BMW M3 Competition.
Last year’s “Best Driver’s Car” was the uncompromising Lotus Exige Sport 350. It has a wonderful manual gearbox (featuring exposed linkages), no power steering and the ride height of a racecar. Its air-con wasn’t great either.
But it is incredibly involving to drive, and as enthusiasts, we simply couldn’t think of another – or better – driving machine.
In 2021, the panel took a less extreme direction and went with one of the most sublime, high-performance sedans we’ve had the pleasure of piloting: the BMW M3 Competition.
It’s not hard to get in or out of this saloon, and the ride quality for something honed on a racetrack is agreeable. It has the practicality you need for everyday use. And yes, the air-con works well.
Twin-turbocharged 3-litre inline-6 delivers a 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds in both cars and sounds pretty good, too.
The M3 Competition’s only serious rival was the M4 Competition Coupe. So why is the four-door nicer than the two-door?
As contributor Wong Kai Yi puts it: “It was a toss-up between the two cars, but ultimately, the M3 Competition’s immediacy of input and sweet blend of dynamics carried on the M3’s tradition of being a true driver’s car. It is precise, agile, rapid and comes with a soundtrack that delights the ears.”
Writer Lynn Tan added: “The M3 Competition made me feel like there was nothing more I could want behind the wheel. Power, dynamics, handling, set-up, everything was perfect.”
BMW’s iconic M model continues to win fans and plaudits. It can now add the honour of Torque’s “Best Driver’s Car” of 2021 to its list of awards.
Torque Honours 2021 – An introduction
Read our BMW M3 Competition review here
