Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Sports/GTs, BMW
BMW M3 to debut in late 2007, for sale 2008
According to Drive.com.au down under, a new M3 is still a year away from launching. In an interview with Ulrich Bruhnke, head of BMW's M division, he confirmed that the high-po 3-Series will "definitely" debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show next September. With a debut that late in the year, it's safe to assume that the new M3 will be on sale sometime in early 2008.
For the few people that haven't kept up on the speculation, the new M3 will come equipped with a 400-420 HP V8, and although exact displacement has yet to be confirmed, it's a sure bet that BMW will continue to strive and achieve the 100 HP-per-liter its extracted in past M cars. All those ponies will most likely find their way to the wheels via a 7-speed SMG, although, much like the M5, a manual version may be available at a later date.
Per usual, all we can do is wait, and then, wait some more.
[Source: Drive.com.au]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Steve 11:06AM (9/29/2006)
Good. They should take as long as they need to make that car the best. It might take a year longer to develop, but a bad M3 would last forever.
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wake up 11:38AM (9/29/2006)
Just in time to see if the all New CTS-V is up for the challenge too
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papsmear 11:57PM (12/31/2007)
are you retarded?
Andy, UK 11:42AM (9/29/2006)
Honestly, if BMW engineers wanted the M3 to be production ready at the same time as the standard 3-series coupe, it would have been. These are German engineers, remember. Not Americans.
I don't see why people query the rationale behind launching the M3 a year or so after the regular 3-series coupe. The launch of the M3 would detract attention from the rest of the 3-series coupe range, which is wholly unfair (as well as making poor business sense.) The 335i is a sensational car in its own right with one hell of an engine - BMW returns to using turbos in its engines with apolmb.
The wait for BMW's next M car, whilst tantilising, merely serves to create a buzz around the model - great for publicity. The NOW culture evident particularly in America in recent times is getting irksome; congrats to the Germans for not succumbing to it.
I have no doubt that this car will be even more of an Ultimate Driving Machine than the last version, which is regarded as something of a cult car amongst enthusiasts. I await somewhat tentatively for BMW's V8 replacement of its iconic straight 6; lets hope the high-rev character of the old engine is maintained.
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just 11:49AM (9/29/2006)
very good, i hope that this machine will be ideal, or very close to it :)
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Chance 12:07PM (9/29/2006)
Andy,
I feel that it is fairly safe to say that in using the same architecture to develop the V8 that BMW did for the V10 in the M5/6 the redline will at the very least remain the same at 8250 RPM.
I am all for the switch from the I6 to the V8. This engine is going to make far more torque lower down in the rev range, sound a great deal better and it probably won't weigh much more than the vaunted S54 engine.
As great a car as the RS4 is, and it is a GREAT car, the E92 M3 is going to be just that much better.
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bgdc 12:25PM (9/29/2006)
With the power of the e92 and e90 335 cars, it'll be interesting to see what BMW will do to differentiate the cars more. At 330 hp and 330 tq from the dynoed 335 models, the M's most likely 400 hp/360 tq won't be that impressive - especially as tuners have already extracted over 370 hp/400 tq from flashing the 335's engine.
Yes, the suspension is adjusted and the M3 has an LSD but really with the giant price gap, one wonders how well the M3 will sell. A european delivery 335i with a few features (leather, sport package) will run you about 37k. BMW doesn't offer european delivery pricing (you can get the M cars ED but not specially priced) on the M3, so at minimum figure 53k. 16k difference in price and we're talking a small difference in performance. Hmm.
1k on a reflash of the 335i's engine. Maybe 3k for an LSD and 2k on shocks/springs. The 335i buyer will have nearly the same power (better torque), same handling and save at least 10k (most likely more) over an M3. BMw made the 335 a little too good, me thinks.
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charlie 12:40PM (9/29/2006)
yeah, i definately see the 335i becoming the tuner's platform of choice over the M3. You saw it happen when the 2001 S4 (which had a twin turbocharged 2.8L V6) was replaced by the model with a 4.2L V8. For tuners, they could get over 400hp out the earlier model (which stock only had 250hp) easier than they could they V8 model, which had over 310hp stock. I actually have a 2000 year A6 2.7T (same engine as the S4) and for less than $5k I could upgrade to over 400hp and 400ft-lbs from my stock 250hp and 258 peak ft-lbs of torque.
