The BMW 3 series is showing no signs of stopping. Its seamless and elegant design, minimalist yet industrial look, and raw charm will make any car enthusiast feel at the sight of its curves.

Celebrating its 40^th anniversary, Jalopnik chose to pit its readers against each other just to see which 3 series comes up front. They have their own choice of champion, which is the E46 CSL, since it has better suspension and lighter weight and has more power compared to a standard M3.

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Of course, readers turned into instant car experts and shelled out reasons as to why they chose their car. Many chose classic cars for the history attached to it, while some chose the newer ones for the fact that they were featured in the well-received racing game "Need for Speed: Most Wanted." Others, on the other hand, chose based on the sheer power of the car.

However, competition has never been harsher, with other car manufacturers clawing their way to the top of the automobile heirarchy. Audi has always been a strict competition for BMW, branching from the fact that they are both German in origin and their quality have always been above par, if not leveled with BMW. In terms of advertising, they have been rivals, always trying to outsmart each other through their slogans and billboards, sometimes even almost committing a transgression against the other. In their cars, the Audi A4 is said to have matched the 3 Series, with The Christian Science Monitor calling it a capable car with the right mix of plush and focused.

Tesla is also catching up quite quickly with their Model 3, which IB Times called as a smaller version of the Model S, which still does not have its specs readily available but will sport a price tag similar to petrol cars of its class. This means though that BMW should work even harder to remain the top choice of brand for a great car.

TagsBMW, audi, Tesla, 3 series