.

.December 10, 2003
.
This Week:

• The New BMW 6 Series Convertible Makes Its World Debut At The 2004 Detroit Auto Show

• Saab 9-2X: Summary: New Benchmark Among Dynamic Premium Compacts

• 2005 Chrysler and Dodge Minivans Designed From The Inside Out

• Toyota Prius Hybrid Production Increased By 31 Percent For U.S. Market

• 2005 Focus: The First Salvo In Ford's "Year Of The Car" Product Blitz

• Terraza Brings Buick SUV Refinement Into Premium End Of Mini-Van Segment

• Porsche's growth continues

• Consistent implementation of the new product naming strategy: smart city-coupé becomes smart fortwo as of 2004

• BMW M3 for 2004: The legend continues

• Delphi Invests in New China and Korea Technical Centers

© 1998 - 2003 Copyright & 
Disclaimer
Automotive Intelligence,
www.autointell.com
All Rights Reserved .
For questions please contact
editor@autointell.com  

.
BMW M3 for 2004: The legend continues

Photo: BMW

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey - For enthusiasts of ultimate automotive performance, it's a magic name: BMW M3. Combining the all-around excellence of the BMW 3 Series with the spectacular performance and handling prowess of BMW M, the two M3 models are formidable BMW sports cars that have earned - again and again - accolades from the world's motoring critics while providing their buyers with real performance and equally real practicality. For 2004, the two M3 models - the M3 Coupe at $47,795 including destination charge and the M3 Convertible at $56,295 1 - continue. The Dark Blue soft top is now available on the Convertible with a wider range of exterior and interior colors.

A brief history of the M3

The first generation M3 was essentially a racing car tamed for road use. Offered in the U.S. from 1988 through 1991, it was based on the then-current 3 Series generation (internal platform designation E30) and was a winged, spoilered 2-door sedan powered by a rip-snortin' BMW M 4-cylinder engine of 2.3 liters and 192 hp. This was a full-on BMW M engine, with 4 valves per cylinder at a time when no regular-production BMW had more than 2; an individual throttle for each cylinder; and other racing-style engineering finery. That M3 certainly wasn't for everyone, but it was a hearty and competent sporting machine; even today it has a devoted following.

The 2nd-generation M3 is better known. Based on the later E36 3 Series and making its debut for 1995, this M3 had a mission beyond BMW M's usual dedication to great performance and handling: to bring BMW M and its great driving machines to a wider spectrum of U.S. buyers.

This was accomplished by powering the M3 not with a traditional, highly elaborate BMW M engine, but rather with a specially developed version of now-standard BMW practice: an inline 6-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts, 4 valves per cylinder and a single throttle. Taking this approach, BMW M created an engine of 3.0 liters and a solid 240 horsepower; in '96 the engine grew to 3.2 liters and delivered more torque. Within the range of speeds American drivers experienced, this engine provided thrilling performance, yet cost thousands less to produce. The rest of the car was very much the same M3 that Europeans could buy.

Today's M3: Series perfection, M muscle

As universally acclaimed as the 1995-99 M3 was, progress never stops at BMW - nor at BMW M.

So it is with the 3 Series; in its present incarnation, the E46 platform, the 3 Series is better than ever. Thus based on the 3 Series, the M3, too, has been brought closer to perfection in its E46 form. Yet the current M3 is more than just a "3 Series plus": Like all M Cars, it is very much its own machine, a true and gifted sports car, whether in coupe or convertible form.

(December 5, 2004)