BMW M2 vs Audi RS 3

To automotive enthusiasts, a sports car like the 2023 BMW M2 is special. The modern car market is marching away in multiple directions from the purist driving experience. Be it autonomy or electrification, that driver-meets-car connection you get from a rear-wheel-drive, straight-six internal-combustion performance machine is feeling more and more like an endangered species.

Safety and creature comforts mean bigger, heavier cars. For a brand like BMW, the M2 is one of the last cars in its lineup that is even remotely close to the cars that put it on the map, like the legendary E30 M3. The 2023 BMW M2 has been completely redesigned, and it’s a more focused performance machine with bolder styling. It’s not the semi-sleeper that it once was. Is this more athletic, boisterous personality for the better?

The RS badge only accompanies the sportiest version of a given Audi model, as demonstrated for the 2025 Audi RS 3. It differentiates itself from the Audi A3 and S3 sedans with a unique engine, more sophisticated chassis tech, and bolder styling. The current-generation RS 3 was introduced for the 2022 model year, and for 2025 it gets updated chassis tuning that makes it even easier to drive fast, plus a subtle facelift.

Verdict: With its closest rival, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S, on the way out, the RS 3 is in a class of its own. It combines four-door practicality, sports car-rivalling performance, and an interior worthy of the Audi name. But you’ll pay a lot for all of that.