2025 BMW M3 Canadian Pricing and final thoughts
The 2025 BMW M3 starts at $94,730 ($92,250 plus $2,480 Freight & PDI) in Canada for the base car with manual transmission, and the Competition trim jumps to $101,680 for a nice power boost to 523 hp and the ever-popular automatic transmission. The 2026 models see a price increase of $3,650 for the base model and $4,700 for the Competition, but option packages remain roughly the same. That’s a whole lot of coin for a sports car, and reflects the premium positioning and capability of the BMW M3. If you want just the performance in a smaller, less practical package you can get the same 473-hp, manual-transmission 3.0L straight-six in the two-door M2 for about $15k less.
Despite the temptation of the more affordable M2 for many of BMW’s target audience, the M3 speaks to me and probably thousands of other parents like me. Granted there probably aren’t as many moms and dads still devoted to rowing their own gears who also need to a pair of rear doors for everyday usability, and fewer still with a hundred grand to spend on a rear-drive car that will be a handful in our Canadian winters, but BMW is keeping that flame alive with a car that has stupendous performance. Yes, the digital and electronic creep has sapped some of its analog charm, and yes, it was intensely painful to restrain myself from unleashing its full potential on every drive, but so much of the driving remains a visceral joy through a chassis that is both immediate, controllable, and forgiving.
If you are on the fence, please take a chance on the manual, keep the tradition and skill alive, take it to the track as it is begging to be, and send a message to BMW that these throwback machines are still desirable. And hey, given the dwindling numbers of manuals sold, these will eventually be rare collectors items that might just start to appreciate in value as they are appreciated by purists.
Pros
✔ Iconic nameplate
✔ Incredible performance
✔ Practical family car
Cons
✘ A shadow of its former steering
✘ Stiff ride is only for true believers
✘ Constant temptation
