was part of BMW’s original palate for the E46 M3. The interior follows a slightly different path, with pedals from AC Schnitzer, seat belts from an F80-generation M3 CS and plenty of carbon ...

From the fine-handling E30 original to the sensational V8-powered E90, there wasn’t a generation of M3 that didn’t hit the spot. And then along came this, the no-E-numbers-please F80.

Over the years, tweaks to the BMW’s chassis and drivetrain calibration helped, but it wasn’t until the M3 Competition version arrived that the F80 M3’s potential was finally realised.