BMW M3 Pure Edition II. Click for more photos

BMW M3 Pure Edition II

BMW M3 Pure Edition II.

  • BMW M3 Pure Edition II.
  • BMW M3 Pure Edition II.
  • BMW M3 Pure Edition II.
  • BMW M3 Pure Edition II.
  • BMW M3 Pure Edition II.

From $155,100 plus on-road and dealer costs.

Vitals 4.0-litre V8, 309kW, 400Nm, 6-spd manual, RWD, 12.4 litres per 100km.

What is it?

The 3-Series gone bonkers. Two seats, V8 engine and a wave of the magic wand by BMW's M Division.

What does it say about me?

That you know your cars and you know that when it comes to sporty rear-drive coupes they don't come much better than this.

Who else is buying it?

It's not cheap, so you're in fairly elite company. The one thing you have in common is that you love driving and you like being noticed. And you're prepared to sacrifice the comfort you'd expect of a luxury car for driving thrills.

What colours does it come in?

There are plenty of standout colours if you want to be noticed, and a couple of discreet ones if you like to fly under the radar. Our test car was finished in a matte burnt orange, with black wheels and a black grille. It looked sensational, but cost an extra $11,000.

If it were a celebrity, who would it be?

David Beckham. The talent to match the looks.

Why would I buy it?

Because you love driving, you love the sound of a V8 at full noise and quite possibly because you traded up from the previous model (M3 owners are a loyal bunch). And because you also get a complimentary BMW intensive driving course where you get to flog it around a racetrack for a day.

Why wouldn't I buy it?

Because you can't afford one. Or you can afford one but you think a luxury car should be quiet, refined and comfortable. The M3 is loud, raw and lumpy at times.

Will it let me down?

If you're disappointed in your M3, you probably also think Grange Hermitage is overrated and Kate Moss is a bit plain – very hard to please. The M3 delivers on the promise of the M badge on its flanks.

Does it cost too much?

Yes and no. Up against a BMW 135i it looks expensive, but compared with with an M6 it's a bargain. And thanks to the luxury car tax it costs a lot more than it should in Australia.

Will I get a deal?

Unlikely, but if you want all the performance and a few less creature comforts and gadgets, you can get an M3 pure for $25,000 less.

Is it safe?

Yes, although if you give in to temptation and turn off the stability control, you're playing with fire.

Will it get me noticed?

It's hard to ignore, especially with the matte paint finish, black wheels, power bulge and carbon fibre roof. And that's before you fire up that awesome sounding V8.

Any gadgets I can brag about?

Cornering brake control, brake energy regeneration, M tuned suspension and steering, cruise control with braking function, adaptive headlights, satnav and Bluetooth. But it's also got a lot of gadgets that are expensive options, including electronic damper control and a music interface for smartphones.

Will I get carjacked in it?

If I were going to rob a bank, this would be my getaway car, although probably not in orange.

How's the cabin ambience?

It feels sporty enough with the chunky sports wheel, carbon fibre inserts and body hugging leather sports seats, but there's bugger all storage and it feels just a bit spartan for a car that costs this much.

What's the stereo like?

It's a pretty good Harman Kardon system with a 420W amplifier, 13 speakers and surround sound.

Does it go?

Was Hitler a nasty bastard? The V8 is one of the great performance engines, with an incredible spread of power and torque. Just when other V8s are giving up the ghost at about 5000rpm, it gets a second wind – and the sound it makes in the upper limits of the rev range is absolutely manic.

Does it like corners?

It has phenomenal grip on long sweepers, although if you're heavy handed with the throttle it will get loose at the rear before the stability control kicks in. It's incredibly stable under brakes, though and the steering is Swiss watch-precise.

What about bumps?

Most of the time it's quite livable, especially at higher speeds on country roads, but around town if you hit a pothole, you'll know plenty about it. Then again complaining about the ride is a bit like complaining that your supermodel girlfriend snores.

What about service stations?

It's a V8, so you're not going to avoid regular visits, especially if you exploit the full potential of that V8. But we managed about 14 litres per 100km in a mix of predominantly city driving and the odd enthusiastic application of the accelerator pedal. That's pretty good going for the size of the engine and the amount of performance. It's helped, no doubt, by the stop-start system that shuts down the engine at the traffic lights.

Would you buy one?

If I had the money, heck yeah.

What else should I consider?

It will sound like treason for the V8 lovers, but try BMW's smaller 135i. As for competitors, there's the Mercedes-Benz C63, the Lexus ISF and the Audi RS5. And if you're really nuts about power and not so concerned about the badge, try an FPV GT or, better still, wait for the new HSV GTS, which has roughly 120kW more power for roughly $50,000 less.

The Spin

The beauty of dynamics.

The Translation

The beauty of dynamics is that you can charge car nuts a fortune for the privilege.