2018 BMW M3 Review

Under the hood is a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine (425 horsepower, 406 pound-feet of torque) that sends its power to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic.

Standard equipment highlights include adaptive suspension dampers, LED headlights, 18-inch wheels, power and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless ignition and entry, auto-dimming mirrors, BMW iDrive infotainment interface (with a 8.8-inch display screen), a navigation system and a Harman Kardon sound system.

The Competition package sharpens the M3's responses by boosting engine output to 444 hp and further tuning the suspension and differential. It also includes lightweight 20-inch forged wheels.

The Driving Assistance package is where you'll find advanced safety features. This package includes lane departure warning, forward collision warning (with pedestrian detection) and low-speed automatic emergency braking. It also adds a feature that displays the posted speed limit in the gauge cluster.

The Executive package adds more convenience-based extras such as adaptive headlights with auto high beams, heating for the steering wheel and rear seats, a head-up display, side- and top-view parking cameras, and an automated parking system.

Stand-alone options include carbon-ceramic brake rotors, a nonadaptive suspension, a sunroof, blind-spot monitoring, wireless device charging and Apple CarPlay phone integration. Owners seeking more thrill should consider the M Driver's package, which is essentially one day of high-performance driving education.