Verdict
The BMW M3 costs RM846,800 to the Lexus LS’s RM1,188,000, leaving RM341,200 in the buyer’s pocket. Its 503 hp, 650 Nm and 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time make it the clear performance choice, aided by all-wheel drive and selectable 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD modes. The LS counters with a 268 mm longer wheelbase, air suspension, deeply adjustable heated, ventilated and massaging seats, plus a five-year warranty. For Malaysian owner-driven use, the M3 is the sharper numerical case; the LS is for rear-seat comfort and luxury equipment.
M3
Pick the BMW M3 if 503 hp, 3.5-second 0-100 km/h acceleration and all-wheel drive matter more than rear-cabin indulgence.
LS
Pick the Lexus LS if you want the 3,125 mm wheelbase, air suspension and powered, heated and ventilated rear seats with a rear touchscreen.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M3 RM846,800; Lexus LS RM1,188,000.
- Performance: BMW M3 503 hp, 650 Nm and 3.5 seconds to 100 km/h; Lexus LS 415 hp, 600 Nm and 5.0 seconds.
- Driveline: BMW M3 all-wheel drive with 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD modes; Lexus LS rear-wheel drive.
- Size: BMW M3 is 4,794 mm long with a 2,857 mm wheelbase; Lexus LS is 5,235 mm long with a 3,125 mm wheelbase.
- Suspension: BMW M3 has Adaptive M Suspension; Lexus LS has Adaptive Variable Suspension with air suspension front and rear.
- Warranty and road tax: BMW M3 has a two-year warranty and RM2,113 annual road tax; Lexus LS has a five-year warranty and RM4,133 annual road tax.
M3
- 503 hp and 650 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds.
- All-wheel drive with selectable 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD modes.
- 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and four USB-C ports.
- Only a two-year manufacturer warranty versus the Lexus LS’s five years.
- Passive cruise control versus adaptive cruise control in the Lexus LS.
- No rear-seat heating, ventilation, touchscreen or powered rear sun shades.
LS
- Air suspension front and rear, plus a 3,125 mm wheelbase.
- 28-way front and 18-way rear seats with heating, ventilation and massage.
- Five-year unlimited-mileage warranty and adaptive cruise control.
- 415 hp and 5.0-second 0-100 km/h performance trail the M3’s 503 hp and 3.5 seconds.
- Rear-wheel drive only, against the M3’s all-wheel drive and selectable drive modes.
- RM4,133 annual road tax is RM2,020 higher than the M3’s.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM846,800✓ | RM1,188,000 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM2,113✓ | RM4,133 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 24-valve DOHC, twin-turbocharged with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 2,993 cc | 3,445 cc |
| Horsepower | 503 hp✓ | 415 hp |
| Torque | 650 Nm✓ | 600 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 84 mm | 85.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.3 | 10.476 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 8-speed M Steptronic Transmission with Drivelogic | 10-Speed Direct Shift |
| Gears | 8 | 10 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Aisin |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds✓ | 5 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 10.1 L/100 km | 9.5 L/100 km✓ |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | 230 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,794 mm | 5,235 mm |
| Width | 1,903 mm | 1,900 mm |
| Height | 1,433 mm | 1,450 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 3,125 mm |
| Weight | 1,855 kg | 2,155 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 59 litres | 82 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 480 litres | 480 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/35R19 | 245/45RF20 |
| Rear Tyre | 285/30R20 | 245/45RF20 |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Pilot Super Sport Run-flat | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 19" Double-spoke Style 826 M Two-tone Forged Alloy | 20" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Double-spoke Style 826 M Two-tone Forged Alloy | 20" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive M Suspension, Active M Differential, 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD Modes | Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Front Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | — |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats | Available on two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, with Pedestrian Detection (5 km/h to 80 km/h) | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Warning Only | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | For All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Attentiveness Assistant, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Rear Collision Prevention, Active Protection | Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) with Auto Brake and Rear Pedestrian Detection with Auto Brake |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Laser Projectors with Auto High Beam | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function | 28-way Power Adjustable Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation and Massage |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 18-way Power Adjustable Seats with Centre Armrest, Rear Touchscreen, Heating and Ventilation |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System with Lexus Climate Concierge |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System with Lexus Climate Concierge |
| Sunroof | Front, Tilt and Slide | Front, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Boot, 2 Front USB-C, 2 Rear USB-C | 1 Front, 2 Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (11 Colours) | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Powered Rear Sun Shade and Rear Door Window Shades |
| Audio | BMW Live Cockpit Professional with 10.25" Touchscreen, iDrive Controller, Voice Control, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto and 12-speaker 360W Harman Kardon Sound System | 12.3" Display with Lexus Remote Touch Controller, Navigation, USB, Bluetooth, WiFi and Pioneer 12-speaker Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Smartphone Key and Proximity Auto Lock/Unlock | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Opening | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with Panoramic View Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, for Parallel and Perpendicular Parking, with Reversing Assist | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Soft close function, all doors |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | Qi Wireless Charger, BMW ConnectedDrive, Concierge Service | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years | — |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used M3 & LS for sale
M3 vs LS FAQ
Is the BMW M3 or Lexus LS better?
The BMW M3 is better for outright pace, with 503 hp, 650 Nm and a 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time. The Lexus LS is better for chauffeur-style comfort, with air suspension, a longer wheelbase and extensively powered rear seating.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LS costs RM341,200 more than the BMW M3. That gap brings air suspension, much more elaborate front and rear seating, powered rear sun shades and a five-year rather than two-year manufacturer warranty.
Which has lower running costs on paper?
The BMW M3 has the lower annual road tax at RM2,113 versus RM4,133 for the Lexus LS, and its rated fuel economy is 10.1 L/100 km against 9.5 L/100 km for the LS. The Lexus uses less rated fuel but costs more in road tax.