2009 BMW M3 Sedan: More Traffic Friendly

That leather does look good. It was funny - when I first looked at this picture, my eyes were drawn first to the leather color, and the nice seats, armrest, door panel... then my eyes moved up and saw the dash and center console, and my admiration quickly turned to disappointment. I just don't see how that dash design and console looks anywhere near $67k material. BMW really missed the boat in this area, and I think the old E46's dash and console looked better.

Why didn't Sadlier just buy the old M3 from you? If he loves it that much...

This M3 seems alot more grown-up than he last one. I miss the go-party feel that older one has.

@stingray454

I don't care much for the dash either, especialy that black plain looking part at the bottom of the console.

Those color seats look much less garish then the previous M3. I think this is an improvement.

It needs to be more differentiated from the standard car. Looking at that pic you can barely tell its an M3.

@felonious,

On the subject of buying the old M3, our Emma hasn't broken yet, which is a testament to the apparently awesome durability of the S54 inline-6. I'll leave it at that.

-JS

Looks fine. Interior is functional, though the lack of driver-centric dash will always bug me about the e9x cars.

Stingray, the M3 sedan starts in the at 55k. Edmunds piled on a batch of useless extras. The car really doesn't need anything added to the base model.

some folks probably want a few luxuries with their $55k+ car so I doubt BMW dealers are stocking many optionless M3s these days.

Does BMW make a dromedary M3?

Am I the only one who still likes real wood trim? At least it's real metal and not just painted plastic. But wood would go well with those gorgeous leather seats. Aluminum is too industrial or something. It's not a refrigerator or a stove after all. Do they advertise "finest Napa leather and durable Kenmore aluminum"?

@blueguydotcom: The base M3 has cloth/leather seats! Uhhh, no thanks. I think i'll pass on any $55k car that has anything cloth in it! BMW knows that no one orders these things w/o options. Although, I wouldn't need one as loaded as the edmunds car.

For me finding out you can get cloth on the seats of the M3 really catches my interest.

Cloth is better in almost every way the leather but you normally have to take a base model to get it. BMW often won't even give cloth on the base model instead sticking you with vinyl seats (ugh).

I would prefer full cloth (imagine, no more sliding around, no more freezing your butt or sweating your back off!) but if a mix of the two is the best they have then it would have to do.

lemme guess stingray, the z06 has the interior of a $67k car?

should have gotten the carbon leather, looks better than the alu.

true the interior looks the same as a regular 3 until you sit in them side buy side, the leather is nicer and the fat steering wheel and 200mph speedo reminds you where you are

"It needs to be more differentiated from the standard car. Looking at that pic you can barely tell its an M3."

The interior in my M6 was identical to the one in a 635 CSi. The difference between the two became obvious the moment you turned the key.

That's not red leather. That's RUST leather. A quite lovely shade of rust.

If a car company advertises red leather... then the interior of the car should look as though the Devil or Santa Claus would be proud to drive the vehicle.

"I've never been a huge fan of BMW interiors, but I have to admit that the red leather in that photo looks pretty good."

I like the simplicity of the 3's interior however its just a bit too stark and uninviting. The Cadillac CTS/CTS-Vs interior is more luxurious however its slightly overstyled for me. Audi does it best as its detailed without loosing its simplicity.

"...he weeps gently in the corner with a picture of his dear 'Emmy.'"

How funny, that's what I named my M3 as well.

Apparently I am the only person here who was traumatized at a young age by the red vinyl interiors of domestic landyachts from the 70s. I'm getting slightly carsick just looking at that picture.

I had an '81 Mercury Cougar, with red velvet Louisiana-whore-house interior, and this M3 DOES NOT remind me of that red! The leather-color options are the saving grace of the 3-series interior, which otherwise falls below the competition. I do not know of another automaker in this class that offers the same variety of color options.

And the aluminum trim looks sharp. The wood trim would be too busy with such a warm leather color, although I do like wood trim for black leather.

Truly, though, for boulevard duty and every-day use, wouldn't the CTS-V outperform this? It's roomier, comfier seating for your peeps, and has a more sophisticated and adaptable suspension? For trying to be a Cadillac, I think the new M3 still falls just short, despite a commendable effort...

"For trying to be a Cadillac, I think the new M3 still falls just short, despite a commendable effort..."

ROFL!!!! Now that's funny. I really doubt the Germans have ever tried to "be" cadillac. Look at the European sales numbers of full-size cadillacs vs. 7 series for oh, idk, forever. Lets not get Cadillac's first brilliant car in the last few decades confused with the Bavarians history of success.

Hamstrings?

You're doing it wrong.