothly on the highway, maintaining set following distance and adjusting speed for traffic. Lane keep assist is available but intervenes gently. The instrument cluster is configurable, letting you choose what data fills the digital gauges. M-specific displays like g-force meters and lap timers are accessible through the cluster when you want them.
Safety Capabilities
The M3 carries a full suite of active and passive safety systems. For a performance car, the safety equipment is thorough, though the car’s performance envelope means driver skill still matters more here than in a family crossover.
Safety Ratings
As of this writing, IIHS and NHTSA crash test results for the 2027 M3 have not yet been published, though the G80 generation M3 carries a strong structural foundation, and BMW’s engineering approach to occupant protection has historically performed well in testing. We’ll update this section when official ratings become available. In the meantime, buyers who prioritize confirmed crash test scores should check the IIHS and NHTSA websites directly before purchasing.
Safety Features
The M3 carries six airbags covering front, side, and curtain positions. That coverage addresses the most common collision scenarios: frontal impacts, side strikes, and rollover events. ABS prevents wheel lockup under hard braking, keeping steering control available when you need it most. Electronic stability control monitors the car’s attitude and intervenes when the rear starts to step out beyond what the driver intended. Traction control works alongside the stability system to manage wheelspin on slippery surfaces. The M Sport Differential adds an additional layer of rear-axle management that works with these systems rather than against them.
Driver Assists
Adaptive cruise control on the M3 maintains a set following distance and adjusts speed smoothly in highway traffic. It doesn’t feel nervous or jerky when the car ahead slows. Lane keep assist applies gentle steering corrections when the car drifts toward a lane marking without a turn signal. It’s a light touch, not an aggressive grab. Automatic emergency braking monitors the road ahead and can apply the brakes if a collision is imminent and the driver hasn’t responded. Lane change assist monitors adjacent lanes and warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot when you signal.
Additional Safety Features
Blind-spot monitoring covers both rear quarters and alerts you with a mirror indicator when a vehicle is alongside. On a car this wide, that warning is useful in lane changes on busy highways. Parking sensors are fitted front and rear, giving audible warnings as you close in on objects in tight spaces. The rearview camera activates automatically in reverse. Parking assistance can steer the car into parallel and perpendicular spaces automatically. A surround-view camera system is available as part of an optional package, which helps considerably in very tight multi-story parking situations. The front and rear sensors still do useful work regardless. Automatic high beams switch between high and low beam based on oncoming traffic.
Trim Guide
The M3 lineup has three distinct trims, each with a clear identity. Knowing which one fits your driving life saves you from spending money on power you won’t use or missing the feature that would have made the car perfect.
Trim and Price
The M3 Sedan starts at approximately $80,650 with 473 hp, a six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, and the M Sport Differential standard. The 18-inch front/19-inch rear wheel package keeps more sidewall in play. This is the trim built for people who love rowing their own gears on a canyon road, though managing 473 hp in a manual takes more attention in traffic than the automatic Competition does.
The M3 CS Handschalter is a 2027 special edition built around the same manual drivetrain and wheel package as the base car. Pricing wasn’t confirmed at time of writing, so check with your dealer on allocation and final cost. If you want the manual experience with something more exclusive, it’s worth tracking down.
The M3 Competition Sedan at approximately $84,850 is our pick for most buyers. It adds 30 hp for a total of 503 hp, pairs it with an eight-speed automatic, and bumps torque to 479 lb-ft. The $4,200 premium over the base is easy to justify if you’re not specifically after the manual.
The M3 Competition xDrive Sedan tops the range at approximately $89,950 and 523 hp, adding all-wheel drive with a rear-drive mode. Fuel economy drops slightly to 18 MPG versus 19 MPG on rear-drive trims. Choose xDrive if you need all-season traction; if you’re in a mild climate and want the more traditional M experience, the rear-drive Competition delivers it for less.
Warranty and Maintenance Information
BMW covers the M3 with a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a matching 4-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty. Roadside assistance runs the same 4-year/50,000-mile term. Complimentary maintenance covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, which includes oil changes and scheduled services at no additional cost. That maintenance package is a real benefit at this price point and offsets some of the ownership cost in the first three years.