If a report from AutoExpress is to be believed, BMW will have a surprise in store for August's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The sleuths on the other side of The Pond are expecting to see a production-ready concept of the M3 Coupe-replacing BMW M4. The near-production showcar move is something we've seen from BMW, particularly when it comes to M products, over the years.
From the report, AE is expecting production versions of both the M4 and M3 sedan to be shown at the North American International Auto Show in January. We've covered the M4 rather obsessively, reporting on the company's efforts to reduce the new car's curb weight just last week.
AutoExpress dives deeper, though, speaking to BMW Group's Senior VP Brand and Product Strategies, Klaus Froehlich. According to Froehlich, the M3/4 only shares about 20 percent of its parts with the 335i/435i. The engine is expected to be a bespoke unit, and will be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There should be plenty of carbon fiber to cut weight, as well. The report gets even more explosive, though, as the British outfit has revealed that the M3 and M4 will be joined by a 4 Series Convertible and the new BMW 2 Series in Detroit.
Now, this all seems fantastic, and we're inclined to believe that an M4 Concept could arrive at Pebble. But debuting four (four!) models, especially two M cars, at one auto show just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. What seems more likely, though, is for the two M cars to arrive in Detroit, having been preceded by the 4 Series Convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Why? Well, LA isn't covered in snow for half the year, making it a much bigger convertible market than Detroit. As for the 2 Series, that's a toss up. We could see it being shown at any of the big American shows, or it could be held until Geneva. We'll be sure to update when we know more.
From the report, AE is expecting production versions of both the M4 and M3 sedan to be shown at the North American International Auto Show in January. We've covered the M4 rather obsessively, reporting on the company's efforts to reduce the new car's curb weight just last week.
AutoExpress dives deeper, though, speaking to BMW Group's Senior VP Brand and Product Strategies, Klaus Froehlich. According to Froehlich, the M3/4 only shares about 20 percent of its parts with the 335i/435i. The engine is expected to be a bespoke unit, and will be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There should be plenty of carbon fiber to cut weight, as well. The report gets even more explosive, though, as the British outfit has revealed that the M3 and M4 will be joined by a 4 Series Convertible and the new BMW 2 Series in Detroit.
Now, this all seems fantastic, and we're inclined to believe that an M4 Concept could arrive at Pebble. But debuting four (four!) models, especially two M cars, at one auto show just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. What seems more likely, though, is for the two M cars to arrive in Detroit, having been preceded by the 4 Series Convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Why? Well, LA isn't covered in snow for half the year, making it a much bigger convertible market than Detroit. As for the 2 Series, that's a toss up. We could see it being shown at any of the big American shows, or it could be held until Geneva. We'll be sure to update when we know more.
Featured Gallery BMW M4: Spy Shots
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