BMW M3 (G80) review: a 510 hp sedan built for Bahrain International Circuit trackdays
motorssouq Editorial Team
Buy the Competition xDrive without guilt: the extra traction turns 510 hp into usable acceleration on both a Bahrain International Circuit trackday and a damp roundabout, and 2WD mode is there when you want to feel like you are driving the purer car. This is not a comfortable daily; the ride is firm even in its softest setting and rear space is tight, but as a weekend car with genuine track ability, nothing else BMW sells matches it for the price.
Pros
- 510 hp S58 twin-turbo six pulls harder than the old naturally aspirated V8 ever did
- Competition xDrive puts power down confidently on variable-grip Bahrain roads
- 2WD drift mode available for track days at Bahrain International Circuit
- M Drive Analyser telemetry is a genuine track-day tool, not a gimmick
Cons
- Ride is firm even in the softest damper setting; not a comfortable daily
- Rear headroom and legroom are tight for adults
- Wide front splitter and grille scrape on steep driveway ramps
- Insurance and staggered performance tyres are a meaningful running cost
The G80 M3 arrived with the most divisive grille BMW has ever fitted to an M car, and the styling argument has mostly drowned out how genuinely good the engineering underneath it is. The S58 twin-turbo six is the same engine family found in the X3 M and X4 M, tuned here to 510 hp in Competition guise, and it pulls with a ferocity the old naturally aspirated S65 V8 never matched.
Competition xDrive versus the purists
Enthusiasts argue for the rear-wheel-drive manual sold elsewhere, but the Competition xDrive sold in the Gulf is the objectively quicker and more usable car here: 510 hp through all four wheels puts power down on Bahrain's variable-grip roundabouts and after-rain surfaces without the drama a pure rear-wheel-drive car invites. A 2WD drift mode exists for anyone who wants that experience on a closed track.
Living with an M3 in Bahrain
This is a car that rewards Bahrain International Circuit trackdays more than daily commuting. The adaptive dampers' softest setting still transmits more road texture than a 330i, rear headroom is tight for adults, and the wide carbon-look grille scrapes on the same steep driveway ramps that catch out lower sports sedans. Insurance for a car with this power figure is a meaningful line item, and tyres, staggered and performance-rated, wear faster than most owners expect in year-round Bahraini heat.
None of that changes the verdict: nothing else at this price point from any brand offers this combination of everyday usability and genuine track pace.