It might not feel like it, but 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3. Over those 40 years, the car has evolved and changed in nearly every single way, moving from an aggressive homologation special to a car that can truly do everything. What hasn’t changed, though, is the intent. This is still a car that focuses on the driver and the driving experience, that’s fast on the road and even better on track, and one that’s still taking checkered flags and winning major races around the globe.
For the final 2026 issue of the BMW CCA’s Roundel magazine, we’ll be celebrating all things M3. There are a lot of exciting stories planned, but we want to know what makes the M3 special to you, the members. What’s your first M3 memory? Why have you owned one forever and will never let it go? Which generation resonated the most with you? Is there a particular moment or place that’s forever associated with the M3 in your mind?
It might be the first time you saw one. It might be the first time you drove one. It might be getting those keys and realizing this car is yours to keep forever. Whatever it is, we want to hear from you.
Now, I might not own an M3 right now (something I’m hoping to change in the not-to-distant future), but a few moments jump out to me. First is the E46 M3 GTR and its flat-plane V-8, destroying everyone in the 2001 ALMS season. Next it was the search for my first car, and realizing that a crappy E36 M3 might actually be in the realm of cars I could potentially afford (spoiler alert: it actually wasn’t). Then it was seeing Tiff Needell flog an E46 on the original Top Gear and raving about it, or a 2007 comparison test on the newest version of Top Gear where the E92 wasn’t just quicker around a track than the C63 AMG and Audi RS4, it obliterated them by four seconds.
Now, we want to hear your memories, and there’s a chance we’ll feature them in the final issue of Roundel. Just send an email to letters@roundel.org and include your first and last name, location, and member number. I’m looking forward to hearing all about your connection to this brand-defining model.