2008 BMW M3 Coupe Review (video)

A BMW 3-Series can be a sensible and level-headed car- until engineers cram the engine bay with a rev-happy 414 horsepower V8 and install all the racecar hardware to go with it.

That constitutes the latest version of BMW's performance tuned M3, with its first ever V8 engine. It's sold in coupe, sedan or convertible variants, so there are numerous ways to justify it to your significant other.

If you can afford the BMW M3 Coupe, buy it- it's like getting yourself the ultimate toy.

An athlete in a suit
M3's designers have clad this tuned-up 3-Series coupe with a carbon fibre roof, big wheels, air-dams and a bulging, vented hood that's there for a reason. The rear terminates with the M3's signature centre-mounted quad-pipe exhausts that resemble artillery cannons hanging from an assault chopper.

The package is easily identified as an M3, but the look bears the same discreet elegance the rest of the 3-Series lineup is known for.

Same thing goes inside- with even more subtle upgrades setting apart the cabin. The steering wheel is stitched in red and blue- the colors of BMW's "M" division. Their badge is applied to the shifter and tach, and there's a checkered leather appliqué running the length of the dashboard for a bit of flare.

Forget flashy colors or chrome dress up- as a focused and simple approach is favored here. You almost wouldn't expect features like navigation, a high-tech i-Drive controller and amusing motorized levers that hand you your seatbelt once you're comfortably seated.

There's a magnificent stereo as well, though I've got no idea what it sounds like.

Mechanical Magnificence
Built at the same facility as BMW's F1 engines, the four liter V8 delivers output smoothly over the course of about 8200 RPM- with a variable redline suggesting lower-rev shifting until it's warmed up.

The sound of the M3's V8 engine revving hard to 8000 plus is fundamentally awesome.