As the sun eased a notch above the horizon, a cool East Texas morning came into a bright, sharp-edged focus.

Atop a high hill, it seemed as if I could see forever. The road was a long black ribbon, empty and inviting. No dogs roamed the ditches, no deer lurked in the tree line.

For one brief, glorious moment, I could finally punch the throttle on the 2008 BMW M3, a nimble, yet muscular machine that can comfortably lope across the countryside while it begs to go faster, faster, faster.

In a blue flash, I decided to go for it. Quicker than I could think that t...

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