Model Years And Horsepower Explained

The BMW M3 represents the pinnacle of 3 Series performance, and thus, it traditionally features powerful engines. Automotive enthusiasts may quickly think of the BMW S54 straight-six engine under the hood of the iconic BMW M3 E46, but the S65 engine is no slouch either. Like all other BMW M Series engines, which are often a showcase for the brand’s engineering prowess and tuning capability, the S65 is a well-executed machine with numerous advanced features, including a cross-plane, forged-steel crankshaft, individual throttle bodies, ionic current knock sensing, and a double variable valve timing system (VANOS).

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Based on the 5.0-liter S85 V10 powering the BMW E60 M5 and noted for its soul-stirring exhaust note, the naturally aspirated S65 won multiple International Engine of the Year awards for the 3.0-4.0 liter category between 2008 and 2012. It was also the first and only V8 engine to be featured in a BMW M3,  debuting in 2007 in the 2008 BMW M3. It remained in production and in use in the fourth M3 generation through the 2013 model year, when it made way for the BMW S55 turbocharged straight-six engine.

The 4.0-liter S65B40 V8 made more power than any M3 engine prior, putting out 414 hp at 8,300 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm. At launch, the engine’s power was connected to the rear wheels by a close-ratio, six-speed manual transmission, with a seven-speed double-clutch option available soon after. In MotorTrend testing, a 2012 BMW M3 Sedan with the dual-clutch transmission ran to 60 mph in a reasonably quick 4.1 seconds.

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A more powerful version was available via the BMW M3 GTS Coupe, which is sadly one of the iconic BMW cars that never made it to the United States. Compared with the standard E90/E92/E93 M3 engine, the S65 V8 in the 2010-2011 M3 GTS, called the S65B44, featured a larger 4.4 liters of displacement along with other modifications that upped output to around 444 hp and 325 lb-ft. Top speed got majorly boosted in the GTS as well, rising from 155 mph in regular M3s to a whopping 190 mph. As you’d expect, it also shed a couple tenths of a second off the lower trim models’ 0-60 mph time, with the GTS able to dip below 4 seconds on the right day.