BMW M3 vs Mercedes-Benz CLE
Verdict
The BMW M3 is the serious performance play: 503 hp, 650 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds put it well clear of the Mercedes-Benz CLE’s 255 hp, 400 Nm and 6.2-second sprint. But the Mercedes-Benz CLE costs RM518,888 against the BMW M3’s RM837,800, a RM318,912 gap, and it answers with a 23 hp electric motor, longer factory warranty, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. For Malaysia, this is pace and four-door practicality versus cost, comfort kit and lower road tax.
M3
Pick the BMW M3 if you want the far quicker car, need four doors and five seats, and will use its M-specific chassis hardware.
CLE
Pick the Mercedes-Benz CLE if you want the lower purchase price, longer warranty, coupe body and stronger comfort equipment on paper.
Key differences
- Power: BMW M3 503 hp, Mercedes-Benz CLE 255 hp
- Torque: BMW M3 650 Nm, Mercedes-Benz CLE 400 Nm
- 0-100 km/h: BMW M3 3.5 seconds, Mercedes-Benz CLE 6.2 seconds
- Road tax: BMW M3 RM2,113/year, Mercedes-Benz CLE RM380/year
- Body and seating: BMW M3 4-door sedan with 5 seats, Mercedes-Benz CLE 2-door coupe with 4 seats
- Warranty: BMW M3 2-year factory/5-year extended, Mercedes-Benz CLE 4-year factory/6-year extended
M3
- Much stronger 503 hp and 650 Nm output
- Quicker 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time
- Four doors, five seats and a 480-litre boot
- Costs RM318,912 more
- Higher RM2,113 yearly road tax
- Shorter 2-year factory warranty
CLE
- Lower RM518,888 price and RM380 yearly road tax
- Longer 4-year factory and 6-year extended warranty
- Adds adaptive cruise control, steering-correction lane keep and a 360-degree camera
- Far slower at 6.2 seconds to 100 km/h
- Only two doors, four seats and a 460-litre boot
- Rear brakes are solid discs versus the BMW M3’s ventilated cross-drilled discs
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 837,800 | RM 518,888✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Compact Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 2,993 cc | 1,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 503 hp✓ | 255 hp |
| Torque | 650 Nm✓ | 400 Nm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline | Inline |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore | 84 mm | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.3 | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 23 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 205 Nm |
| Battery Type | — | Lithium-ion |
| Battery Capacity | — | 1 kWh |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 8-speed M Steptronic Transmission with Drivelogic | 9G-Tronic |
| Gears | 8 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds✓ | 6.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 10.1 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | 230 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,794 mm | 4,850 mm |
| Width | 1,903 mm | 1,860 mm |
| Height | 1,433 mm | 1,428 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 2,865 mm |
| Weight | 1,855 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | 59 litres | 66 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 2 |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Boot Space | 480 litres✓ | 460 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/35R19 | 245/40R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 285/30R20 | 275/35R19 |
| Spare Tyre | — | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Pilot Super Sport Run-flat | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 Run-flat |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Germany (CBU) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-link |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 19" Double-spoke Style 826 M Two-tone Forged Alloy | 19" AMG Multi-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Double-spoke Style 826 M Two-tone Forged Alloy | 19" AMG Multi-spoke Alloys |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated Cross-drilled Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Ventilated Cross-drilled Disc | Solid Disc |
| 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 | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Centre Airbag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 4 Three-point with Illumination and Front Belt Feeder |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats | Available for Rear 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 | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Attentiveness Assistant, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Rear Collision Prevention, Active Protection | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Laser Projectors with Auto High Beam | Digital Light Matrix LEDs |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings, Heating & Ventilation |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | Front, Tilt and Slide | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Boot, 2 Front USB-C, 2 Rear USB-C | 1 Front, 2 Front USB, 2 Rear USB, 1 Wireless Charger |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (11 Colours) | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Sunroof Shade |
| 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 | 11.9" Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Voice Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 17-Speaker Burmester Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Two 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 | Contactless Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, for Parallel and Perpendicular Parking, with Reversing Assist | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 4 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years | 6 years✓ |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 2,113 | RM 380✓ |
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.
M3 vs CLE FAQ
Is the BMW M3 or Mercedes-Benz CLE better?
The BMW M3 is better for performance and practicality, with 503 hp, 3.5-second 0-100 km/h pace, four doors and five seats. The Mercedes-Benz CLE is better for lower cost, longer warranty and comfort equipment.
What is the price difference?
The BMW M3 costs RM318,912 more than the Mercedes-Benz CLE. That gap buys far more power, quicker acceleration, a larger boot and M-specific chassis hardware, but the Mercedes-Benz CLE has lower road tax and a longer warranty.
Which one is more practical for daily use?
The BMW M3 is the more practical daily car on paper, with four doors, five seats and 480 litres of boot space. The Mercedes-Benz CLE has two doors, four seats and a 460-litre boot.