When the first BMW M3 made it's debut in 1985, there was no denying it's racing pedigree. Powered by a 2.3liter inline four-cylinder engine, the M3 packed 200bhp and was dominant over rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz in it's DTM heydays. Today, 25 years later, the M3 is still revered as the halo M car for the BMW Group and the rich bloodline of the M brand.

When the E30 BMW M3 was introduced in August 1985, it was the fastest BMW 3 Series ever built. Boasting a 0-60mph time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 143mph it was a marvel of German engineering and automotive excellence. Today, many M3 owners would drop dead if they were told that their car's produced those numbers as the M3 of today makes over double the horsepower the E30 did 25 years ago. Today's BMW M3 makes the sprint to 60 in 4.5 seconds, produces 414bhp, some have been dyno'd at more than that, and has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. My how times have changed.

Although I am sorely going to miss the grunt of the throaty German V8 in the M3, the next generation of M cars will make due with some variation of a turbo inline-six in order to conform to their mantra, Efficient Dynamics, all while continuing to slap smiles on the drivers of the next generation of M car owners. After all, it's all about the Joy of driving isn't it?!

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