1st place was given to the E30 M3 EVO, 2nd to the M3 CSL and 3rd to the E39 M5. The M1 made the final 4 (out of 13) ahead of all the modern M-cars.

The E92 M3 was then compared with the Top-4 to see how it fared, however it was concluded that whilst a great BMW, it was not as great an M-car as the Top-3. These are icons and the E92 M3 would need to raise its game a little further to achieve the same status.

We did feel though that the E92 M3 was the best modern day M-car, way ahead of the M5 and M6.

If you ask me what's missing in the E92 M3, I would have to say it was 'driver involvement' that marked it down. I personally found it a great deal of fun, but when compared to something like the E46 M3 CSL or E30 M3 EVO it is far too remote.

Clearly it does provide a far better balance between daily driver and sports car than either of those two.

A couple of sentences from the text when comparing M3 CSL with E92 M3; "Apart from anything else, it looks the absolute nuts, a drum-taut, hard-muscled object lesson in aesthetic warfare against which the E92 M3 comes across about as tough as a platoon of jelly babies. Sounds awesome too,"

Then a few more when concluding about why the E30 M3 won; "...it's the E30 that beats them all. It wins because it does more with less and destroys the idea (apparently at the core of BMW M thinking these days) that if power is good, more power must be better. If that were the case the E92 M3 - which on paper is a best-of-all-worlds solution, with its old-school M5-esque V8, M3 size and supercar pace - would represent the very pinnacle of the M Division's achievements. But the touch of the master belongs to a different era."

Awesome pictures indeed. My favourites have yet to change over this time: E39 followed by E46 (CSL prefrably).

E39 M5 rocks for me, followed by the E30 M3.....

PS. More pics?

A four cylinder ///M car being deemed as the greatest ever? I don't think so...

its the lightest and sportiest M3 ever but still I would pick E46 or E92 as a daily car.

E46 is the SHAIT.. E46 CSL..
there aint no better

I knew E30 is something specal..but now I know that my sick mind was right .Jesus,I want one now more than ever..

I would say their top three is identical with mine...

While It would be a difficult choice. THe CSL is indeed the most hardcore ///M ever made and a dream for me but I couldnt agree more, its the E30 that started all the magic. Awesome pics!

Guess I am the only one picking the E36, hehe.