Test drive: BMW’s muscular new M3 does the iconic nameplate justice

While the design and equipment upgrades are welcome, this sports saloon is all about performance and this is where it delivers

The new BMW M3 has a circa €127,000 starting price

The BMW M3 is an indisputable high-performance motoring icon. Ever since the nameplate was launched in the late 1980s, it has been the ultimate development of the 3 Series and, while the formula has changed a little over the years, the launch of a new one still grabs the attention of petrolheads the world over. And a new one is what we have here today.

Any car painted in the “Isle of Man Green” colour ...