Over the years, tweaks to the BMW’s chassis and drivetrain calibration helped, but it wasn’t until the M3 Competition version arrived that the F80 M3’s potential was finally realised.

The M3 has never been a cheap car to run, and the new one is no different. BMW claims the M3 can achieve 34mpg, but in reality that will plummet to mid- to low-20s if you tap into the car’s true ...