Best looking m3?
Discussion
I think they're all great looking cars in their own way. G-series excepted of course.
E30 Sport Evo has those 80s boxy arches and classic race-car looks. They look superb even today.
E36 is probably the least muscular looking of all but track-spec examples can look very serious. The problem with the 36 looks-wise, is that it doesn't look all that different to a regular 3. Although this may be a positive depending on which way you look at it.
E46 is a great all-rounder but I find it quite spec dependent. Ratty looking cars on the 19s don't look great. But an LSB on CSL wheels looks phenomenal. The CSL itself looks phenomenal. Although I don't like the way the CSL boot has migrated to other variants in the aftermarket. Keep the CSL boot on the bloody CSL!
I remember when I went to the Birmingham motor show the year the E46 was introduced and it was sat there on the stand in Phoenix yellow on the 18s and it looked flipping fantastic. My heart definitely skipped a beat. It was probably the car of the show. This is my problem with the G-series cars; they look completely underwhelming. They don't have that tension in the lines that the older cars did. They look bloated.
E92 GTS and E90 CRT are super sexy. I think the CRT is probably my favourite of all but not so much the frozen paint that they all came in. I think this era heralded the time where the saloons outshone the coupes in terms of looks. They just look far more muscular from the rear. Subsequent coupes just look a bit flat and lacklustre from the rear. Although track-prepped E92s can looks really good.
F80 M4 I'm not a huge fan of for reasons given above, I think the saloon works much better in the F-series. The front bumper is a bit of a mess though and looks oddly proportioned. The E9X front bumper worked far better.
E30 Sport Evo has those 80s boxy arches and classic race-car looks. They look superb even today.
E36 is probably the least muscular looking of all but track-spec examples can look very serious. The problem with the 36 looks-wise, is that it doesn't look all that different to a regular 3. Although this may be a positive depending on which way you look at it.
E46 is a great all-rounder but I find it quite spec dependent. Ratty looking cars on the 19s don't look great. But an LSB on CSL wheels looks phenomenal. The CSL itself looks phenomenal. Although I don't like the way the CSL boot has migrated to other variants in the aftermarket. Keep the CSL boot on the bloody CSL!
I remember when I went to the Birmingham motor show the year the E46 was introduced and it was sat there on the stand in Phoenix yellow on the 18s and it looked flipping fantastic. My heart definitely skipped a beat. It was probably the car of the show. This is my problem with the G-series cars; they look completely underwhelming. They don't have that tension in the lines that the older cars did. They look bloated.
E92 GTS and E90 CRT are super sexy. I think the CRT is probably my favourite of all but not so much the frozen paint that they all came in. I think this era heralded the time where the saloons outshone the coupes in terms of looks. They just look far more muscular from the rear. Subsequent coupes just look a bit flat and lacklustre from the rear. Although track-prepped E92s can looks really good.
F80 M4 I'm not a huge fan of for reasons given above, I think the saloon works much better in the F-series. The front bumper is a bit of a mess though and looks oddly proportioned. The E9X front bumper worked far better.
I like them all but for different reasons. For me I'd probably go for the E46 M3 as the best looking.
I like the classic shape of the E30 M3 but the 4 cylinder engine never excited me. I liked the E36 M3 because it switched to 6 cylinders. The E46 M3 was just a great shape, and I liked the E9x M3 because it had a V8. I loved the F8x M3/M4 for the turbo punch, and I like the beefy nature of the current G8x M3/M4...the weight not so much though.
I like the classic shape of the E30 M3 but the 4 cylinder engine never excited me. I liked the E36 M3 because it switched to 6 cylinders. The E46 M3 was just a great shape, and I liked the E9x M3 because it had a V8. I loved the F8x M3/M4 for the turbo punch, and I like the beefy nature of the current G8x M3/M4...the weight not so much though.
I have a bit of a thing for an E90 Saloon. Would you believe there isn't a single E90 Saloon for sale on AT? There's one for sale on here, with some, er, unique cosmetic upgrades. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12060452
MissChief said:
I have a bit of a thing for an E90 Saloon. Would you believe there isn't a single E90 Saloon for sale on AT? There's one for sale on here, with some, er, unique cosmetic upgrades. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12060452
I was thinking it wasn't too bad, nothing too offensive... Until it got to the engine bay shot 
The E30 still looks amazing, the angular boxy shape design just doesn't in cars today. the compact size and proportions just worked so well.
Having owned a couple of E36 M3's inc a GT, I'll always have a soft spot for them but I felt like BMW missed a trick as the body was just the same as all other 3 series coupe's ... it just wasn't aggressive enough looking (forget the motorsport versions). Apart from that, the proportions worked well ... it was a very different looking car from the E30, probably the most drastic evolution from one to the other.
Then the E46 ... I have to say as others, when this was released it was a real 'wow' from me. Those arches were just what was lacking on the E36 ... it really did look the part and still looks good now. Obv the CSL was a cut above but really it was just the front bumper and rear boot which were different along with the carbon roof (aesthetically). And yes its true, the black ones were faster
The E92 was a bit of a let down for me in the looks department ... the front looked great and carried on that muscular look but the back end didn't seem to carry to the same feel in saloon and coupe. Its kind of grown on me and the whole car has character so its part of the car I overlook, the rest I just love. Of course the GTS helped with the tea tray stuck on the back ... as a limited edition, the extreme nature of this and the other tweeks made it a stand out car.
On the to the F80 ... I must say, this is the M3 which in my eyes is the best looking. The angles and proportions all work .... the arches just give it more road presence ... front and back ends just look right. I'm not saying its the best M3, just the best looking in my opinion.
Now if you were to drop an S65 into a F80 body, you'd have the perfect M3 saloon
Having owned a couple of E36 M3's inc a GT, I'll always have a soft spot for them but I felt like BMW missed a trick as the body was just the same as all other 3 series coupe's ... it just wasn't aggressive enough looking (forget the motorsport versions). Apart from that, the proportions worked well ... it was a very different looking car from the E30, probably the most drastic evolution from one to the other.
Then the E46 ... I have to say as others, when this was released it was a real 'wow' from me. Those arches were just what was lacking on the E36 ... it really did look the part and still looks good now. Obv the CSL was a cut above but really it was just the front bumper and rear boot which were different along with the carbon roof (aesthetically). And yes its true, the black ones were faster
The E92 was a bit of a let down for me in the looks department ... the front looked great and carried on that muscular look but the back end didn't seem to carry to the same feel in saloon and coupe. Its kind of grown on me and the whole car has character so its part of the car I overlook, the rest I just love. Of course the GTS helped with the tea tray stuck on the back ... as a limited edition, the extreme nature of this and the other tweeks made it a stand out car.
On the to the F80 ... I must say, this is the M3 which in my eyes is the best looking. The angles and proportions all work .... the arches just give it more road presence ... front and back ends just look right. I'm not saying its the best M3, just the best looking in my opinion.
Now if you were to drop an S65 into a F80 body, you'd have the perfect M3 saloon
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