While most would say that ordinary BMW’s are sporting cars built with the enthusiast in mind, there is a breed of Beemer that is a special step up from the ordinary.

BMW’s Motorsport division, now known simply as M, has, since the mid-80’s, turned out variations on the standard models that contain everything the German company knows about performance engineering, which is a lot.

The compact 3-series coupe has benefited from the M touch since 1988, with the introduction of the high-strung 2-litre 4-cylinder car BMW needed to have a car to race in touring car events. In 1994, BMW Canada imported 45 European-spec six-cylinder M3’s with 282 horsepower engine, and I had the distinct pleasure of trying one out on a test track. It left a lasting impression.

The Americans didn’t get that model, much to the delight of Canadian devotees of the marque, but the next year, they did get their own version of the M3, with a detuned engine putting out merely 240 horsepower.

Finally, for 1997, the M3 returns to Canada, in American tune. It may pale beside the over-300 horsepower versions prowling European highways, but it is a plenty potent car by our standards.

As you might expect, BMW have continually developed the M3’s engine, and the latest version is tailored for driving conditions here. Which means more of an emphasis on torque in the mid range than high-rpm power.

The displacement has been raised from 3 litres to 3.2, and torque is now up some 5%, at a lower rpm level. This has not affected this engine’s willingness to rev, however. It makes beautiful music as it spins up to its 6,800 rpm redline; it’s a tune the enthusiast never grows tired of. Nor does one tire of the fierce acceleration; zero-to-100 kph blasts are accomplished in only 6.4 seconds. And passing manoeuvres are a rush, too.

Conducting this orchestra is a delight, as the M3 comes only with a slick shifting five-speed manual transmission. No automatic is available, thankfully. Europeans get the choice of a new sequential shifter, like Indy cars have. Maybe some day, we’ll get that.

The M3’s suspension is about the most sophisticated to be found in a production sedan with performance aspirations, considering its front suspension is a lowly McPherson strut design. Years of fine tuning have yielded a degree of handling and cornering (nearly 1g) that is very impressive. Helping out in this regard are the excellent 17-inch Michelin Pilot tires, 245/45 in the back and 225/45 up front.

BMW’s brakes are already renowned as being amongst the best in the industry, but they have taken them a step further on the M3. The “floating rotor” system minimizes the warpage or cracks in the rotor that can occur under very hard usage. You can torture these and they won’t protest. Alternately, under normal usage, they should last a very long time.

Beyond the performance improvements made to the M3, much of the car is as you’d expect in a nearly fully-optioned 3-series model. The front seats bear mentioning, as they are extremely supportive, multi-adjustable units that set the standard in performance-oriented thrones. To BMW’s credit, they have carried on with manual adjustments in all directions as standard; just as easy as electric, and cheaper too.

Things like climate control, sunroof and central locking are standard. There are a few options, like upgraded stereo, on-board computer, metallic paint, luxury package and forged alloy wheels that could push the base price up from $61,900 to closer to $70,000.

BMW has taken a bit of a gamble by making the M3 available as a four-door sedan as well as the two-door coupe. They have long been known for performance sedans, so maybe this isn’t such a big leap, but the buyers of the two body styles are pretty different. In any case, they don’t charge more for the sedan.

No matter which body style is chosen, the M3 driver will have one of the world’s finest performance cars, a four-seat sports car, if you like. We the members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada voted it overall Car of the Year; it was the car we’d most like to take home with us.

SPECIFICATIONS