New M3

[rwh11385]

yeah becuase fours so well here... hatches too

[BeirBrennerE30]

ME still wants 135I over e92 M

yeah me too... ;)

[DSP74]

I'm still stuck at e46

Agreed. Something about a smallish coupe with fat tires, a revvy six with big nuts, and pop out side windows makes me just want to go buy one......considering dropping prices.

[CleanAzzE30z]

They lost me at e36///M3.


Mariano

[Sam Cogley]

yeah becuase fours so well here... hatches too

I'm assuming there is supposed to be a "sell" in there. In response, 1) there are a helluva lot of 4-cylinder cars running around this country; and 2) with fuel prices the way they are, a small 4-cylinder would probably start looking pretty attractive to someone who wants a driver's car like a BMW without having to mortgage one's children to the gas station.

[DCColegrove]

Ehhhh, I'll keep my e30s.

[rwh11385]

I'm assuming there is supposed to be a "sell" in there. In response, 1) there are a helluva lot of 4-cylinder cars running around this country; and 2) with fuel prices the way they are, a small 4-cylinder would probably start looking pretty attractive to someone who wants a driver's car like a BMW without having to mortgage one's children to the gas station.

you're quite naive about BMWs past "success" with the ti and 318i's. yeah, just because people buy four-banger corollas means that people would be begging for a 4-pot BMW luxury sports car...

the less than I6 BMWs were collecting dust on many dealer lots and from the views of a GM of a BMW dealership it is not likely BMW desires to bring many, if any, hatch or 4 cylindered BMWs here. To get at that market, they have an entire separate brand with a different value proposition and image.

[E30 Wagen]

Agreed. If I had it my way, I'd get a E90 330i and throw the S65 and sequential gearbox in that, and then throw on some 19" Alpina classics on there. Both the E90 and the E92 M3 have some really awful lines, they look way too choppy and much too busy.

Compare:





I'll take the latter.

Ugh, I can't stand the front end arrangement of e90s - the way the hood imposes on the head lights, and the ugly as sin kidney grill design. The E92's look loads better imo. I think I've written a tirade against them on r3v before

[LovableSheep]

Ugh, I can't stand the front end arrangement of e90s - the way the hood imposes on the head lights, and the ugly as sin kidney grill design. The E92's look loads better imo. I think I've written a tirade against them on r3v before

I prefer E92s over E90s too. I wouldn't go so far as to say I can't stand the E90s, but the E92s definitely appeal to me more.

[smonkbmw]

ah, if bmw got back to basics and either redesigned the 1 or made a complete spin off series that was actually light weight i.e. CSL, or dare I say "type R" style car. utilized a high revving 4 cyl i.e. 2.0-2.5 liter with some sort of variable timing (since EVERYONE has some sort of variable these days) making 200hp+ i think it would sell just fine. the true enthusiasts would come out of the wood work to purchase one. the same people that "settle" for a mini, miata, rsx, even e36/46 cause there is nothing else to track with would buy one, im sure of it. its a lost niche that i think that if bmw focused a lil more time and energy on as opposed to all the luxo barges that they have been churning out lately, might make them a good deal of money.

picture it some sort of boxy yet smooth WAY updated e30m3'esque car. making 220-240hp, weighing in at 2500-2700pounds, rear wheel drive only, air con (optional), basic radio, MANUAL window option. all for mid to high $20k range!! cheaper than a evo/sti. lil more than a turbo miata. right around mini pricing. i think it would be a hit.

i dont understand the way things go in the M division at all. i dont get where sport has to go by the wayside and luxury took over. the m3 doesnt need 400+hp if it weighed closer to what it weighed ORIGINALLY. the hp war between benz, bmw and audi can be battled with the bigger cars. the original m3 won races with HALF the power back in the day. i also just never understood why 1. It needs 4 doors 2. it needs to be a convertible 3. it needs to have some sort of auto tragic SMG non sense. 4. it needs anything more then a 4cylinder (ok i can swing a 6 but stay with me here on the 4cyl idea). yes the times have changed, the company has changed, the demand has changed. but what would be the risk if the idea i listed above came to be a true car? i know AT LEAST a million units would sell. why? cause its the NEW M3, because its a true racecar for the street etc.

:off soapbox:

[Ray Smoodiver]

I wish they had kept the full E90 bodyshell, rather than a hash of the two.

Imagine an E90 M3 with full ETCC kit. OMGF :D

[TDE30]

Ugh, I can't stand the front end arrangement of e90s - the way the hood imposes on the head lights, and the ugly as sin kidney grill design. The E92's look loads better imo. I think I've written a tirade against them on r3v before

Meh, say what you want but picture 2 is soooooooo much cleaner than picture 1. The lines on the E92 M3 are such a mess. I even prefer the E90 non-M to the E92 non-M in many ways, albeit the E92 non-M has a very sleek design.

[BigD]

the original m3 won races with HALF the power back in the day

The problem is that we're no longer back in the day. The modern competition to the E30 M3 would beat it in reverse (which includes anything from BMW M, AMG or Audi S). It's a dog slow car today, nostalgia or not. The only place where it would be competitive today would be the econobox touring car racing, with Mazda3s and shit. Do you really think BMW is interested in pitting an M division car against Japanese compacts? The 120i maybe, not an M3.

[bmw325csi]

"You guys are nuts, I'ma call you you squirrels" Both of the m3's are hard as fuck in person. The only thing i would change is the mirrors to the 3 series mirrors.

[smonkbmw]

The problem is that we're no longer back in the day. The modern competition to the E30 M3 would beat it in reverse (which includes anything from BMW M, AMG or Audi S).

this is kind of my point though. there are still popular touring class races. if a reincarnated 4cyl started out at 220hp+ theres no reason that it cant be tuned from there. there are still a LOT of different class of races that a car such as what im speaking of would dominate and make a popular car. its not all about power, it never has been, this is how that car won on a regular basis.