BMW M3 Concept Revealed
- March 6, 2007
- BMW, Concept Cars
- Posted by George Peterson
- 1 Comment
Now that BMW has rolled out all four major variants of the 3-Series (sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible), it is time to move on to the really fun stuff. And the Geneva show timing is no accident, with Audi unveiling their A4-based A5 and S5 coupe at the same show.
Though this concept is close to what the real M3 will look like, hard information is still a little thin on the ground. European deliveries of the M3 are expected in fall 2007, and it’s possible that U.S. buyers wait as long as spring 2008. BMW confirmed that their “race-bred and road ready” sporting coupe will take a high-revving V8, but declined to specify which. Our guess? The V8 derived from the M5’s V10, with at least as much power as the Audi RS4 (420HP).
The M3 Concept is both stunning and discreet. The M3 Concept carries a strong, aggressive face. Coming up into anyone’s rear-view mirror with this nose certainly promises that you mean business. The three extra-large air intakes aren’t just for show, though; they are necessary for cooling the V8. The hood, with a bulging powerdome, that rises above the front fascia is made of aluminum for lower-weight.
The side view is dominated by muscular front and rear wheel arches surrounding nineteen-inch wheels, light alloy of course. Were you to be able to get up close, you’d see the high-performance M brakes between the spokes. A subtle boot spoiler graces the decklid instead of a tall, in-your-face piece of composite material, but the M double exhaust pipes promise more is under this body.
Along with the hood, BMW massaged most other body panels to create the M3 concept. The M3 Concept sports a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic roof, like the E46 M3 CSL and the M6 coupe. Only the doors, decklid, headlights, and taillights were unchanged compared with the new 3-Series coupe. The body-color mirrors are meant to be reminiscent of an aircraft wing, with a black double foot. Along with looking great, BMW says they were developed in the wind tunnel to enhance stability at high speeds.
1 Comment
Thanks for a really informative overview of the concept 2008 M3 coupe. As someone who has owned many M3s (from E30 through E46), I am keen to see just how powerful and capable the new M3 is. At the same time, I’m thinking it may not be a car for me – I want to drive for the purpose of driving – the excitement of properly taking a corner and knowing I’ve hit the apex just right. The E30 M3 was an awesome car in that regard. True, it was underpowered, but it performed so well – it was really neutral – and overall, just a joy to drive, especially fast. More recently, my Imola Red E46 M3 was beyond capable. This was a car you could kill yourself in. It had remarkable range, unbelievable acceleration for a coupe and overall, it was as solid a car as you could hope for. It was also the first M3 that seemed ideal for posers – for people who wanted the Roundel as opposed to the steering wheel, shifting and throttle/brake experience. I wonder if the new M3 will cater more to the wannabe audience than the motoring enthusiast. I’m often careful to not mention that I drive BMWs these days – as there are so many idiots driving them. And, in the U.S. an M3 sedan would be very important. For me, the Audi RS4 seems to be the ideal vehicle at the moment. If only Audi had BMW reliability. Ah… drama and decisions. Thanks for the post.