new M3?

[DJsLSB04M3CIC]

For now its E46, the first M6's go into production in April, for the eastern USA.

[McReis]

The present M3 still on sale is the E46. The next will be E90 like the rest of the new 3 series.

[6speed]

The new M3 will have fender flares and new front and rear valances. It will have a 435hp V8 under the hood, the latter being a tweaked version of the previous gen. M5. It will have a painted carbon fibre hood, and an unpainted carbon fibre roof. Also, expect an optional CSL package in 2009. That will include a CF trunk, and a boost of roughly 20hp. It will also have a gutted interior, sort of like a Challenge Stradale. You know, CF seats, CF doors, No radio, and maybe air conditioning. That in all should reduce weight by about 300 pounds, and with that extra 20hp, it should give the by then updated RS4 a run for it's money.

There will also be a four door M3, and it will contain the same engine, but will weigh about 400 pounds more. There will be no CSL version if this car.

[quackman]

The new M3 will have fender flares and new front and rear valances. It will have a 435hp V8 under the hood, the latter being a tweaked version of the previous gen. M5. It will have a painted carbon fibre hood, and an unpainted carbon fibre roof. Also, expect an optional CSL package in 2009. That will include a CF trunk, and a boost of roughly 20hp. It will also have a gutted interior, sort of like a Challenge Stradale. You know, CF seats, CF doors, No radio, and maybe air conditioning. That in all should reduce weight by about 300 pounds, and with that extra 20hp, it should give the by then updated RS4 a run for it's money.

There will also be a four door M3, and it will contain the same engine, but will weigh about 400 pounds more. There will be no CSL version if this car.

Now how would you KNOW all that? And why would the sedan weigh more than the coupe? The previous E46 sedans and coupes weighed nearly the same, I believe.

[CAS]

The new M3 will have fender flares and new front and rear valances. It will have a 435hp V8 under the hood, the latter being a tweaked version of the previous gen. M5. It will have a painted carbon fibre hood, and an unpainted carbon fibre roof. Also, expect an optional CSL package in 2009. That will include a CF trunk, and a boost of roughly 20hp. It will also have a gutted interior, sort of like a Challenge Stradale. You know, CF seats, CF doors, No radio, and maybe air conditioning. That in all should reduce weight by about 300 pounds, and with that extra 20hp, it should give the by then updated RS4 a run for it's money.

There will also be a four door M3, and it will contain the same engine, but will weigh about 400 pounds more. There will be no CSL version if this car.

It's a shame they use a V8 in the M3. The M3 is about handling and not just a lots of power. But european car are like in a bhp war...

I'm a huge BMW fan, but the last BMW's are no more BMW's, the new M5 is just a big laugh, to much weight because of all the stuff that you don't need in a car and it isn't subtle anymore.
Offcourse it is a great car, but it's not a real BMW anymore. These days anoyone can drive a BMW...

[McReis]

It's a shame they use a V8 in the M3. The M3 is about handling and not just a lots of power. But european car are like in a bhp war...

I'm a huge BMW fan, but the last BMW's are no more BMW's, the new M5 is just a big laugh, to much weight because of all the stuff that you don't need in a car and it isn't subtle anymore.
Offcourse it is a great car, but it's not a real BMW anymore. These days anoyone can drive a BMW...

Although I think most of the things 6Speed wrote are speculations (not his fault), it's almost certain the new M3 will be a V8. To me, as a BMW enthusiast, it's a shame that the V8 is seen by the make as a step forward, neglecting the heritage and character of the straight 6, and the meaning it has for the make fans. If Porsche managed to evolve a layout with clear dynamic disavantages (like the light front end and the rear weight that tends to oversteer. ), and took the air-cooled engine to a level that few would believe possible, shouldn't BMW make an effort to keep evolving the sweet sounding six?
I'm sure the V8 M3 will be a fantastic car. But for me, it will never be as special as the current model. It happened the same with the M5. The E34 is still the one that appeals more strongly to my senses.

[DJsLSB04M3CIC]

Although I think most of the things 6Speed wrote are speculations (not his fault), it's almost certain the new M3 will be a V8. To me, as a BMW enthusiast, it's a shame that the V8 is seen by the make as a step forward, neglecting the heritage and character of the straight 6, and the meaning it has for the make fans. If Porsche managed to evolve a layout with clear dynamic disavantages (like the light front end and the rear weight that tends to oversteer. ), and took the air-cooled engine to a level that few would believe possible, shouldn't BMW make an effort to keep evolving the sweet sounding six?
I'm sure the V8 M3 will be a fantastic car. But for me, it will never be as special as the current model. It happened the same with the M5. The E34 is still the one that appeals more strongly to my senses.

