This is now what an m3 looks like..

[Ryan Stewart]

The m3's are an on/off generation. E30's were right, E36 was a miss, E46 was a hit, E90 m3, miss. Which means the ones to come out post 2015 will be spot on again!

That chassis looks much better in the coupe version. 4 door rear looks cheap to me.

I think there is some truth to that.

They come out the the hot, "boy racer" model. Then the marketing dept says the racer model kinda put off the mainstream buyer and they could sell more. So they make a blander version (aka the 36, the regular car with a bodykit). The blander version sells well initially but then people accuse it of being boring. So at the end of the life of the blander version the marketing dept says, "The M3 needs to stand out. Give it some gills and fender flares (oddly like the boy racer they first said put off the mainstream). So the new model gets the bling.

And now we are onto the blander, mainstream appeal model. The one they use to hook in the older drivers. You are right that by the end of this cars run people will be longing for something unique and they will go back to making an M3 that kids will buy posters of.

[andyman2487]

I think the performance definitely outweighs the looks of this car. I really wouldn't mind having a 420 hp BMW that pulls insane lateral G's and still is true manual, no matter the looks. Then again I really don't have that kind of money to throw around. ;)

[Charlie]

I'll just take the Z4 M coupe, thanks.

A 3700 lb sedan just isn't doing anything for me.

-Charlie

[Purdue89E30]

but in my opinion it will compete with the evos and the subys.

I think it's meant to compete with Audi more than anything, the (4 door) RS4 has been challenging the M3's superiority in this segmant and they want to take as big a bite out of Audi's sales as possible.

[dude8383]

I think it looks great.

I loved the E36 M3 sedan, and to tell you the truth I was disappointed they didn't make an E46 M3 sedan...

Any of you guys read European Car?? They had a red 330i sedan that had an S54 in it...it was stunning!

[DEV0 E30]

I don't think it's all that bad, but I like the Coupe much more.

I wouldn't mind an M version of the 1.

The 135i is going to be amazing in itself. But I agree, an NA, stripped down, and mean looking 1 would be awesome.

If BMW doesn't then I'm sure either AC Schnitzer or Hartge will make an NA high hp 1. I think they'd build an NA car sooner than Alpina. Alpina seems to like the twin turbo, simply by judging some of the E90/E92s they've created.

Exhibit A: The E90 Hartge H50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsBn8nuecws

What if they put the v10 in a 1?

[Hon2BMW]

I think nothing anyone says in here will ever have any bearing on BMW's Design, Marketing, or product planning departments. Simply because, like all companies, BMW exsits to turn a profit.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many M3 owners I've met, especially E36 and E46, that have no intention of driving there cars to their potential, its simply a status symbol, they gauge their investment by the looks it gets from the crowd at the valet station and how many cars it can beat in a straight line.

the same people who, when they actually make it out to the track, drive at 5/10th's because they are to afraid of crashing their $50K plus vehicle.

Do you think anyone at Porsche really cares what people said about the Cayenne when it first hit the market? the vehicle that people said sounded a death bell for Porsche single handedly made it the most profitable car company in the world at the time and allowed vehicles such as the Cayman and Carrera GT come to market. Every car company needs a cash cow, and if bringing and M3 sedan to market means more money can be spent on the development of the next one than so be it.

Like the E63 Benz I saw yesterday on bags, the majority of people buy because its the top of line, not because its an extremely capable sports sedan.

[Turf1600]

I think nothing anyone says in here will ever have any bearing on BMW's Design, Marketing, or product planning departments. Simply because, like all companies, BMW exsits to turn a profit.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many M3 owners I've met, especially E36 and E46, that have no intention of driving there cars to their potential, its simply a status symbol, they gauge their investment by the looks it gets from the crowd at the valet station and how many cars it can beat in a straight line.

the same people who, when they actually make it out to the track, drive at 5/10th's because they are to afraid of crashing their $50K plus vehicle.

Do you think anyone at Porsche really cares what people said about the Cayenne when it first hit the market? the vehicle that people said sounded a death bell for Porsche single handedly made it the most profitable car company in the world at the time and allowed vehicles such as the Cayman and Carrera GT come to market. Every car company needs a cash cow, and if bringing and M3 sedan to market means more money can be spent on the development of the next one than so be it.

Like the E63 Benz I saw yesterday on bags, the majority of people buy because its the top of line, not because its an extremely capable sports sedan.

My thoughts exactly. Do you guys want BMW to die out while making enthusiest accepted cars? I don't.

[e30 gangsta]

ewwww

[cwsqbm]

The new M3 is pretty much a slightly smaller version of an M5 than it is a successor to the real M3. Its got more in common with an E39 M5 than an e30 M3.

[E30 Wagen]

I'll just take the Z4 M coupe, thanks.

A 3700 lb sedan just isn't doing anything for me.

-Charlie

roger that. The Z4 M coupe = very yes

The new 3er is like the size of an e34...




crap, I'm suddenly feeling inspired to work on my sad excuse for an e30

[silversleeper]

On the topic of the long ass coupe doors, they could always have lambo doors on the Mthreezy!

[kroberts]

That's what happens when you allow accountants to design cars. Other examples are the Mercedes Minivan (I mean the R350), and the BMW X3. It's pure economics. As long as it kicks ass, everything will be OK.

"There's nothing wrong with capitalism" Danny Elfman

kr

[whiltebeitel]

I love it. The sedan will sell well, and BMW will profit. RS4 sales will drop.

[SpunkyE30nOk]

I don't think it's all that bad, but I like the Coupe much more. The 135i is going to be amazing in itself. But I agree, an NA, stripped down, and mean looking 1 would be awesome.
If BMW doesn't then I'm sure either AC Schnitzer or Hartge will make an NA high hp 1. I think they'd build an NA car sooner than Alpina. Alpina seems to like the twin turbo, simply by judging some of the E90/E92s they've created.

Exhibit A: The E90 Hartge H50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsBn8nuecws

What if they put the v10 in a 1?

well hartge has already put the e39 M5 v8 in a 1 series hatch...there are vids of it on youtube. im at work so i can't post a link to it... its called the 150i and it is a bad muthafucka. I would take the M3 sedan over the M3 coupe...its the same power, and everything but w 4 doors. Someone said the 3'r is close to the size of the e34. That's probably true but you really can't blame Bmw for that. Blame all those fatties w increasing waistlines for cars getting bigger and heavier these days. Bigger people= bigger cars to fit the tubbies in.