very nice... and the production model will basically be the same as the concept.

v10 derived v8 expected to produce 425-450 hp.

http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/bmw_m3_concept.asp
http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmw-m3.html

3/6/2007 3:01:28 PM

Sexy... all except for the hood pimple.

3/6/2007 3:06:11 PM

ok... didn't they make the 5L v10 from the 4L v8 and now you're claiming this V8 is based off the v10?

that seems like driving around your ass to get.... well back to wherever that saying starts...

btw... its going to need it now that the mustang cobra has 500hp.


[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 3:13 PM. Reason : .]

3/6/2007 3:12:23 PM

is this really in the same class as a shelby?

3/6/2007 3:28:22 PM

its what a 50-60 k high hp sports car... yeah i'd say it is.

and now 20 people are going to chime in and say a shelby can't handle like an m3.
and they would be right being that it has an iron slug under the hood but..
how many of these cars will ever see a road course or even get near their limits?
on the street they're very similar cars just depends on the image you want.
and to people like me for which image doesn't matter... hp/weight usually wins.

3/6/2007 3:34:47 PM

thats a smooth looking car

3/6/2007 3:40:10 PM

tail lights are ass ugly

I hate it when the lights are part of the trunk, they very rarely look good unless they are the same size thickness

it gets smaller on the trunk that looks bad

[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 3:48 PM. Reason : ]

3/6/2007 3:47:25 PM

you have to admit though... the fenders are SEXXXX..

3/6/2007 3:50:15 PM

looks like a G35 from the rear.

3/6/2007 3:54:55 PM

^i dont see any resemblance

I sure hope they have LED tails too, it doesnt look like it does

3/6/2007 3:56:00 PM

I can see it a little i'm thinking more the Z350 but its cause of the hips and rounded rear end... nothing else.(you have to completely ignore surface details like lights etc and just the over all shape)
and even then that crease throws it way off.
+this car is wider to start with so it looks more like a wide body conversion rather than a little car with big hips.

[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 4:03 PM. Reason : .]

3/6/2007 4:02:40 PM

I don't like it.
Ahmet

3/6/2007 4:12:26 PM

the body and lights are from 335i coupe, with the extra bulges and stuff.

if you don't like the 335i's lights, you won't like them here either.

i do agree with this:

Quote :

"I hate it when the lights are part of the trunk, they very rarely look good unless they are the same size thickness it gets smaller on the trunk that looks bad"

yeah, why couldn't they have the thing on the trunk as on the body???

still, they do look a lot better than the regular 3-series tail light (which are nasty), and the 5-series tail lights, which are nasty too (red on top looks a lot better than white on top, and shape is a lot better than the trapezoidal Kia-ish 5-series tail lights)




interior:

3/6/2007 4:15:26 PM

since when did you like 2 dr m3's anyhow?

3/6/2007 4:15:45 PM

Anyone confirm if they have LED tail lights?

3/6/2007 4:17:52 PM

those steering wheels feel awesome but get shredded under regular use.

3/6/2007 4:37:40 PM

looks kinda out of place also.

i guess the claim/case could be made for it to be in the same class as a shelby. i see the m3 as more of a luxery+performance car though.

3/6/2007 4:40:59 PM

nice, but pushing the limits of getting gawdy

3/6/2007 4:52:18 PM

M3 was never about raw power. if you read BMW M engineering moto or core values, their #1 priority is car's dynamics and agility. EVERYTHING else comes after.

3/6/2007 5:24:11 PM

Quote :

"and now 20 people are going to chime in and say a shelby can't handle like an m3. and they would be right being that it has an iron slug under the hood but.. how many of these cars will ever see a road course or even get near their limits? on the street they're very similar cars just depends on the image you want. and to people like me for which image doesn't matter... hp/weight usually wins."

actually a lot....i've seen many E46 M3's on track...and i would not be surprised to see a lot of E92 M3's either...

3/6/2007 5:33:15 PM

compared to the number made though?


#1 is to sell cars... there motto is marketing
yes i know every bmw has left the factory with an almost perfect weight distribution
all i'm saying is if i was planning on dropping 55-65k on a car... they would both be on my list.

[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 5:34 PM. Reason : .]

3/6/2007 5:33:45 PM

Quote :

"their #1 priority is car's dynamics and agility"

that might have been true back in the day of the e30m3- certainly a much harder argument to make ever since.

e36m3 curb weight: 3150
e46m3: 3400+

That hardly seems like numbers of a company making dynamics and agility a priority.

I would say that the M cars are pretty good at delivering a solid package without much of a compromise.
Above average in nearly every category when compared to competition- but certainly not prioritizing or dominating in any one.
Good styling, power, brakes, agility, steering feel, refinement, ride quality, practicality, gas mileage, etc.

3/6/2007 5:47:09 PM

whats the E92 weigh, bitches?

3/6/2007 6:15:24 PM

I dunno if an officially number has been published? I'd guess somewhere around 3700 lbs

3/6/2007 7:10:21 PM

will it come in a 4-door model?

will m3 ever come in a 4-door model again?

