Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.In 2018, the final F80 generation BMW M3 rolled off the production lines. In keeping with tradition, BMW debuted a new 3 Series after this. Later, teasers for the new M3 began to show up, with the new model, called the G80 internally, finally showing its face in 2021.To acknowledge the elephant in the room, the M3 was not well received in those early days. The M3, largely a relatively subtly-styled sports car for enthusiasts who cared about how a car drove and not how it looked, was now really, really shouty thanks to its hyper-edgy looks and gaping grille. Another five years later, and BMW will again introduce a new 3 Series on the heels of M3 production ending. Now, it's time to look back on what is easily the most controversial M3 in recent memory, if not ever.The M3's Final BowView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThe M3's final send-off celebrated exactly what it should: the manual transmission. For a litany of reasons that frankly could be an entirely separate feature, BMW won't be bringing a stick shift to the upcoming M3. As such, the BMW CS Handschalter is a tribute to the manual transmission. That bit of German at the end means exactly that.The Handschalter broke a sort of G80 M3 rule: Competition models didn't get the manual, dating all the way back to 2021 when the car debuted. The Handschalter is the first and last M3 CS offered with a stick shift, and does away with the AWD system found in the regular CS. It also does away with the 543-horsepower CS engine and keeps the same 473-hp version of that engine as the regular manual-transmission M3.2027 BMW M3 CS HandschalterBMWHandshalter models get lighter, losing around 75 pounds by way of optional carbon-ceramic brakes, forged wheels, a titanium muffler, and M carbon racing-style front seats. Other alterations include the dampers from the M4 CSL.The Face2027 BMW M3 CS Handschalter driftingBMWIt's worth getting into the M3's single most (and perhaps only) controversial feature: its nose. Contemporary rivals all opted for a more subtle look, but BMW went big. First drives and tests from the time all incorporated some mention into their headlines, and how could you not?AdvertisementAdvertisementBack in 2021, the sedan's big maw was allegedly put there for cooling. BMW said the added power from the latest model necessitated the change. BMW's design director also said the idea was mandatory for the car's performance and defended his work, arguing that we shouldn't stay totally glued to the ideas of the past and that new things are good and fun and risky and all the rest.It's hard not to agree with that logic, but the execution put lots of folks off. Aftermarket companies attempted to offer kits that did away with the pig-shaped nose, but the bodylines running into the hood made it almost impossible to redefine the front end. It stayed, and taking the temperature in 2026, it seems most people still don't love it.Everyone Loves An M3, Ugly Or No2027 BMW M3 CS HandschalterBMWView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleIn 2020, everyone wanted the new M3 to be what all the previous ones had been: expensive without being absurd, quick, and good-looking without being overtly obnoxious. Right away, one of those items falling brought the rest into question. To its credit, the G80 shut everyone up.AdvertisementAdvertisementDespite being bigger and heavier than the outgoing model (by 4.6 inches in length and half an inch in width), the M3 drove great. It was also heavier, which further beggars belief, at 3,745 pounds. Words like "brutal," "relentless," and "nasty" got thrown around after the car launched. The S58 was, for all intents and purposes, a torque monster, making 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft out of the box in a base-model car.BMWBMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system was added to higher trims later and quickly became a star. It was basically a cheat code. All-wheel drive grip when you wanted it, and a sideways hooligan when you didn't, the system was the best of both worlds. Credit where it's due, BMW also offered a manual transmission throughout the car's entire run, even as many rivals have pulled away from them in recent years (and decades, frankly).What Happens Next?BMW's M Concept Neue Klasse previews the new M3BMWBMW confirmed that production will end after this model year. It's not surprising, considering a new 3 Series is due this year too. The final model year will ring in a new M3, highlighted by BMW's M Concept Neue Klasse. This new concept does what all previous ones have done. The car is effectively as close to production as is reasonably possible, and many of the details confirmed at the concept's debut should make their way to the upcoming M3.Of course, the big news is that an electric variant will be offered for the first time ever. It'll pack four electric motors, bringing yet more power than the M3. Already, the new i3 50 xDrive packs 463 hp. It's possible the new M3 EV could make in excess of 600 horsepower. The M3's straight six, though, won't be going anywhere. A gas version will arrive sometime in 2028, with only an automatic transmission. Before too long, we imagine this too will be phased out.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat leaves the G80 as the last fully gas-powered M3. Its legacy is a complicated one. The car was, for so many, a love-or-hate item. BMW tried to bring a modern, enthusiast-driven sedan into the modern age, and in so many ways hit its mark with the way the M3 drove. Whether nostalgia starts to bring folks around on the rest of the car will have to wait, possibly until the G80 is one of the last gas-powered modern M3s around.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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