2008 BMW M3 Coupe

Go from zero to jail without shifting out of third gear. Pick the wrong place and time to exercise the 2008 BMW M3 Coupe and you’ll have the opportunity to be a star on “Cops,” “Speeders,” “Inside American Jail,” or pretty much any other program on the truTV network.

V8 First

It’s been said every great car must have a great engine. The first V8 in a road-going M3 is beyond spectacular. (A few years ago, V8s were crammed into a handful of previous-generation M3s to meet a requirement of a racing league, but were not legal for the U.S.) The 2008 BMW M3’s double-overhead cam 4.0-liter V8 boasts a racecar-like compression ratio of 12.0:1. It also has racing-style individual throttle butterflies for each cylinder. The eight butterflies are electronically controlled: It’s drive-by-wire which means there’s no mechanical link between gas pedal and throttles.


The 2008 BMW M3 Coupe’s V8 peaks out at 414 horsepower at an amazing 8,300 rpm, yet makes a whopping 295 pound-feet of torque at a relatively low 3,900 rpm. Variable valve timing on all four camshafts helps the M3’s V8 produce some 80 more horsepower than the previous car’s 3.2-liter inline six, while fuel economy remains virtually unchanged. BMW says the V-8 is lighter than the six-cylinder it replaces.

Heat’s On
With a warm-oil redline of almost 9,000 rpm, BMW says the V8 is the company’s highest revving production engine ever. A great feature: The M3’s digital brain lowers the rev limiter and displays that lower limit on the tachometer until the oil is heated adequately for hard running. A twin-disc clutch allows the engine to sit lower in the car, while controlling all that torque.


Little of the V-8’s power is wasted thanks in part to the BMW M3 Coupe’s Variable M Differential Lock. Under hard acceleration on uneven surfaces or while cornering, it progressively locks the differential to prevent wheelspin. I did this in a racecar by welding the gears together. I’m pretty sure that was legal.

Coupe, Convertible or Sedan

The 2008 BMW M3 is currently available in two styles: two-door Coupe or four-door Sedan, with the newest M3 Convertible version on its way to dealerships now. The 2008 BMW M3 Coupe starts at about $56,000, while the M3 Sedan begins at around $54,000. Both are currently available only with a six-speed manual transmission. Not that you need all six gears for highway driving: When not driving hard, I skipped several.


BMW’s Servotronic steering offers two manually adjustable modes. Normal offers more assist to lessen steering effort. Select “sport” and steering effort and response is increased. Either way, the M3’s Michelin Pilot Sport 2s provide excellent steering feel, but are more than a bit loud. In addition to the adjustable steering effort, the driver has several options for shock absorber stiffness and the aggressiveness of the stability control.