It suits drivers who want an M car but are bringing a partner, colleagues or friends. Masons offers two M3s for car hire: this one has rear-wheel drive and factory suspension and exhaust, while the other is grey, with all-wheel drive and substantial modifications. This one is quieter, calmer in town and easier to live with day to day.

What the M3 Competition is good for

A typical weekend: two couples leave Prague after work on Friday with four weekend bags in the boot and are back on Sunday evening. Two adults sit comfortably in the back, the M sports seats up front hold you well on a longer drive, and the Harman Kardon sound system takes care of the music. With children, the rear doors make child seats much easier to manage.

For a working week in Prague the M3 behaves like an ordinary car: the office in the morning, a meeting across town in the afternoon, dinner with colleagues in the evening. Parking sensors help in tight office-building garages, and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto handles navigation and calls. On Friday afternoon the same car takes the family to the country cottage.

The third situation is purely practical. You would like a sports coupé, but there are three or four of you, or you are driving parents who find it awkward to climb into a two-door car. Here the rear doors decide it, and the M3 has them.

In practice: seats, luggage and drive

There are five seats inside. Two adults travel comfortably in the back even on a two-hour journey, while the middle seat is better for shorter hops. The boot takes weekend luggage for four; for a longer holiday, bring soft bags rather than large hard-shell suitcases. Under the bonnet is a three-litre twin-turbo straight-six with 510 hp, paired with an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic.

This M3 is driven by the rear wheels alone. In the dry that is fine, but on wet roads, fallen leaves and cold tarmac the rear of the car can step out easily, so apply the throttle gradually and leave the stability systems on. The adaptive M suspension can be switched to a softer setting that suits Prague's cobbles and tram tracks. In length the M3 is an ordinary mid-size saloon and fits underground car parks without trouble; just watch the low front bumper at high kerbs. It runs on petrol, and fuel consumption climbs quickly when you drive briskly.

Where to take the M3 Competition from Prague

For a full-day trip with four on board, head to Litomyšl. From Prague take the D11 motorway to Hradec Králové, then continue via Holice and Vysoké Mýto, about 2 hours in total. Most of the route is motorway and wide main roads, which is easy on the rear passengers, while the driver gets flowing country roads in the second half. In Litomyšl, park near the centre and walk to Smetana Square (Smetanovo náměstí) with its arcades and up to the Renaissance château, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The composer Bedřich Smetana was born in the château brewery, and the flat where he was born is now a museum. The Smetanova Litomyšl festival runs in June and July, so if you plan to stay overnight, book accommodation early. On the way back, stop for coffee on the main square (Velké náměstí) in Hradec Králové.

M3 Competition or BMW M3 Competition M xDrive?

Both M3s have five seats, four doors and the same boot; they differ in drive and character. This rear-wheel-drive car in factory spec suits spring, summer and autumn, a week in Prague and family trips where a quieter sound and normal ride height are welcome. Take the M3 M xDrive for a winter trip to the mountains or when you cannot tell what the weather will do: all-wheel drive keeps the car more secure in the wet and on snow. Bear in mind that its Akrapovič exhaust makes it louder and its H&R springs make it lower, so it needs more care at kerbs and ramps.