The M3 has been powered by many great engines, including the S54, S55, S65, and more. If you aren’t sure which M3 is for you, check out our ultimate M3 buyers guide.
The M340i and M3 are both excellent performance cars from BMW. They’re both enthusiast cars that deliver great performance, handling, and driving experience. While both carry an M-badge only one of them is truly an M – the BMW M3. The M340i is known as an M-Performance car (or “M-Lite”), but isn’t truly built or…
I don’t know about you, but when someone says “M3,” I’m immediately taken back to the early 2000s. The E46 M3 is one of the most recognizable, and celebrated, BMWs of all time. In quite a few enthusiasts’ eyes, the E46 M3 condenses the essence of BMW’s M-division into a tight, driver-focused package, arguably better…
There’s typically one thing standing between most car enthusiasts and racing on a track: cost. While racing can be an expensive hobby, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, there are some BMW chassis that can make a perfect budget track build. At the top of that list is the E36. At this point, E36s…
The BMW S52 is an engine that has historically caught a lot of flack. The main reason is that there is an arguably superior version of it out there. The S52 is the straight-6 DOHC M-variant engine found in US and Canadian-spec E36 M3s and Z3Ms. While the S52 lacks some of the tech found…
The BMW M Division is known for creating some of the best-performance sedans in history. That isn’t even debatable. It all started with the E28 M5, released over 35 years ago, which set the benchmark for four-door, high horsepower, track-capable saloon cars well into the future. While the original E30 M3 didn’t quite satisfy the…
Anyone that owns a BMW E30 325i knows that the factory M20B25 2.5L engine leaves a lot to be desired in the horsepower department. While the factory 6-cylinder is certainly enough to get a 2600 lb 325i going under its own weight, you won’t be winning any drag races. Other than adding forced induction to…
The M3 and M4 share many things in common. It’s actually more so a change in marketing than a change in BMW M models. The major difference is simply that the M3 is a sedan while the M4 is a coupe. For some, that may be the only piece of info to make a decision….
BMW S65 V8 engines are in the 2008-2013 E90/E92 M3. This incredible 4.0L engine is able to rev well beyond 8,000 RPM’s and delivers 414 horsepower. Solid numbers for a NA V8 engine of the era. However, some may consider it a little lackluster by modern standards. Not a problem, though. Those looking to push…
BMW’s S65 engine in the 2008-2013 E90/E92 M3 is well-known for its amazing sounds and high-revving ability. With 414 horsepower from the NA V8 it’s no slouch, even by todays standards. However, some look to bolt-on performance mods to take the S65 M3 to the next level. In this guide, we’ll discuss a few of…
There are so many problems with this topic. For one, the M3 and 335i aren’t even in the same ballpark when it comes to price. The M3 has also been around for decades while the 335i is limited to 2007-2015. For that reason, we’ll narrow this down to the E90 and F80 M3. Another problem…
BMW forever left the world of naturally-aspirated performance motors in M-series cars in 2013 with the launch of the S55. Succeeding the NA V8 S65 motor, the S55 was a 3.0L twin-turbocharged inline-6. Despite being the performance version of the N55, the S55 has little in common: a closed deck block, twin turbos, forged pistons,…
BMW’s S54 engine debuted in the 2000 E46 M3 and remained in production through 2008, powering only the E85 Z4 M Roadster in the later years. The stout inline-6 S54 managed an impressive 102.5hp per liter in the 333hp US models. Notably, it is the last naturally aspirated inline-6 M3 engine. BMW tested the V8…
