transferred

E90 is a piece of c--p, in my opinion. Looks like a Toyota. BMW are simply turning into Audi by turbo-ing their engines (I like Audi's but that's not the BM way).

E46 M3 is the last true M3. I'm not saying that just because I own one as the reason i traded in my last one for an 06 is because I truly believe the M3 dies with the loss of the I6.

To stay competitive they needed a V8 says BM, well how come the stock CSL can lap a track quicker than any full production MB or Audi.

As for the gearshift, i'm a fan of the Getrag box. Don't know whether that makes me a minority but I haven't missed a shift in 5-years of hard M3 driving.

ItalianStallion

How can you say the new M3 is crap if it hasn't even been released yet? I'm sure it will blow away the current M3 in both handling and acceleration, and especially in exhaust sound. The M3 had an annoying exhaust noise (although it sounded very nice at higher RPMs) whereas the new V8 will probably have that muscle noise that everybody loves. IMO, I think the new M3 is going to look sick. I'm not a big fan of the new 330i sedan look, but I think the 335i coupe is really hot.

About the CSL...isn't that BMW's supercar? I don't know the exact specs on it, but I remember it being priced north of $100,000 and being illegal in the US. I don't think its a fair comparison.

PC Valkyrie

Come on, you sound like the E46 M3 can never be improved upon.

To stay competitive with the C-AMG cars and the Audi S/RS cars in terms of horsepower, BMW had to go either with bigger displacement or with forced induction. I applaud their decision to go with a naturally aspirated V8 for the new M3 as the power delivery will be more linear and smooth, which is what M-enthusiasts want and expect. The 335i demonstrates that the forced induction route is also very good and can give excellent results.

I guarantee you that the next V8 M3 will be faster in everyway (straight line and on a twisty track) than the E46 M3. Unless BMW really screws up, it should retain the excellent balance and feedback that we expect from them.

The main reason the M3 CSL is so much faster than the standard M3 is because of significant weight reduction. No luxuries or extra safety features of any kind. You can't expect BMW to make the next M3 with the same weight reducing features as the E46 M3 CSL, which was a limited edition road car for the track.

transferred

I meant the reg E90 is crappy. New M3 will most likely be a very acccomoplished car but it's not for me. I am also certain that it will not have the sleek aggressive look of the current M3. How can it when it is based on the E90?

America has loads of dumb rules and decisions, such as no RS6 avants, no import of the Evo VI (the best one they made). The CSL was priced alongside the CLK55 in Europe making it a very fair comparison (on paper anyways!!)

transferred

You make some interesting points.

I'm not saying that in some ways the E46 M3 can't be improved upon I simply believe that it will be at great cost to the purity of the brand.

Yes it will lap quicker, as BM knows how to make sedan-based cars lap tracks very competently. However, I doubt it will drift as well or connect the driver so well. Character is very important and the current M3 has it in spades. Yes I'll get smoked by certain AMGs or US muscle cars, but I appreciate the handbuilt feel and foibles the car posesses. It isn't perfect by far and that's what I love. The engine is scratchy at low down, as if there was a pine cone lodged in the intake, and rough at the very top, but everywhere else in it 8k rpm it is, in my opinion, withou equal.

I owned an M3 CSL when I was in England and I never felt the car needed more than the 360bhp it had or felt it lacked creature comforts. SMG was my only complaint. What you say regarding the CSL is true though.

However, I'm not sure that M-enthusiasts want a linear and smooth V8. If they did, they would drive AMGs which provide very muscular engines combined with everday driveability.

Italian Stallion- I have never found the M3 exhaust noise annoying. Many magazines- Top Gear, Car, Evo- actually claim it to sound "intoxicating." An example of an annoying exhaust noise from a mass produced and frankly uninspiring engine would be the 350Z/G35. Them things sound awful, though one gets what they pay for.

cntlaw

well say.

02S430

me 222

ardy6931

I have been mb loyal for the last 5 years or so. I am afraid I am going to have to say good bye to the slk55 and switch to the m3, I am first on the list at my so cal dealer. Can't wait till summer time comes around again

Fifth Ring

Those are not "American rules" but rather manufacturer's decisions, based on the cost of complying with American rules (crash certifications, etc.). In a perfect world, the US would accept EU certification for crash and emissions, making the market completely open; but then the EU would need to do the same.

Read an issue of Car magazine (UK) and you'll see why they won't do it. Good American cars (Corvette, Caddy CTS) are about 50% more expensive there than here, due to certification costs. Ever wonder why a French or Italian economy car can sell in Europe? Market protection. If Japanese, Korean and American cars could sell at "real" prices, the UK market would look more like our market. Nothing French, nothing Italian.

cntlaw

You made some points.
Incidentally, after being a MB/AMG fan for 5 years, I am back to the bimmers. I still cannot say I would be a bigger bimmer fan than AMG until we see the comparision of 2008 C63 AMG with the new E92 M3. Being an E90 owner, extensively active in the bimmer forums and talking to numerous local tuning vendors in the past year, from most aspects, the E90 is a better handling car than the E46 if we fairly compare apple to apple. It is just a bit early to draw conclusion.

cnt
p.s. this E90 is mine, it does not look like a Toyota that I come across?

dmg3

I've got a Subaru Forester turbo (I call it my Lez-mobile sometimes) that states zero to sixty in 5.3 seconds. For more than half the price. Way underrated car btw... I don't see what the big
deal is for low five's.

Glasgow Gold

That's a good point -- just went to the SF Auto Show yesterday and my three biggest impressions were (1) lots of cars doing low fives now; (2) many manufacturers asking way too much money for mid-five cars (can't Bentley up the performance a bit for $340k?); and (3) there are too many people in the SF Bay Area.

Subaru a great sleeper car in general. Terrific performance, strong reliability and reasonable price. Within their grasp to create a competitor to c55/m3/s4. Legacy Spec B (Bilsteins, first NAV system in Subie sedan) and STi Limited (same performance, no boy racer wing) coming closer!