2021 BMW M3: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

2 builds left the factory as a 2021 M3, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 2 main configurations sell for $54,995–$81,495 today.

2 main configurations
1,489 vehicles built
35 for sale right now
$54,995–$81,495 typical price range

Which M3 is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your M3

RWD WBS53AY0-M

3L 6-cyl, 473 hp, Automatic, Rear-wheel drive. 441 built.

$54,995 great deal $64,000 typical $75,977 top of market

Full specs, prices & VINs → 15 for sale · from $54,995 →
Most common — 70% of 2021 M3s

M3 Competition · RWD WBS33AY0-M

3L 6-cyl, 503 hp, Automatic, Rear-wheel drive. 1,048 built.

$61,800 great deal $76,497 typical $81,495 top of market

Full specs, prices & VINs → 20 for sale · from $61,800 →

What actually differs

	M3 Competition · RWD	RWD
Power	503 hp	473 hp
Typical price today	$76,497	$64,000
For sale right now	20	15
Vehicles built	1,048	441

Same on every 2021 M3

Engine 3L 6-cyl
Drivetrain Rear-wheel drive
Transmission Automatic
Fuel Gasoline
Body Sedan
Seats 5
Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

48 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026

M3 Competition · RWD

$76,497

RWD

$64,000

$53,345 $60,994 $68,643 $76,291 $83,940

Price trend

Median down $2,444 over the last 12 months.

2021 M3 price history →

Will it hold value?

A M3 typically keeps about 68% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $46,634 today.

M3 depreciation by year →

Cost to run

16/23 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,450/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2021 M3

Safety, in plain English

Driver assistance — every 2021 M3

✓ Warns you before a crash
✓ Watches your blind spot
✓ Warns when you drift from your lane

Decoded from NHTSA build records.

What WBS53AY0-M means

WBS 53AY0 · M

WBS: the World Manufacturer Identifier BMW registered — assembled in Germany
53AY0: together encode the M3 line — Sedan, 3L 6cyl, Rear-wheel drive — as BMW filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
M: in position 10 — model year 2021
9, 11–17: differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number

Already looking at a specific M3?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2021 BMW M3 prices →