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BMW F80 M3 Test Drive on the Portimao Circuit, Portugal

With the new M3 and M4, BMW is writing a new chapter in its history, one that keeps an eye on performance and the other on sustainability. While it all sounds like pretty rainbows and butterflies, how is it like in real life?
BMW F80 M3 on Portimao 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from Youtube
Well, from our own experience we can tell you that this new chapter looks enticing with its first step. We sampled the M4 and were more than impressed with the way it handled, reminding us of the ‘good old days’ when you could actually feel what was going on with the car.

Thanks to advanced elastokinematics, a completely new rear axle that is bolted to the chassis and the body of the car and a biturbo 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that makes more power than you’ll ever need, the new M3 and M4 are .... simply put... beasts.

Taking them to the track will require near-Spiderman senses to make sure you’re not taken by surprise by the torque. Speaking of which, the 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of twist are almost instantaneous and you can basically forget about turbo lag. That’s right, we said it, and we stand by our claim: the S55 unit is that good.

To top everything off, the specs are mind blowing for rear-wheel drive cars. The 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint is done in 4.1 seconds with the 7-speed DCT gearbox and that’s impressive all in itself. Now consider the fact that such a number is possible no matter if you go for a 2-door coupe like the M4 or a 4-door sedan like the M3.

That being said, you could actually take your kids to school, go for a couple of laps around the Portimao Circuit in Portugal and then go back and pick them up without changing cars or breaking a sweat. That’s what M stands for.

In the video below, you’ll see the new F80 M3 in action on the aforementioned track and you’ll understand what we meant when we said that you have to be on your toes at all time. Check it out!

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