Yep, you're right, they're easy "tune-ability" for more power was also their downfall in many ways. The old E30 M3s you couldn't easily do that with, there was no cheap upgrade to 350bhp - when they were both new with 200bhp, both on 205 tyres on small wheels, both with semi trailing arm rear set up and Mac struts up front the mags concluded there was hardly anything in it on handling. I think a few mags even concluded the Sapphire rode better and was less snappy on the limit plus had better brakes and, for some, nicer steering.

I think if you did the same things to the legendary handling M3....dropped it in the weeds on chopped springs, mismatched dampers, gave it 500 spiky bhp it wouldn't enjoy the reputation it seems to have garnered now as one of the finest handling rwd cars of all time
I've driven a few and don't remember any Eureka moments - fun to drive but not head and shoulders above other stuff at the time like the Merc 2.5 and Sapphire - they have lasted well though down to ownership profiles and desireability

Anyone remember that CAR article from the late 90s where they went to Germany and bought a cheap M3? They tried a few modded ones and the journo likened one of the cheaper modded ones to handling like a pig on rollerskates

Thing is not many on here will remember any of these cars un-messed with as the makers sold them