Have you got it all out of your system? Okay, here goes. These are the official pictures of the 2021 G80 BMW M3 and I know some of you might be appalled by the very controversial looks but I’m kinda digging it.

Settle down, put down your pitchforks and torches, and let me explain. Yesterday, I wrote a short article on the leaked photos of the G80 M3 and the G84 M4 and matched the looks of the front with a deranged rodent.

At first, I have to admit that it does look like a rabid rabbit or the Pokemon Raticate, but the looks are getting on to me. The heat extractions on the hood make it look like an angry boi and that long vertical grille has some menacing undertones. I think the front looks better on the G84 M4 which is also launched today.

The mad looks of the G80 M3 match well with its performance figure. Just like the M4, the M3 comes in 2 variants with 2 different power outputs. There is the base M3 which has a maximum power output of 480 PS and 550 Nm. This is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and is available with rear-wheel drive. It runs the century sprint from rest in 4.2 seconds.

Then, there is the M3 Competition with a max power output of 510 PS and 610 Nm. This is mated to an 8-speed DCT gearbox with a real-wheel drive or an optional all-wheel drive. It does 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.

Both variants are powered by a 3.0-litre inline-6 engine with 2 turbochargers, optimised direct injection, and an exhaust system with electrically operated flaps for an “emotionally stirring engine soundtrack”. Top speed is 290 km/h for both cars.

As the M3 is a performance car, there are some features for those who want to show off their mad driving skills. There is the M Mode button which allows the driver to select from Road, Sport, and the optional Track mode and M buttons on the steering wheel for easy set-up and access.

Then there’s the M Drive Professional which records the lap time – which can be uploaded through an iPhone app and even a drift analyser which notes down the time duration, line, and angle of the driver’s drift.

There are also M Performance parts available for the G80 M3 if you want to add a bit more sauerkraut to your Bavarian monster.

Now, back to the looks. Yes, it is perplexing but like what we have written before back when the G22 4-Series was launched, if it had sported a regular kidney grille, it would just look generic. BMW had done some controversial design choices for some of their models in the past.

The most significant example would be the E60 M5. It replaced the sleek E39 M5 with a bloated Bangle-designed body. But it had a V10 engine underneath and for the lucky North Americans, they could get one with a 6-speed manual.

It was a controversial design when it was launched 15 years ago, but today, some see the E60 M5 as a modern classic. The same could be said for the G80 M3, it’s a mad car with madder looks and maddening performance.

If you’re not mad with the design, the G80 M3 is set for a global market launch from March 2021.