BMW E90 M3 Sedan (S65 V8)
The E90 M3 sedan is the rare four-door M3 — the S65 V8 with proper rear doors. Here's what's unique to the sedan, what it shares with the coupe, and how to buy one well.
The short version
- The E90 M3 sedan (2008–2011) is the four-door S65 V8 M3 — a rare practical M car.
- Shares the 4.0 S65 V8, chassis and gearboxes with the E92 coupe and E93 convertible.
- Same ownership considerations: rod bearings and throttle actuators above all.
- Manual or 7-speed DCT — both offered; pick on preference, maintain either properly.
- Often a touch better value than the coupe, with everyday four-door usability.
For a few years the M3 was available as a four-door sedan — the E90 — alongside the E92 coupe and E93 convertible. It pairs the screaming S65 V8 with sedan practicality, making it one of the most usable M cars of its era and a slightly under-the-radar choice next to the more celebrated coupe.
What Makes It Special
A high-revving V8 in a practical four-door.
The S65 is a naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre V8 that revs past 8,000 rpm — an engine with no turbo lag and a glorious top end, sharing its design philosophy with the M5's V10. In the E90 body you get all of that with four doors and proper rear access: the family-friendly M3. It's rarer than the coupe, and for a certain kind of enthusiast that subtlety is the whole appeal.
Shared S65 Ownership Notes
Mechanically identical to the coupe — same care required.
Because it shares the S65 with the E92/E93, the E90 M3 carries the same well-known considerations: rod bearings (many owners replace them preventively as cheap insurance against a known weak point) and throttle actuators, plus higher oil consumption, 10W-60 oil and pricier, more frequent servicing than a regular E90. It's a proper M car to budget for. The full breakdown lives on our M3 problems page.
Manual vs DCT
Both were offered — choose on feel.
The E90 M3 came with a 6-speed manual or the 7-speed M-DCT dual-clutch. The manual is the purist's pick and simple; the DCT is faster-shifting and increasingly appreciated, but wants its fluid/clutch maintenance kept up. Neither is "more reliable" in a way that should decide it — buy the one you enjoy and check its service history.
FAQ
Did BMW make an E90 M3 sedan?
Yes — the E90 M3 sedan was produced from 2008 to 2011, alongside the E92 coupe and E93 convertible, all powered by the S65 V8. It's the four-door M3 of that generation.
Is the sedan M3 the same as the coupe mechanically?
Essentially yes — same S65 V8, chassis and gearbox options. The differences are the four-door body and its practicality; the engine and its ownership considerations are identical.
What are the main S65 issues?
Rod bearings are the headline (many owners replace them preventively), along with throttle actuators, higher oil consumption and more demanding servicing. None of it is a dealbreaker on a well-maintained car — history is what matters. See our M3 problems page.
Manual or DCT for the E90 M3?
Both were offered. The manual is the purist choice and simple; the DCT shifts faster and is well-liked but needs its maintenance kept up. Pick on driving preference rather than reliability.
Is the E90 M3 sedan a good value?
Often it's slightly better value than the equivalent coupe, while adding four-door usability — making it an appealing, understated way into S65 M3 ownership. Buy on condition and history.
The Bottom Line
The E90 M3 sedan is a special thing — a high-revving S65 V8 wrapped in a practical four-door, rarer and often better value than the coupe. Treat it as the proper M car it is: buy on history, mind the rod bearings and throttle actuators, and enjoy one of BMW's all-time great engines. More: the M3 problems guide, sedan vs coupe, and the E90 hub.