3/6/2007 7:40:02 PM

Quote :

"that might have been true back in the day of the e30m3- certainly a much harder argument to make ever since."

well, yeah it's not an E30 M3, but lightness is not the only thing that factors into agility and dynamics. E36 had better brakes, better, more advanced suspension geometry, great I-6. E46 even more so. i dont have the experience on the track, but dont you think that properly set up E46 M3 would still be the most responsive (feedback wise) and fastest car around the track of all 3 generations?

you also have to take into the equation that it is not only the M3 that gained weight over time, competitors did too. car would simply not sell without airbags, sound insulation, impact material and other safety equipment. i dont think it is arguable that in its domain the M3 is still unbeatable, and at the same time being a jack of all trades, like you insinuated.

when they say agility, you have to remember they are not producing a highly specialized car like lotus exige or something extreme in that sense. agile and dynamic in the market where trunk and ride quality are still there.

[Edited on March 6, 2007 at 7:50 PM. Reason : .]

3/6/2007 7:43:29 PM

Quote :

"will it come in a 4-door model? "

yes

Quote :

"will m3 ever come in a 4-door model again?"

yes
^some good points, just bitching

3/6/2007 7:53:37 PM

Damn.... i cant wait to get back to my co-op and see the real thing. Looks sweet so far.

3/6/2007 7:54:52 PM

....It would do

3/6/2007 10:41:45 PM

Quote :

"Anyone confirm if they have LED tail lights?"

it does. all the new models will.

3/6/2007 10:50:27 PM

I'd drive one, but would rather have one of those Z4 M Coupes.

3/7/2007 8:22:12 AM

possible colors

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50124

3/7/2007 9:08:05 AM

white,burnt orange and lime look the best imho

3/7/2007 9:09:28 AM

Here it actually looks descent;


And no I've never liked the 2 door M3s. I'm thinking about an e46 M3, but pipe dreams are nice to have.
Ahmet

3/7/2007 1:45:21 PM

Quote :

"ok... didn't they make the 5L v10 from the 4L v8 "

No

This car is too big, too heavy, and too bland. I'm hating more and more what BMWs are turning into.

3/7/2007 1:52:20 PM

^ I complete agree. Yet another lifeless BMW rolling off the line. They've apparently just said to hell with heritage and started over. Haven't seen a BMW that had IT since this whole new design direction started what, 6 years ago?

They are just devolving more and more into the Land Rover mantra of "if we built it, yuppies will buy it" which makes a lot of financial sense, but still a shame.

3/7/2007 4:08:19 PM

I don't like it very much at first look. I'm sure it will grow on me though. It just doesn't have that mean powerful look of the last two M3's.

edit:
the mid portion kinda looks like a mercedes (CL maybe?) coupe also.

[Edited on March 7, 2007 at 4:24 PM. Reason : asdf]

3/7/2007 4:22:43 PM

they couldn't even come up with new wheels...had to use the ones from the E46 CSL

3/7/2007 4:28:30 PM

^^Have you seen a new 335i coupe in person? Its a BIG coupe. I mean, whats the point?

I guess we'll have to wait for a M version of the 1 Series to get something similar to the M3s of old

3/7/2007 6:34:08 PM

it'll grow on you all. give it time.

3/7/2007 7:36:27 PM

won't happen, because they won't be able to call it M1.

it already exists, but without the M1 badge:

BMW 130i with a 265 hp engine.
BMW 135ti, to be unveiled soon, with the 306 hp engine from the 335i.

Both will come to the US, but it is not clear if they will come as 5-door or 3-door models.

Here are spy pics of the 135ti:

3-door:
http://www.worldcarfans.com/rsslink.cfm/article/6060919.003/bmw/spy-photos-bmw-135ti-3-door-hatch

5-door:
http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/country/gcf/spyphotoID/6060816.004/bmw/spy-photos-bmw-135ti

3/7/2007 7:39:07 PM

the new m3 is fucking ugly

3/7/2007 8:45:18 PM

video

http://www.worldcarfans.com/videos.cfm/country/gcf/videoID/4070307.003/bmw/video-new-bmw-m3-concept

3/7/2007 8:55:20 PM

i want the fucking badge on the back. no shaved shit. let it be known

[Edited on March 7, 2007 at 8:58 PM. Reason : adsfadsf]

3/7/2007 8:58:21 PM

bling bling



i like sleepers shave the shit.

3/7/2007 10:29:00 PM

hellooo it's an M3. it is too recognizable too be a sleeper...thats why it is retarded to shave it.

[Edited on March 7, 2007 at 10:32 PM. Reason : m]

3/7/2007 10:32:00 PM

whats the point of the badges ?

i'll de badge whatever i get... just makes the body lines cleaner with out plastic glued onto it.

3/7/2007 10:35:33 PM

removing a badge is not the same as shaving

& to the general public a 3 series is a 3 series is a 3 series. no badge, no clue.

3/8/2007 12:22:28 AM

i debaged my M3 when I painted it and just never got around to putting it back on. but i like it debaged.

3/8/2007 11:13:13 AM

lot of technical details and speculation here:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/AutoshowArticles/articleId=108751

also:

Quote :

"Insiders tell us that this E92 coupe is the first of a whole lineup of models from BMW's M division, including an E90 M3 sedan, E93 M3 hardtop convertible and (for the first time) an E91 M3 wagon."

Quote :

"BMW has officially remained tight-lipped about the exact power output of the E92's V8, but our sources confirm that it will deliver a rating of 414 hp (SAE), a specific output well over the magic figure of 100 hp per liter. Torque output is said to be 295 pound-feet. In comparison, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 in the BMW 335ci produces 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. "

that's crap torque... only 33 more than the outgoing model!

and here is a comparison test of the RS4 and the M5: (RS4 wins)

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=119784

3/12/2007 6:50:26 AM