2026 BMW M3 Trims Comparison

The base M3's engine generates 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, delivered to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Choose the M3 Competition (503 hp, 479 lb-ft) for a bump in power and performance, but with that comes a standard eight-speed automatic transmission with no manual option. More traction is available with the M3 Competition xDrive (523 hp, 479 lb-ft), which retains the eight-speed automatic and features an all-wheel-drive system with a rear-wheel-drive setting.

M3 Highlights from the base M3's standard equipment list include:

• 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels with high-performance tires
• Adjustable drive modes
• M Sport rear differential for improved traction
• Adaptive suspension dampers (adjust to improve ride comfort and handling)
• Carbon-fiber roof
• Heated, power-adjustable front sport seats
• Leather upholstery
• 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless charging pad and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with satellite radio

The M3 also has these safety features:

• Forward collision warning with automatic braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Blind-spot warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change)
• Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)

M3 Competition
The M3 Competition adds 30 hp and an eight-speed automatic, plus:

• 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels with performance tires
• Gloss black exterior trim, including the spoiler and exhaust tips

The M3 Competition xDrive adds all-wheel drive.

A handful of options are available on the M3. Notable picks include:

Executive package

• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
• Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
• Heated steering wheel
• Power trunk lid
• Remote engine start (Competition models only)

Carbon package

• M Drive Professional (includes Track mode as well as other performance displays and settings)
• Carbon-ceramic brakes
• Carbon-fiber interior trim
• M steering wheel wrapped in synthetic suede
• Carbon-fiber bucket front seats

Power sunroof (removes lightweight carbon-fiber roof)

• Ventilated front seats
• Drive recorder (records an image of the road ahead, which can be reviewed at a later time)
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the M3 and its surroundings in tight parking situations)

The M3 Competition and Competition xDrive are also available with one extra package:

Driving Assistance Professional package

• Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the BMW and the car in front)
• Lane keeping assistance (steers the M3 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
• Lane centering system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Evasive steering assistance (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance)
• Front and rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is about to cross your vehicle's path)