BMW

Do we really need yet another exalted review of the E92 BMW M3 Coupe? Should we heap  even more praise on the altar of this modern day automotive deity? The answer, of course, is an unequivocal ‘yes’ --- this is a vehicle which undeniably deserves its stellar reputation and our unabashed adulation. But what is it exactly that makes this car so special and meritorious? And where, if anywhere, might this incredible machine fall short?

The 2011 BMW M3 Coupe is a standout even among the all-star class of uber-performance luxury cars it competes against,  i.e., Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Lexus IS-F, Audi S4/S5 and Cadillac CTS-V. It’s truly a wolf disguised as a sheep with few visual hints of its mighty muscles and sharp fangs. The platform’s chassis is already an excellent starting point and BMW M tuning wizardry does a tremendous job of syncing the driver with the car for a level of control and engagement that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

There are a good many BMW purists out there who have always been vehemently opposed to the idea of an M3 convertible. And much of that opposition became even more vehement with the arrival of the current E93-chassis M3 Cabrio with its retractable hardtop. But for the modest dynamic compromises the convertible makes relative to the coupe, it serves up significant advantages in terms of pleasant weather enjoyment.

German tuner ATT-TEC (Ma Bell must love that name…) must be well aware of those advantages. How else do you explain the firm’s decision to hop up the folding roof version of the BMW M Division’s volume leader?