The BMW M Series is BMW’s motorsport lineup. This lineup features some of the best BMW performance cars. This lineup was created to be the focal point for the BMW racing program. The BMW racing program had gained a lot of traction and popularity in the mid-1960s. This popularity trickled down into the 1970s.
Over time all the cars that carried the M badge featured modified parts and key features, including but not limited to the engines, suspension, transmissions, aerodynamics, interior trims modifications, and overall bodywork modification.
Since the M Series debuted, all cars have been tested and tuned at a private BMW facility and run on the Nürburgring. The BMW M3 E36 is a third-generation beast in the M series. This car made its debut in 1990 and was in production for ten years before it was discontinued in 2000.
For the ten years this car was in production, it underwent a number of changes, upgrades, at times, downgrades. When the BMW M3 E36 first rolled out, it was a four-door sedan. It was later rolled out as a coupe, a convertible, a touring wagon, a hatchback, and a one-of-a-kind BAUR TC4.
Many BMW enthusiasts and critics have been quoted saying that the E36 is the best BMW M3 car of all time. But how does it fair against competition? Here is how the BMW M3 E36 compares with the competition.
The BMW M3 E36 VS Competition
Since the first BMW M3 E36 made its debut, it has been pitted against other German cars. Comparison between this car, the Audi S4, and the Mercedes Benz C43 AMG. While these cars debuted in different years, they still share a number of features that warrant them to be put on a head-to-head face-off.
To give you a better understanding of how and why these cars were pitted against each other, it is only fair if we rank them. To do this, we are going to start with the last car and finish with the car we believe is the best.
Mercedes Benz C43 AMG
At number three, we have the Mercedes Benz C43 AMG. You may be confused about our choice, but just hear us out. Over the years, we have known the AMG lineup to feature some of the best luxury performance cars on the market.
The massive engines paired with the plush interior make any other car appear substandard. However, if there is one win, BMW gets over AMG, is when it comes to handling. What BMW makes up for in handling AMG does in grunt. This alone earns the Mercedes Benz C43 AMG third place on our list. If you are stuck on numbers, the Mercedes Benz C43 AMG was powered by a 4.3-liter V8, and this engine was paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. This engine combination had a maximum power output capacity rating of 302 hp.
BMW M3 E36
In second place we have the BMW M3 E36. Since its debut, the BMW M3 E36 had always topped the charts for any head-to-head competition it participated in. However, this time it is different. This mostly has to do with the age of the car as well as the technology used in the car.
With many companies focusing their efforts on building faster and more powerful cars, BMW stuck with what they knew when it came to the BMW M3 E36. This car was powered by a 3.2-liter inline-six engine that was paired with a five-speed manual transmission.
This engine was fitted in cars that were only sold in America. This saw this engine not perform as well as its competition, but it was decent enough. All BMW M3 E36s sold in Europe had their engines push 321 horsepower, and they were all fitted with six-speed manual transmission. Another thing that held the BMW M3 E36 back was its cheap and tacky interior. The plastic upholstery quickly became outdated, exposing how badly the BMW M3 E36 was aging.
Audi S4
At number one, we have the iconic Audi S4. This car can be said to have been the biggest beneficiary to THE BMW M3 E36’s loss of luster and beauty. A 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine powered this car. This engine was paired to a six-speed manual transmission.
This powertrain combination churned a maximum power output capacity of 250 hp.
This power saw the Audi S4 clear a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 5.6 seconds. While the Audi S4’s performance was over the top, the BMW M3 E36 proved to have more dominance in a couple of areas. A good example of this is the handling and grip.
If all these three cars were to make a comeback today with an overall facelift and powertrain improvement picking a winner can prove to be somewhat difficult. This is because their parent companies have evolved into some of the biggest influencers when it comes to performance and luxury.