That’s a nice photo.
E9x M3, W204 C63, IS-F, or B7 RS4; there’s a legitimate case for each one: the finesse of a screaming RWD+manual trans, the brute force/brass knuckle, the humble, reliable companion/hassle-free underdog, or the gentleman’s all-season suit/AWD.
But I’m inclined to believe that generation of V8…

Incorrect figures.
If you want apples-to-apples, there are only 5867 E90 M3 4-doors in North America. Worldwide there are 9674. You used US numbers for the Toyota Lexus and worldwide numbers for the BMW.

Wrong. The only major technical differences are displacement and VVEL.

As mentioned above, BMW M-cars were once known for having engines equipped with ITBs. In fact, all their naturally aspirated models had ITBs (save for the US-spec E36 M3's S52 & S52 Z3M).

Here's a few recent ones:
S54B32 I-6 E46 M3 & E85/6 Z4M

What's in a name?

Jeremy Clarkson once called the BMW X3 a moron "in a family of geniuses".
But the first ever FWD BMW takes that title now.