I think what many enthusiasts would consider as a proper “M” car no longer exists in the current line-up.
The engines and transmissions are no longer bespoke, and the “standard” cars like the M340i are so quick now, the situation is becoming one of diminishing returns.
Is my E90 M3 DCT an M in the classic sense? Absolutely. S65 not found anywhere in the standard line-up (just like the S85 for the M5 of the time) mated to a high-performance DCT that could do things a standard auto of the time simply couldn’t.
A 2020 M3? Not so sure. A tweaked B58 with an extra turbo mated to a stronger version of the 8 speed ZF found in everything from a 1-series up. Not to mention AWD.
But you can be certain that 2020 would SLAY my M3 in every performance metric. Sound and feel? That’s another matter
