Driving the latest cars is one of those jobs that prompt people to offer to assist me in my work.

Of course, these are fairweather assistants. Their helpfulness depends on the vehicle I’m driving.

There are weeks when I test-drive minivans. Trust me; there aren’t any offers to help out, although a few parents volunteered to send their kids over to give the test a more realistic feel. So far, I’ve resisted the temptation to say yes.

Then, there are the weeks like last week, when a BMW M3 is on the schedule. Suddenly, many requests are made to lend a hand.

Not that I can blame them. Even the most jaded automotive scribe gets weak in the knees at the thought of piloting the ultimate driving machine from the company that makes ultimate driving machines: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.

Now, if you’re not a car person, you’re probably wondering what the fuss is about.

Here’s the shorthand: a 414-horsepower V8 engine under the hood of a rear-wheel-drive car 3 inches longer than a Toyota Corolla.

Yum.

Zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.

Even yummier.

While it comes as a sedan, with a base price of $54,575, or a coupe, with a base price of $57,275, BMW sent the convertible, $65,725, for the test drive.

Merely approaching such a car fills you with anticipation similar to that felt by an 8-year-old on Christmas Eve.

Open the door and, with a bit of agility, you’ll find yourself nestled in a snug bucket seat.

Like with so many great performance cars, you don’t sit in the M3; you strap it on. If you don’t feel like a fighter pilot right away, you will after hitting the starter button.

That’s when the throaty rumble of the V8 signifies that it’s ready to rumble. The car seems to vibrate like a caged cat, and its cabin fills with sound of eight cylinders, enhanced by the aroma of exquisite leather.

Mmmmmmmm.

But before we get under way, a word about the transmissions. Two are offered: a Getrag-built six-speed manual or an optional seven-speed double-clutch transmission. No doubt, the manual transmission is sweet. But for those who don’t like the dance of the pedals, the double-clutch operates like a sequential manual transmission, allowing for manual shifts without a clutch pedal.

The double-clutch transmission has two clutches — one that actuates the current shift and another that anticipates and prepares your next shift. It’s quick, smooth and impressive. There is an automatic mode, but it feels unhappy. Best to shift for yourself.

Besides, that way you can better enjoy the sweet reserve of power that’s available beneath your right foot. Let’s just say it’s quick — quick enough to press any common sense out of your fuzzy gray matter. (My advice? Wear earplugs to keep it from dripping on the leather upholstery.)

Is it fast? Even if good sense intrudes or law enforcement appears, know that toddling along serenely at 25 mph sounds like an F1 racer tackling an apex.

And it’s this car’s feel that makes it the standard against which all sports sedans are measured.

Its responsiveness will make you wonder whether the car has somehow leached onto your own body’s synapses. Its steering is perfectly weighted, responsive and quick. The throttle takes some effort to use but is exquisitely responsive. Shift action is smooth and quick. Cornering behavior is just what you’d expect; there’s no body lean. Grip is impressive.

And it sounds sinfully good. So good, in fact, that you’ll spend the next millennia in church begging forgiveness for having too much fun.

Yes, it comes at a price: There’s enough noise to drown out the radio. Thoughtfully, BMW has a speed-compensating volume button on the center console, just in front of the shifter. It allows the audio system to automatically raise the volume as speed increases. It’s needed. It’s the only way you’ll ever hear the excellent audio system.

Yes, the car also had iDrive, BMW’s joystick that controls audio, entertainment, navigation and cell phones.

And yes, the whole experience was enhanced by the retractable hardtop, which folds into the truck quickly even as it diminishes the trunk’s 12.4 cubic feet of space by about 40 percent. Pack lightly.

This isn’t a car: It’s a mobile missile.

By the time you arrive at your destination, you’ll have had quite a thrill ride. Do yourself a favor: Get out and walk around the car. Admire its hunkered-down stance, fender flares and bulging hood.

Then you’ll find it easier to swallow the price tag.

The test car was $50 shy of $65,000. Options such as the dual-clutch transmission for $2,700, extended leather trim for $1,100, blue metallic paint for $475, cold-weather package for $750, premium package for $1,250, technology package for $3,250, 19-inch wheels for $1,200, alarm pre-wiring for $350, a slew of audio system upgrades for $3,245, a gas guzzler tax of $1,700 and a destination charge brought this car’s bottom line to $81,745.

That’s pricey in this era of withering stock portfolios.

The only gripe? The steering wheel blocked the top of the speedometer. That can be dangerous to your driving record in a car with so much power.

But if you can afford it, you’ll find this car is easy to live with every day. It satisfies in a way few cars can. And while other luxury brands have awesome performance lines — Mercedes-Benz AMG line, Cadillac’s V-Series, Audi’s S-line just to name a few — this is the car that they all use as a benchmark.

No wonder.

So if you have the green, go for the M3.

As for me, well, it was just another week at the office.BMW M3

What we say: Mmmmmmm.

Pro: Everything . . .

Con: . . . except the price.

Stats

Engine: 4-liter V-8.

Wheelbase: 108.7 inches.

Length: 181.8 inches.

Weight: 4,145 pounds.

Cargo space: 7.4-12.4 cubic feet.

EPA rating (city/highway): 14/20 mpg.

Fuel consumption as tested: 16 mpg.

Fuel type: Premium unleaded.

Base price: $64,950.

As tested: $81,745.