BMW M3: BMW M3 pricing revealed

As many had predicted, the new M3 will undercut its arch rival, the four-door, four-wheel-drive Audi RS4, but only just. Details emerging just as we went to press reveal that the UK on-the-road price will be £50,625, just a fraction less than the £51,030 asked for the RS4.

This means that the new M3 (model number E92) is substantially more expensive than the previous generation E46 model – the last-of-the-line CS cost less than £44K. The new car comes as standard with sat nav (previously a £2200 option) and is, of course, more potent. With 414bhp, the new ‘S56’ V8 delivers a full 76bhp (22 per cent) more than the 3.2-litre straight-six, and is claimed to be 8 per cent more fuel efficient. BMW also claims that the E92 is ‘considerably’ faster than the E46 around the Nürburgring Nordschleife but hasn’t yet revealed by how much it betters the old car’s 8min 15sec lap.

First UK deliveries of the new M3 are scheduled for September 8 and from March next year it will be available with the replacement for the SMGIII automated manual gearbox. Dubbed ‘M-DCT’ (Dual Clutch Transmission) the new ’box is similar in concept to VAG’s DSG gearbox. The new seven-speeder has been developed in conjunction with Getrag specifically for the M3 and is said to be sportier in feel than DSG.

Options available from launch include an upgrade from the standard 18in rims to 19s (£1265) and a no-cost deletion of the carbonfibre roof for a steel version with a sunroof. Just 300 new M3s will be available in the UK this year, which has led to two-year waiting lists at some dealers.