newest M3 concept pics

[Jon325i]

Meh.....still on the fence about it. I agree with an earlier comment that the rear harkens some styling cues of the Benz CLK coupes (particularly around the tail lamps).

Things I do like already:
1) E46 M3 Competition Package wheels
2) CF roof panel
3) 6-speed manual gearbox

Things I do not like:
1) The 'power' bulge on the hood - I wonder just how necessary it is with the V8
2) WeDrive equipped and the stupid center dash screen....too much dash garnish for my taste.
3) The E46 M3 weighed 3400+ lbs......what's this portly number tipping at?

Jon

[Jean]

Meh.....still on the fence about it. I agree with an earlier comment that the rear harkens some styling cues of the Benz CLK coupes (particularly around the tail lamps).

Things I do like already:
1) E46 M3 Competition Package wheels
2) CF roof panel
3) 6-speed manual gearbox

Things I do not like:
1) The 'power' bulge on the hood - I wonder just how necessary it is with the V8
2) WeDrive equipped and the stupid center dash screen....too much dash garnish for my taste.
3) The E46 M3 weighed 3400+ lbs......what's this portly number tipping at?

Jon

Does anybody have a shot of the concept under the hood ? I mean Audi fitted a v8 no problem in the S4/RS4 w/o bulging hood..... BMW could not have possibly made the whole drive train sit HIGH up now ...i hope not.

[BimmerToad]

3) The E46 M3 weighed 3400+ lbs......what's this portly number tipping at?

Pound for pound a better deal?

[german g]

I like it, but i wonder what it weights also.

[YAN-3]

If it's a 4.0L, it would be hard to make 450ft-lbs N/A. Probably 400hp, 300ft-lbs torque? (my guess, of course)

don't let ze germanz fool you, they can make 300 BHP and 300 ft-lbs out of a pencil sharpener. Jeremy Clarkson said it himself.;)

Pencil Sharpener GTi

[325iCabrio]

I like it. Some of the details are clumsy-looking, like the front center air intake and the rear bumper, but overall, it looks good. I think it'd look much better if the rear fenders buldged more--it doesn't give the impression that it's a really powerful rear-drive car.

The hood is a little silly, but I'm thinking that BMW might have put the buldge there to satisfy european pedistrian safety laws. There's a regulated minimum amount of clearance between the hood and the engine to comply, so I'm thinking that's why it's there.

One thing that does bother me is that it seems like all the M cars are becoming more homogenized. They all have the same styling cues, same interior trim, same side vents--I think the products should be more differentiated. Each M car drives different, so why make them look the same? It works for AMG, but AMGs are for pussies (except for the "x"65 AMGs--those are bad-ass). The E39 M5 didn't have the same styling as the E36/E46 M3, so why start doing that now?

[BimmerToad]

don't let ze germanz fool you, they can make 300 BHP and 300 ft-lbs out of a pencil sharpener. Jeremy Clarkson said it himself.;)

Pencil Sharpener GTi

LOL

But seriously, I don't think a single engine manufacturer has been able to reach 100 ft-lbs / L of torque, N/A of course. Someone do some internet searching to prove me wrong ;)

[YAN-3]

^ ok ok, but if anyone is to do it it would be either BMW from the German camp or the muscle of American pushrods

[Tom@POLIZEI]

I love it! My only complaint is that the interior CF trim and shift knob look a little cheap.

[Purdue89E30]

Boring and souless, if you ask me. But then again, I'm not the demographic they're maketing to.

As opposed to the e36?

I think there's a lot of nonsense being thrown around in this thread...Complaining because the car looks too much like the regular 3 series. Since when have M cars looked significantly different from their non-M siblings? The e28, e34, e36, and e39 all had only subtle differences and the e46 had a fender vent and fender flares, really not a huge difference. This one has much nicer looking vents imo, a carbon fiber roof, significantly different read end and the controversial hood bubble (which is the only thing I'm still iffy on). My point is the new one has more differences than any M car since the e30

I have a lot more to say about other comments but I guess I'll leave it.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Those look like the pedals in my car. Seems like they would have updated them. I dont like the hood.

Done on purpose - lineage. They're the same for the E30 as they are the M6 / M5 / M3. Brilliantly subtle, and very clever.

[YAN-3]

word, as for the interior bits, im sure the final production version will have a nicer shift knob, with plenty of motorsport stitching and M badges.

[Group A]

it looks good. but it doesnt give off a M feel. i dont know hwo to quite describe it. but when you see a E46 M3 on the road, from any angle or distance, you instantly know that its a M. from the stance, fender bulge, wheels, etc. it just gives off a M feeling. this however, does not =(

[Digitalwave]

You've seen one on the road to make that judgement?

[schmidty]

it looks good. but it doesnt give off a M feel. i dont know hwo to quite describe it. but when you see a E46 M3 on the road, from any angle or distance, you instantly know that its a M. from the stance, fender bulge, wheels, etc. it just gives off a M feeling. this however, does not =(

M feeling? ok? to the regular ford,honda,whatever owner maybe...but not to an enthusiast. this concept has no less M 'feel' to it then the new M5 does compared to the 5 series... granted the fenders could use a little work :D

I think the part that bothers me the most isnt the hood bulge... but the hood 'vents'.

edit: the shift knob is pretty ghey too, I'll agree to that...