About a month ago there was a post on a BMW M3 enthusiast site claiming to show specs and pricing for the upcoming BMW super coupe. We were suspicious, and after a careful examination of the information we were even less convinced. Now comes word from the Australian website www.drive.com.au that the M3 won't be unveiled until next fall's show in Frankfurt. This puts the U.S...
debut in late '07 at the earliest, probably more like the spring of 2008. With that in mind, the purported "price sheet" looks even more suspicious. Would BMW really set pricing for a vehicle nearly two years before it was set to go on sale? We doubt it, and you should too.
ateixeira says:
10:53 AM, 10/ 3/06
I wonder if, as prices reach nose-bleed levels, those of us with a mortgage will even care. The M3 has become a wealthy man's car, as opposed to the enthusiast's aspirational car.
I remember when M3s were $38 grand, not too long ago....
blueguydotcom says:
11:56 AM, 10/ 3/06
I expect a starting price north of 60k. The 335i sedan starts at 38k, and it offers 330 hp/330 tq (official numbers are 300/300 but dynos show BMW fibbed by quite a bit). Take a 335i and add a better suspension, chip the car's ecu for 400/400, a different exhaust and an LSD for under 6k. The user will get near M3 performance for a good 15k less than an M3.
hondacura4 says:
03:05 PM, 10/ 3/06
Ive always had a place in my heart and my driveway for an M3. But it seems like this car is headed the same direction that the wonderful M5 is heading. Big, heavy, overloaded with unecessary electronics, but lots of power. What ever happened to the pure driving performance of the 95-99 coupes and sedans? They had a light, nimble, pure feeling and in my eyes they are the best M3's thus far. Id kill for a late 90's manual M3 sedan.
estreka says:
06:14 PM, 10/ 3/06
I've always found BMWs to be pricey. Sure makes Audi's offerings seem like bargains.
blueguydotcom says:
05:10 AM, 10/ 4/06
Estreka, uh are you talking about the same audi that charges 66k for the RS4 that gets 17mpg combined and runs 0-60 in a staggeringly bland 4.8 seconds?
http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/new_cars/Audi_A4/RS_4/features_and_specifications/specifications.techdata.a4.rs4limo.8ec5x9_0.html
Sorry but Audi's price v. performance ratio is way out of whack. The 335i sedans starts at 38k and offers nearly the same level of performance.
estreka says:
08:42 AM, 10/ 5/06
bluedot - I'd compare the RS4 to only an M3, not a 335i. I would compare the A4 to a 335i. Stat for stat, they're more comparable, except for price.
hondacura4 says:
02:05 PM, 10/ 6/06
Audi A4 2.0T = BMW 328i
Audi A4 3.2 = BMW 330i
Audi S4 = BMW 335i
Audi RS4 = BMW M3
Make sense?
_killermonkey says:
05:15 PM, 12/ 5/06
i think we wont be seeing the M3 for a while so they made a mindblowing 335 for us...maybe they are making it better to beat the coming lexus IS 500 that will kick ass