'07 3 Series Coupe with no disguise!!!

[Leonidae]

bah. M-coupe is still best looking bimmer by far, followed closely by M1.

 

[ImprezaAddict]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
its like all BMWs are sweet generally.
but how do you think it will compare against Porscher or Mercedes

 

[Wolfe]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
its like all BMWs are sweet generally.
but how do you think it will compare against Porscher or Mercedes

It will be slower and more practical than Porsche's cars, yet better-handling and more involving to drive than Mercedes' cars. As always.

 

[Keef]

The 335 is going to have a twin turbo version of the acclaimed Magluminum 3.0 I-6. It'll have around 300 horses and about the same torque, according to Car and Driver. That ought to keep up with a Boxster.
I don't like the idea of using a V8 in the next M3, either. They should just stick with a high strung I-6. It's better that way.

 

[GT4_Rule]

That way, less weight on the front and reduces understeer.

I like the idea of 6 cylinder M3 too. Maybe they should study the roots of the M3, and what it was before it got all beefy and fat with electronic stuff.

 

[Wolfe]

That way, less weight on the front and reduces understeer.

I like the idea of 6 cylinder M3 too. Maybe they should study the roots of the M3, and what it was before it got all beefy and fat with electronic stuff.

If they "studied the roots of the M3," they would go with a high-strung naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder instead of the 6-cylinder you want.

 

[NSX-R]

Speaking of "Roots", there is only one M3 with NA I-4 and two with NA I-6, so in my opnion it's not too late to change. Unlike Skylines, I-6 from the beginning... too bad they went with V-8 now.

 

[GT4_Rule]

If they "studied the roots of the M3," they would go with a high-strung naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder instead of the 6-cylinder you want.

Well, go for the 4-cylinder engine! I think that fits M3s characteristics better than some V8.

 

[Wolfe]

Well, go for the 4-cylinder engine! I think that fits M3s characteristics better than some V8.

Well, the M3's competition says otherwise. Look at the current M3, and how its engine is outgunned by pretty much all of its competitors. BMW M Gmbh has to make a 400+hp engine for the next M3, and doing so with an NA 4-cylinder would be pretty silly. It would either have to be huge, or positively gutless at lower RPMs. Looking at the Porsche 997 GT3, making more than 400hp with an NA 6-cylinder is possible, but it seems BMW M Gmbh has already decided on the V8.

I don't like the idea of a V8 M3 either, but it just the way things are gonna go. Look at the M5 -- it went from a straight-6 to a V10...

 

[GT4_Rule]

Well, the M3's competition says otherwise. Look at the current M3, and how its engine is outgunned by pretty much all of its competitors. BMW M Gmbh has to make a 400+hp engine for the next M3, and doing so with an NA 4-cylinder would be pretty silly. It would either have to be huge, or positively gutless at lower RPMs. Looking at the Porsche 997 GT3, making more than 400hp with an NA 6-cylinder is possible, but it seems BMW M Gmbh has already decided on the V8.

I don't like the idea of a V8 M3 either, but it just the way things are gonna go. Look at the M5 -- it went from a straight-6 to a V10...

The massive horsepower war is the one to blame - had it not happened we might've seen M3 stick with L4 or L6. BMW probably switched to V8 so that they can make more power out of it with it being reliable...

 

[Wolfe]

The massive horsepower war is the one to blame - had it not happened we might've seen M3 stick with L4 or L6. BMW probably switched to V8 so that they can make more power out of it with it being reliable...

Are you saying the 997 GT3 won't be reliable...?

The European horsepower war is getting out of hand, yes, but I'm personally interested in seeing how far they can take it before they have nowhere to go...

 

[GT4_Rule]

Are you saying the 997 GT3 won't be reliable...?

The European horsepower war is getting out of hand, yes, but I'm personally interested in seeing how far they can take it before they have nowhere to go...

Now now, Im not saying GT3 isnt reliable, but this is being discussed at the Veyron thread....and someone mentioned the Lancer makes 400hp (FQ-400) from 2L but then needs servicing every 4500miles.

Im sure the war will end when the manufacturers finally realize that their massive engines are no better than American V8s at guzzling gas up and that [joke starts here] they used up half of the worlds petrol supply by causing this war [joke ends here]

 

[niky]

Not to mention the fact that some car mag (topgear, I think), blew one. 400hp used daily on a 2.0 Turbo makes for some interesting maintenance/overhaul bills.

C'mon, just one boost spike, or a little too lean on the fuel if you're running flat out on the track... ka-boomey.

Still, it would be nice to see BMW doing a performance four-banger, or sticking with the excellent inline six.

Bet BMW could make a 200bhp 4-banger if it really wanted to (heck, they do run touring cars, right?)... and fit it the 1-series. Would make a far sprightlier vehicle than the 130.

 

[GT4_Rule]

Not to mention the fact that some car mag (topgear, I think), blew one. 400hp used daily on a 2.0 Turbo makes for some interesting maintenance/overhaul bills.

C'mon, just one boost spike, or a little too lean on the fuel if you're running flat out on the track... ka-boomey.

Still, it would be nice to see BMW doing a performance four-banger, or sticking with the excellent inline six.

Bet BMW could make a 200bhp 4-banger if it really wanted to (heck, they do run touring cars, right?)... and fit it the 1-series. Would make a far sprightlier vehicle than the 130.

1 series have always suffered from lack of power. At least the bottom models. It would be interesting to see if BMW comes up with a M1

 

[Poverty]

I don't like the idea of a V8 M3 either, but it just the way things are gonna go. Look at the M5 -- it went from a straight-6 to a V10...

Wolfe!...You have made a slip up, the last M5 was a V8 not a straight 6. Or do yu mean it originally started with a straight six?

They should just stick with a high strung I-6.

If by high strung you mean high reving the new M3 should still do that. Remembers its basically just a M5 engine with two cylinders chopped off.

Oh yeah a rumour I heard on the grapevine is that there will be a M version of the 1 series except that it wont be called the M1.

 

[Wolfe]

Now now, Im not saying GT3 isnt reliable, but this is being discussed at the Veyron thread....and someone mentioned the Lancer makes 400hp (FQ-400) from 2L but then needs servicing every 4500miles.

415hp from a non-turbo 3.6L should be more reliable than 400hp from a boosted 2.0L. Honda has already proven that 120hp/L naturally-aspirated can be reliable.

It's when you come close to making 400hp from 2.5L naturally-aspirated that you don't have a particularly long-lasting engine anymore. That's why road-going BMW E30 M3's never saw the same horsepower that their racing brethren had.

Wolfe!...You have made a slip up, the last M5 was a V8 not a straight 6. Or do yu mean it originally started with a straight six?

Sorry to disappoint you, but it's the latter. I was talking about the first two M5's, and the M535i that came before them.