but the 2008 M3 is the first M-car I would have actually considered buying. (I actually did consider it, but decided to spend less.)

Until '08 I'd always believed the M's to be somewhat gaudy--too obvious may be the best way to describe it.

I don't like my cars to look like race cars, and I don't like them to feel like race cars when I'm not racing. IMO, there are plenty of subtle and some not-so-subtle cues that differentiate the current M3 from the 335's.

I guess I wouldn't care whether or not the guy standing on the sidewalk, who knows nothing about cars, knows I'm driving a beast. Anyone who follows cars would know immediately when an '08 M3 drove up, and if they've done any reading, they'd know it was a force to be reckoned with--chosen over AMG's and 911's, among others.

The most impressive part about the '08 M3 is not the performance specs. It's the level of refinement that has been achieved while retaining the exceptional performance. I'm not an engineer, but my guess is that achievement is more difficult than just building in some more brute force to reduce the 0-60 time.

I wish I had a red M3 coupe--maybe next time. For now, I'll enjoy my black 335xi sedan. And yes, the wife had a part in the sedan decision. She did let me go with the 335, instead of the 328, however. So, I consider it a reasonable compromise, not that I have anything against the 328.