2008 BMW M3

Although the BMW M3 is based on the more-common 3 Series, more than 80 percent of the M3 is unique, reviewers say. It is designed and engineered for high performance, and few cars do it as well, they say. The M3 coupe, convertible and sedan all excel on the racetrack but are also comfortable on city streets. However, a few reviewers say the M3 is occasionally hard to drive smoothly, such as in stop-and-go traffic.

While the M3 earns raves for its nearly perfect balance and performance-oriented engineering, a few say that the steering feels light, the clutch feels heavy and the manual shifter feels rubbery. (Others say they are perfect.) The interior is well designed and attractive, although many reviewers strongly dislike the multipurpose iDrive controller that is mandatory with the optional navigation system. Ultimately, most critics conclude that for the money, it's hard to find a better four-seat high-performance car than the BMW M3 coupe or convertible. For a higher price, the Porsche 911 (*est. $73,500 to $191,700) offers a competitive sports car experience.

The BMW M3 is newly redesigned for 2008 and is widely reviewed. We've limited our search to those that cover the coupe or new convertible versions, as those are closest to our definition of a sports car. Car and Driver magazine has a comprehensive road test, as well as an insightful comparison test against two other sports cars. Edmunds.com also has a full road test complemented by a comparison test against the Audi S5 coupe.