Verdict
At RM846,800 against RM1,188,000, the BMW M3 is the performance-led choice: 503 hp, 650 Nm and all-wheel drive cut 0-100 km/h to 3.5 seconds, 1.5 seconds ahead of the Lexus LS. The LS counters with a 268-mm longer body, a 3,125-mm wheelbase and proper rear-seat hardware, including heated and ventilated 18-way seats. Its rated 9.5 L/100 km economy is better, though annual road tax is RM4,133 versus RM2,113. Malaysian buyers who drive themselves should take the M3; chauffeur-oriented owners should pay for the LS.
M3
Pick the BMW M3 if a 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time, 503 hp and all-wheel-drive traction matter more than rear-seat luxury.
LS
Pick the Lexus LS if you want the longer 3,125-mm-wheelbase sedan with heated, ventilated and massaging seats front and rear.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M3 RM846,800; Lexus LS RM1,188,000.
- Power: BMW M3 503 hp; Lexus LS 415 hp.
- 0-100 km/h: BMW M3 3.5 seconds; Lexus LS 5.0 seconds.
- Driveline: BMW M3 all-wheel drive; Lexus LS rear-wheel drive.
- Wheelbase: BMW M3 2,857 mm; Lexus LS 3,125 mm.
- Airbags: BMW M3 six; Lexus LS 10.
M3
- 503 hp and 650 Nm with all-wheel drive.
- 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time.
- Laser headlamps and automatic parking with reversing assist.
- Shorter 2,857-mm wheelbase versus the LS's 3,125 mm.
- Six airbags versus 10 in the LS.
- Single-zone rear climate control versus dual-zone rear climate control.
LS
- Heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, plus heated and ventilated rear seats.
- 10 airbags, steering-correction lane keeping and adaptive cruise control.
- Better rated economy at 9.5 L/100 km versus 10.1 L/100 km.
- 415 hp and a 5.0-second 0-100 km/h time trail the M3's 503 hp and 3.5 seconds.
- 2,155 kg kerb weight is 300 kg above the M3.
- No automatic parking, while the M3 parks in parallel and perpendicular spaces.
| 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 at 6,250 rpm✓ | 415 hp at 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 650 Nm at 2,750 rpm✓ | 600 Nm at 1,600 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 6 | V 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 84 mm × 90 mm | 85.5 mm × 100 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 | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 10 (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 | 3 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 M3 is better for the driver, with 88 hp more, all-wheel drive and a 1.5-second quicker 0-100 km/h time. The LS is better for rear passengers, with a longer wheelbase, powered rear seats and rear climate control.
What is the price difference?
The Lexus LS costs RM341,200 more than the BMW M3. Its annual road tax is also RM2,020 higher.
Which is better for rear-seat passengers?
The Lexus LS is the clear rear-seat car. It has a 3,125-mm wheelbase, 18-way powered rear seats with heating and ventilation, a rear touchscreen, powered sunshades and dual-zone rear air conditioning.