BMW has been perfecting the M3 for 35 years and it shows as soon as you press the red starter button

I’M going to put it out there: 430 yards, 53 seconds, four stars out of five.

That was my best score, according to BMW’s on-board “M Drift analyser”.

I was actually tooling about doing donuts but nevertheless it shows how easy it is to make this car dance.

Especially when it’s got 510 horses, rear-wheel drive and a chassis as sparkly as Strictly’s glitterball.

Which brings me nicely to my next point: This is surely the last dance for the legendary BMW M3 super saloon and its younger sister, the M4 coupe.

The last ones without a plug anyway.

The march towards electrification means pure petrol performance cars such as these will soon be extinct.

Which is clearly why BMW has gone berserk: More power (up 60hp), more muscle, more technical kit and more choice.

For the first time ever we’ll see 4WD versions and a Touring estate.

Plus some rather lurid paint jobs by the look of it.

You like my M4 test car in highlighter yellow?

It used to be that M cars were fast and invisible, now it seems they’re fast and hi-vis.

How fast exactly?

Devastating.

One look at the stats will tell you that: 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 180mph, if you pay a bit extra.

Now for some driving impressions.

BMW has been perfecting the M3 for 35 years and it shows as soon as you press the red starter button.

The engine is simply magnificent.

Not only the thrust from that tricked-up 3-litre flat six but also the noise.

It makes me all tingly.

I found myself changing down an extra gear for a bend when I didn’t really need to.

The steering weight is just wonderful and the body control sublime.

But beware: You can’t relax in this car — not for a moment.

The back end is so twitchy on greasy roads it’s either concentrate or Code Brown, even when you’re on the way to Tesco.

That said, at 70mph on the motorway, everything is calm and quiet.

But if I’m totally honest, the xDrive all-wheel drive version would be my choice as a daily driver.

Now let’s have a poke around the interior.

Ah yes, nothing but the usual BMW excellence sprinkled with blobs of carbon, red shortcut buttons on the steering wheel, and the all-important M detailing.

Those carbon-fibre bucket seats are way more comfortable than they look.

The driver’s seat is fully adjustable and heated and has slots for a motorsport harness if you’re serious about tearing it up on a track day.

The problem is, they’re a £2,000 option on a car that’s already expensive at £75k.

You’ll need another £8k for carbon-ceramic brake discs.

Other observations.

Both cars roll on 19in wheels at the front and 20in at the back.

The standard carbon roof looks ace.

And I really don’t care about the Bug’s Bunny front grille that has divided opinion.

And, yes, maybe the ten-stage traction control system is a bit overkill.

You’re only ever going to switch it to zero to be a Ken Block hero.

But in a word, these cars are extraordinary.

We need to enjoy them while we can.

GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk