BMW 3 Series vs BMW M3

What's the difference?

Back in the day, the 3 Series sedan was often the entry to the brand for first time BMW owners, and for good reason. They offered practical interior space without compromising on engine performance.

And they simply looked good, no boring nanny design elements. Then the 1 Series came along and price points bumped up, so how does the ‘entry’ BMW 320i M Sport live up to its long-standing reputation?

With an updated dashboard that brings the interior and tech up to market and a sharper exterior design, it more than holds its own at the table of luxury sedans, despite hard competition from the likes of the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C200 and Jaguar XE.

However, if the Merc is a placid and well-behaved mare… the BMW is the barely-broken-in bronco and it takes a certain kind of ‘rider’ to enjoy what the 320i has to offer.

I’ve been discovering just that this week with my family of three. What did we find out? Read below!

There’s no point waxing too lyrical here, because the facts surrounding the M3 Touring are more than exciting enough.

It’s a (kind of) family friendly wagon with oodles of space and practicality. It’s also an unhinged performance weapon with a thumping 3.0-litre twin-turbo-petrol inline six-cylinder engine.

And it has been years — decades, even — in the making. So, has it been worth the wait? Let’s strap in and find out.