Yeah but the big reason for the V8, is too compete with the competition cars, Mercedes has the C55- mercedes c class 4 door, with a 5.5L V8 pushed 350+ HP, and next year mercedes is changing it to a C63, 6.3L V8 400+ power, so bmw has to think ahead and in order to stay in the ball game they stepped it up to a V8, I totally see what you guys are sayin, I dislike the new styling too, the new M5's got too many angles, nice car, but doesnt look right to me, if someone gave me one I'd drive, but I would pay for one.

[McReis]

Yeah but the big reason for the V8, is too compete with the competition cars, Mercedes has the C55- mercedes c class 4 door, with a 5.5L V8 pushed 350+ HP, and next year mercedes is changing it to a C63, 6.3L V8 400+ power,

And I bet that still neither of them will handle better than the E46 M3.
Power is being overrated. 300bhp with the correct mechanics and body, is more tham enough for any car of that type. Mercedes AMG always were more powerful but the handling is always very poor when compared to BMW rivals, so they shouldn't be chasing them on the power escalade. It would be better if theyinvested more on weith saving, as they did with the CSL.

[PerfAdv]

And I bet that still neither of them will handle better than the E46 M3.
Power is being overrated. 300bhp with the correct mechanics and body, is more tham enough for any car of that type. Mercedes AMG always were more powerful but the handling is always very poor when compared to BMW rivals, so they shouldn't be chasing them on the power escalade. It would be better if theyinvested more on weith saving, as they did with the CSL.

Exactly right, but sadly half the people buying cars in this category are buy "luxury" sports cars and the "V8" fits the luxury image more than the Inline 6. The only consolation is that the I6 will be kept alive in the M2, and for the foreseeable future in the M Coupe and M Roadster.

Personally, BMW should have kept the M3 as the hard-edged machine and developed a 2-door version of the 5-series to compete with CLK and the like.

[///M3]

i just might have to wait and trade mine in.

[MRR]

I have to agree with CAS in that was it really necessary to have a V8? I mean BMW has always been better at making awesome straight 6 engines and keeping the cars reasonably light and small which the new large and ugly models seems to be moving away from.

[CAS]

Yeah but the big reason for the V8, is too compete with the competition cars, Mercedes has the C55- mercedes c class 4 door, with a 5.5L V8 pushed 350+ HP, and next year mercedes is changing it to a C63, 6.3L V8 400+ power, so bmw has to think ahead and in order to stay in the ball game they stepped it up to a V8, I totally see what you guys are sayin, I dislike the new styling too, the new M5's got too many angles, nice car, but doesnt look right to me, if someone gave me one I'd drive, but I would pay for one.

But the E46 M3 CSL is better then a Porsche Turbo and even a Ferrari 360 modena (was in a Best Motoring movie). Like McReis said, 300bhp is more then enough for a light weight sports car. But these days even the M3 E46 is actually a luxury car.

I understand that they want to compete with other branches but it should't be about how much bhp a car has and how fast it is from 0 to 60. Allthough that is important, I prever to have a nice handling car that is fast as well. For me, the perfect sportscar is the E30 M3 or maybe the E36 M3 if you want a litte more luxury. Those were the real M3's, without TCS and sh"t.

But BMW is know just building cars to sell as much as possible, I really don't believe that when BMW started they tought of making SUV's... Or putting a diesel in a sports coupé. But probably they need the sells just to stay alive.

The straight six is one of the most beautiful engines of the world, BMW really proved that you don't need a big engine to make a good sportscar (S52 has 321hp out of a 3.2l straight six NA) and that is all lost when they are going to put a V8 in the M3.

[QBridge]

All good things must come to an end. They sold plenty of E46s so that should be around for the next 15 years.

[sunk]

The V8 powered one? Looks pretty bangle-ish.

[Cyco]

THere is a new BMW 3-Series ad that has "I like the way you feel" as the backing music and the car morphs from 2 door 323, to 4 door 318, to a badgeless car with 4 exhaust pipes....