[Voltigeur]

This is my first M-car. But I have driven a few others, including the M3 E46.

Personally, I like the combination of performance and refinement of the E9X M3. But I'm demographicallly past the 'I want the M3 to be as hard core as possible" stage. I drive on country roads a fair but and doing about 25k / miles a year I do want a modicum of comfort in my GT. The e46 was more overtly sporting & I do subscribe to the view than in its era it was a more significant car, relatively, than the E9x M3 (which has a peer group now crowded w/ C61, Rs4, IS-F and soon the RS5).

I still wish BMW would offer a CS version for the make-it-hard-core set.

I suspect, given the Efficient Dynamics focus by BMW mgmt that the next M3 will be lighter & as well as more economical. Big reason, surely, for going back to an I6/V6 + FI & DI.