The third car road-going version produced 195 bhp (145 kW; 198 PS) (catalyzed model). Evolution models (not sold in North America) continued with 2.3 liters but adopted revised exhaust-cam timing, increased compression along with the lack of a catalyst producing approximately 215 hp (160 kW). Later the Sport Evolution model production run of 600 (sometimes referred as Evolution III) increased engine displacement to 2.5 L and produced 238 hp (175 kW). 786 cabriolets were also produced, all by hand in BMW's Garching plant; at the time the 215 hp (160 kW) example was the world's fastest four-seat convertible.
Ezra Dyer of Automobile Magazine once suggested that "...car magazines generally regard the M3 the same way a four-year-old regards Santa Claus." Car and Driver praised the M3 so much that they placed the E90 M3 in first place in a comparison test against the Nissan GT-R and the Porsche 911 Turbo.