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Ron Jones 1:24PM (9/29/2006)
Not to mention the fact that many M3 buyers mod their cars anyway (suspension, aesthetics, etc.) so if it were me, I'd just get the "lesser man's" 335i, mod the piss out of it and save the loot. I'd probly smoke 95% of the M3's out there.
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MikeW 1:59PM (9/29/2006)
I hope the double clutch SMG is ready to go.
If BMW goes to a cross plane crank V8, it is highly unlikely to make significantly more torque at lower engine speeds than the S54. The M3 Inline6 makes 81ft-lbs / liter. The M5 makes only 77 ft-lbs liter. A cross plane crank, even with all the M experience should only make 75ft-lbs liter. So 400hp & 300ft-lbs from a cross plane crank V8, and 420hp & 320ft-lbs from a flat plane crank are good estimations for 8/10ths of a M5 engine.
Unless direct injection is added.
and people are still enthused about 414hp & 317ft-lbs from audi's 4.2
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rwdmtparkingonly 2:13PM (9/29/2006)
This is an amazing car. As Andy UK knows, the British could have never made something this nice. Maybe one of the foreign finance people that live in London only because of cheap taxes will let Andy UK get close to his new M3 if he wipes the bangers and mash of his inbred face.
It will be interesting to see if tuners can get the 335i to match the performance of this while still having less weight and better weight distribution.
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Steve S 2:26PM (9/29/2006)
Even with the tunability of the 335i I think the M3 will sell very well. It will be a fair amount faster and handle better out of the box. It also appears to look great. Alot of M3 and 3 series in general owners lease their cars so you are not going to do a bunch of mods just to take them off at lease end. I'd love an M3 sedan but a 335i sedan with some M bodywork will be more than enough. Too bad the 335 is not offered with the SMG I love SMG and DSG as much as a manual.
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hans 3:06PM (9/29/2006)
the new coupe is already 3600 poundl . this v8 will probably push it to 3800 pounds.
it might not exactly be a good thing.
the last S class s430 was only 3900 pounds by comparison
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Steve 3:48PM (9/29/2006)
BMW bought the Rolls-Royce and Mini brands to please their english occupiers.
23,000 british soldiers are still occupying germany even though it has been more than 17 years since cold war ended.
Why are they still there? They are there to extract war reparations. BMW is building Rolls-royce and mini, employing thousands of people in england just to appease the english.
However, the english are still not happy and have become more arrogant by the year. The more the BMW tries to please and appease, the more haughty the english become.
Under the pretense of buying and building british brands, BMW is paying billions every year and the english are happy to loot as much as they want, without doing any work and enjoying all the fruits.
How clever!
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bgdc 4:07PM (9/29/2006)
Hans, the V8 is lighter than the massive inline 6 BMW uses.
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Steve 2:38AM (9/30/2006)
Dude, that wasn't ME Steve, that other guy is crazy.
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Charles H 11:56PM (10/02/2006)
Let's remember with power increase, the price increase as well. E36 to E46 is about $15K, guess what you have to pay for the new M3. IMHO, not going to sell very well.
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Jon 7:07PM (10/07/2006)
The V8 is a variation of what has been used for a few years in the E46 M3 supertouring car. The configuration of that car is about 497hp. It is a variation mind you, and will definately be detuned. But, as was illuded to earlier in the posts, the enginers of the N54 engine of the 335i left a lot of room to spare for upping the boost, etc. Not to mention using cast iron cylinder sleeves for the "higher presures" (maybe the ones they anticipate the tuners of extracting). The next year should be interesting for the 335i!
Jonathan
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Robin 10:14AM (10/21/2006)
I collected my E90 335i saloon (6sp manual)yesterday and it feels almost as fast as my former E46 M3(6 man)
Great car and a 'bargain' compared to the M3. But I need a LSD.
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ed lubberdink 9:54AM (11/14/2006)
Please help me out guys. I recently sold my 2002 M3. I found the car to be fun be lacked torque. I have a new M3 on order but it is probable a year away. I found my 2002 suspension a little hard. Here is my question, should I buy the 335 and chip it or wait for the new M3. The new M3 may be to harsh a ride but I like the idea of the V8 torque, however the 335 chipped may put out decent numbers. Has anybody heard about 335 chipped hp and torque yet, or any good websites for this info?
Ed
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