The world is waiting with baited breath for BMW to release its new M3. So until they get their act together, let’s go back in time and see what is it that makes the M3 such a legend. The best way to do so is to drive all four previous generations of the German sports saloon back to back get to grips with the way they have evolved in the pas 40 years. It also gives you an idea on what to expect from the new version, due later this year.

Lucky for everybody, MotorTrend has the resources to put together and send them to the race track for a thorough test. Let’s join the action: