BMW M Models vs Audi S3
What's the difference?

BMW M Models

$114,900 - $299,900

2025 price

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Audi S3

$73,980 - $98,888

2025 price

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Aston Martin Vanquish

Lamborghini Aventador

Maserati Quattroporte

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E53

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Summary

2025 BMW M Models

2025 Audi S3

By Andrew Chesterton

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

10.2L/100km (combined)

7.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Brutal performance
Tons of kerb appeal
No-compromise approach to speed

Athletic and sporty in all the right places
Improved engine outputs
Gorgeous cabin space

Dislikes

Uncomfortable in the city
Hard-edged seats a necessary evil
Fuel bill will be sizeable

Tiny back seat
Missing some premium features
Lots of road noise

2025 BMW M Models Summary

To say the BMW M4 CS is a hot ticket in Australia is something of an understatement.

Consider this. There is an even more expensive one, the M4 CS Edition VR46 – at a cool $346,900 – and it sold out in less than an hour. Now, granted, Australia only got four examples, but still, demand was running hot.

That car makes this one, the regular M4 CS, seem like an absolute steal. It's only $254,900 (yes, the word 'only' is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence), and it shares the same upgrades, and makes the same monstrous power, as the VR46 – for Valentino Rossi’s 46th birthday – only it does it for around $100K less.

See? A bargain. At least, that's how I'd be justifying it to myself if I had a quarter of a million burning a hole in my pocket.

So, this or a Porsche 911? Read on.

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2025 Audi S3 Summary

In a world where car upgrades often feel like saying, “Can I upsize that?”, it’s refreshing to hop into the updated Audi S3 Sportback.

The flagship RS 3 may still be the holy grail of hot hatch dreams, but with boosted engine outputs and upgraded tech, the S3 is stepping up.

Is the S3 Sportback the smarter pick over pricier rivals? It delivers serious performance and polish without stretching into RS 3 territory. With fierce competition in the segment, let’s see what this contender brings to the table.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 BMW M Models 2025 Audi S3

Verdict

Brutal, bruising and utterly brilliant, the M4 CS will be an acquired taste due to its no-compromise approach, but those willing to take the leap will find a performance car like few others at their disposal.

Verdict

The updated Audi S3 Sportback is a fun-sized dynamo with impressive outputs and athletic road manners. It’s missing a few premium features, but its compact size paired with a gutsy engine makes it a compelling option for drivers who don’t want to compromise on performance (just space).

BMW M Models vs Audi S3 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW M Models vs Audi S3
What's the difference?