Spy Shots: BMW M3 Sedan and Convertible
While the BMW M3 Coupe was all-but unveiled in Geneva, we have had to rely on spy photographers for images of the M3 Sedan and Cabrio. Hans Lehmann has captured a few shots of each for Winding Road, and you can see them in all their Technicolor splendor by clicking through the read link.We're still not sure when and where the production M3 sedan will make its debut, but Frankfurt or even New York are still possibilities. As we told you before, the sedan will get a front fascia that is nearly identical to the one on the coupe, and since the coupe is both sleek and mean at the same time, this can only be taken as a very good thing. Knowing a 400ish-horsepower V8 is under the hood makes it even better.
The cabrio pics show the metal drop-top to be a handsome beast, as well. That's to be expected since the hardtop allows it to mimic the lines of the coupe to a tee.
We are guessing the sedan will appear by the end of the year and that we'll have to wait until spring 2008 for the convertible M3. But wait we will, with bated breath.
[Source: Winding Road]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
HC 3:15PM (3/15/2007)
it will be very interesting...
the RS4 and the M3 sedan.
wonder what will the price be..
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MikeUF 3:19PM (3/15/2007)
This is a car I have been waiting for...
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JimL 4:12PM (3/15/2007)
I'm sorry, but the new styling for the M just does not stand out - if there weren't an M on the back of the car it would look just like a regular model - except to someone who really knows the models. As a long-time BMW lover, I think this is too bad.
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testa di cazzo 4:32PM (3/15/2007)
also, making a hardtop convertible M3 is just stupid. its just counterintuitive. that hard-top component to the convertible is just going to make it so heaby that it wont be fast at all.
the RS4 cabrio is already heavy enough compared to the saloon, even though it's a ragtop
bmw should have gone with a ragtop on the M3 cabrio...
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Deezee 4:37PM (3/15/2007)
I never really liked the sedan style, until I saw the M3 version. Anything with a M3 badge looks so much better.
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Bob 5:04PM (3/15/2007)
Referencing the above comment "...also, making a hardtop convertible M3 is just stupid. its just counterintuitive. that hard-top component to the convertible is just going to make it so heaby that it wont be fast at all..." - that makes no sense to me.
The 335i convertible is only 3/10ths of a second slower than the coupe - so this means theoretically that in lieu of a 4.5 second 0-60 for the M3 coupe (or less), the convertible will do 0-60 in 4.8 (or less) ... I hardly think that's slow!!
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DPC car videos 4:50PM (3/15/2007)
Here is the hardtop testing at the ring, the V8 engine sounds 100% better then the 6 cylinder.
http://www.dpccars.com/car-videos/03-14-07page-New-BMW-M3.htm
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Aki 5:01PM (3/15/2007)
Sedan looks much better with the coupe fascia. IMO that should be the standard
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aman 5:14PM (3/15/2007)
BMW needs to differentiate it's models more. they're like an extended syllogism. the 3-series looks like the X3 which looks like the X5 which looks like the 5-series which looks like the 6-series which looks like the 7-series. Therefore, the 3-series looks like a 7-series.
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Tool 5:51PM (3/15/2007)
I surprised that BMW didn't do a M3 sedan last generation, so its terrific news that it is going to happen this time around.
The last M3 was such a terrific looking vehicle--much better than the regular 3-series--so I am really looking forward to seeing this and driving the V8.
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TrappSpeed 6:56PM (3/15/2007)
http://www.trappspeed.com
The M3 sedan in previous marks was great, though not as sporty looking as the coupe. However, this is a good move to branch out to the people that can't quite afford the M5, or like the M3's looks a lot better.
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testa di cazzo 7:11PM (3/15/2007)
"8. Referencing the above comment "...also, making a hardtop convertible M3 is just stupid. its just counterintuitive. that hard-top component to the convertible is just going to make it so heaby that it wont be fast at all..." - that makes no sense to me.
"
it's really common knowledge that hard-top convertibles significantly weigh down the car. it's not a matter of "it goes .4 seconds faster than the 335i". the fact of the matter is, the M3 already underperforms as compared to the regular 3-series. it's already a hard sell to convince someone to buy the M3 over the 3-series just on performance.
so making it with a hard-top convertible only makes that worst. this car is not supposed to be about practicality. it's supposed to be about looks and performance. unfortunately, BMW has dropped the bomb in both of those instances on the cabrio.
the saloon, on the other hand, is pretty spectacular. i cant wait to see that on the road and see if it can compete with the RS4...
additionally, if you click on the website with the spy-shots, and read the comments below it, you'll notice that a few people agree with me that it should be a soft-top not a hard-top
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MikeW 9:48PM (3/15/2007)
Yuck crossplane crank V8.
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SOhp101 3:32AM (3/16/2007)
I can see the hard top convertible still coming out for the M3 because the weight distribution would be slightly more to the rear with the top down which would be the best place to have extra weight. Speed isn't the issue with M models, it's always been about driving dynamics.
Then again less weight is always better, so looks like soft top will win.
M CARS ARE NOT MEANT TO STAND OUT. End of story.
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aaron 2:51PM (3/16/2007)
"I surprised that BMW didn't do a M3 sedan last generation, so its terrific news that it is going to happen this time around."
I believe BMW somewhat admitted that they should've had a e46 M3 sedan, but didn't go into details because the excuse was probably focusing on SUV's and the then-ugly 7-Series.
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