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BMW M3 E90 / 2007-2013 / £14,000-£120,000+

What is it?

Words like ‘hero’ and ‘icon’ are thrown about at will where fast cars are concerned. But no one can argue about the BMW M3’s claim to either.

It brought high-performance rear-wheeldrive cars to the mainstream. It’s an ideal stepping stone between a hot hatch and a bona fide sports car, wrapping qualities of each in a body that can slip seamlessly into traffic without warranting undue attention.

It’s also matured in a fascinating manner over its 31-year life, growing from a pugnacious little four-cylinder coupe into a turbocharged fire-breathing saloon. It’s spawned many iterations along the way, folding hard-top convertibles and two-seat trackday specialists among them.

The car you see here, though, is the only one to use eight cylinders. Sold between 2007 and 2013, the E90-series of M3 used a highly strung V8 engine and came with three different body styles and your choice of two gearboxes.

And you can now buy one for less than £20,000, cheaper than the meekest BMW 1-Series costs new.

Driving

Leave its drive modes well alone, and the M3 potters around like any other BMW 3-Series. It rides nicely, is easy to see out of, and its

large engine delivers low-down power in a refined and effortless manner. But pottering is not what you buy one of these for. Pull onto an interesting stretch of road, and even without pressing any buttons to prod its mechanicals into attack mode, it’s a sharp and wonderfully precise thing.

The hydraulic steering is more natural in its responses than the electronic set-up in the current, turbocharged M3, and it allows you to place a front axle that’s rich in grip just where you want it. But it’s the engine that’s the absolute star of the show. It’s a fine example of just how exciting and intoxicating naturally aspirated engines are, particularly in light of its successor – and nigh on all other performance cars at this level – now moving to turbocharging.

On the inside

Eventually, you’ll reach the end of your favourite road. And if you can resist turning back, you’ll prod the M3 back into sensible mode and head home in, essentially, a nicely specced 3-Series.

The dashboard has dated a touch, but BMW has kept the layout of its interiors and their operational quirks consistent. So it’s the work of a moment to get comfortable, switch the radio on, and cruise along in a refined saloon.

One that has a slightly deranged sports car just about restrained beneath the bodywork...

Engine (again) Bottom-end failure could occur if owners haven’t been careful with their use or maintenance of the engine, revving it from cold or failing to service it meticulously Engine The E90 M3’s Achilles’ heel is its throttle bodies. If you buy a car where they’ve not been replaced, budget to do so, as it’s something that afflicts every example

Running Costs Expect 22–24mpg, to use a litre of oil every 4,000 miles or so and for premium tyres to last 15,000 miles. If you’re careful... Gearbox The DCT can leak oil. Could cost upwards of £500 to fix, or three times more than that if the gearbox has to be removed. Solve this problem by just getting the manual Brakes Brakes are strong, even if their actual ability isn’t fantastic. If you plan to go on track, they’re the first component to upgrade TOPGEAR.COM›MAY2021