For almost 4 a long time, the BMW M3 has outlined the compact sports activities sedan. However in 2025, the G80 M3 lineup seems completely different from what many purists may count on. The automated Competitors fashions dominate the gross sales charts, and xDrive all-wheel drive ensures blistering acceleration occasions. But tucked quietly on the base of the lineup is one thing way more particular: the final remaining manual-transmission M3.
On this overview, we take a more in-depth have a look at a very putting instance — a 2025 BMW M3 Sedan in Darkish Emerald Metallic — to see whether or not this six-speed is the true fanatic’s M3, and presumably the ultimate one in all its form.
A Guide Transmission in 2025
In an period the place almost each rival has ditched the stick, BMW continues to supply a handbook gearbox in the usual M3. The reasoning isn’t about efficiency numbers. With 473 horsepower and rear-wheel drive, the handbook M3 is slower on paper than its Competitors counterpart. However that misses the purpose. The six-speed gearbox makes driving the M3 a extra deliberate, partaking course of. Each shift, each clutch press, connects the driving force on to the S58 twin-turbo inline-six. It’s an expertise that reminds you why the M3 grew to become an icon within the first place — not as a result of it was the quickest automobile in a straight line, however as a result of it was probably the most rewarding to drive.
The Window Sticker Breakdown
The instance we examined isn’t only a base automobile. Its Monroney sticker totals $101,875, due to a cautious mixture of efficiency and luxurious choices. Right here’s the way it provides up:
- MSRP: $76,000
- Darkish Emerald Metallic paint: $4,500
- Kyalami Orange/Black Leather-based inside: $2,550
- Carbon Package deal ($15,300): consists of M Carbon Bucket Seats, M Carbon Ceramic Brakes, M Alcantara steering wheel, M Driver’s Package deal, BMW Curved Show with HUD, and 19/20-inch dual-spoke wheels
- Parking Help Package deal: $700
- Govt Package deal: $1,400 (heated steering wheel, full LED headlights with cornering perform, energy tailgate)
- M Shadowline Lights: $250
- Vacation spot & Dealing with: $1,175
- Grand Complete: $101,875
That’s a critical determine for a “base” M3, however it highlights how customizable the G80 platform stays. From the outrageous Kyalami Orange seats to the shimmering Darkish Emerald Metallic paintwork, it is a spec that feels each distinctive and unapologetically daring. Nevertheless it’s costly.
Will There Be A New Guide M3?
BMW hasn’t confirmed whether or not the next-generation M3 will retain a handbook transmission. With electrification and software-driven efficiency on the horizon, the writing could already be on the wall. That makes the present G80 handbook not simply one other variant, however probably a collector’s piece — the tip of an period for driver-engaged sports activities sedans. For lovers, the choice comes all the way down to what issues extra: outright pace or a richer driving expertise. The Competitors mannequin with xDrive could submit faster numbers, however the handbook automobile is the one which stays truest to the M3’s DNA.
Watch the Full Evaluate
We put this actual automobile to the check in our newest YouTube video, exploring how the handbook transmission feels on the highway, the way it stacks up in opposition to the Competitors fashions, and why BMW selected to maintain the stick alive when so many rivals walked away.
