Official Pictures of the New BMW M3 (and the requisite poll, too!)

[sydude]

Press Release:

The BMW M3 Concept Car.
Description in Brief.

• Concept study of a BMW M3 by BMW M GmbH, dimensions and fundamental form based on BMW 3 Series Coupé, exclusive new engineering of almost every body element, purpose-built for individualistic form and maximum sporting potential.

• At the core of this concept study is an M3-typical V8 engine tuned
to the high revving M concept.

• Front design conveying a high performance sports car, functional execution of the front apron and engine compartment lid, a robust Powerdome and large air intakes that express the vehicle’s superior drive power, particularly voluminous air intakes for ample air supply to the engine compartment through the elimination of fog lamps, typical of M, and a front apron in a pronounced forward position that symbolises the car’s motoring spirit.

• Sharply defined wheel arches, gill-shaped openings in the front side walls with an elaborate three-dimensional design typical of M cars, and chrome brackets with integrated direction indicators.Characteristic M-brand side skirts providing the side view with an energy-laden accent, visual emphasis of the rear-wheel drive and car’s wide track, 19-inch light alloy rims
with the characteristic Y-spoke design, exclusive exterior mirrors with an aerodynamically optimised design.

• Rear design with horizontal lines accentuating the car’s wide track, pronounced wheel orientation as a symbol of its powerful stance, rear diffuser that mirrors design elements of the front apron, balanced proportions underlining the BMW M3’s supremacy, M-typical double tailpipes arranged toward the centre of the vehicle.

• Intelligent lightweight construction that directly influences the vehicle’s agility and dynamic performance, aluminium engine compartment lid.
Side walls made of synthetic material and CFRP roof that optimise weight distribution and centre of gravity, visible CFRP roof construction as
an additional design element, emphasis of flat silhouette and high tech character of the vehicle.

The Vision of Ultimate Driving Pleasure:

The BMW M3 Concept Car.

Its very name is a symbol for unique performance on the racetrack and in everyday traffic. For two decades, BMW M3 has embodied the athletic heart of the brand in its most fundamental and succinct form. Its dominating role in motor sports and the ultimate driving experience it affords the driver on the road are inseparably intertwined. The qualities on which this synthesis is founded have given the BMW M3 the exceptional status it enjoys the world over.

At BMW M GmbH, engineers have persisted in continuing this success story with the presentation of the new BMW M3 Concept Car. The concept study being presented to the public for the first time at the 77th International Motor Show in Geneva (8th to 18th of March, 2007) gives a first impression of what a future BMW M3 might look like.

The basic form for the BMW M3 Concept Car is a derivative of the new
BMW 3 Series Coupé. The few components adopted directly from the series model are the headlamps and taillamps and, as the only body elements,
the two doors and the luggage compartment lid. In all other respects,
the BMW M3 Concept Car, which is being presented in the Chrome Shadow finish characteristic of BMW M GmbH concept studies, is obviously
an individualistic and athletic vehicle with technology at the focus of its engineering.

Individualistic body concept with emotional aesthetics.

In keeping with tradition, the engineers at BMW M GmbH developed the BMW M3 Concept Car as a fundamentally individualistic vehicle. The level of commitment to this approach is clearly demonstrated by its body. While it is based on the dimensions and the underlying form of the BMW 3 Series Coupé, virtually all body elements have been newly developed and designed from the ground up. Apart from the supporting vehicle structure, only the doors and the luggage compartment lid were taken over from the series model.

All other components were specially engineered for the BMW M3 Concept Car, lending the vehicle exterior unique aesthetics that accentuate its superior power. Unmistakable features that make the BMW M3 Concept Car instantly recognisable are the special trim at the front and rear, the engine compartment lid with its bulging Powerdome and two air intakes, the lateral air slots in the front side walls, the side skirts and the exterior mirrors in a BMW M typical design.

Front with additional air intakes, engine compartment lid with Powerdome.
Faithful to the principle of “form follows function” in designing the body for
the concept study, designers at BMW M GmbH used elements that not only visually emphasise the increased sportiness of the vehicle, but also serve
a technical purpose. Conspicuous at the front are three large air intakes below the cooling grille that supply the engine with additional intake and cooling air. Strong, vertical struts delineate the air intakes and enhance their characteristic form.

The aluminium engine compartment lid exhibits a wide bulging curvature known as the Powerdome. Like the air intakes beside it, the Powerdome suggests the great potential that can be expected of a powerplant in the engine bay of a BMW M3. The M3 Concept Car features a high revving V8 engine that is anticipated for the series car once it goes into production.
The contours of the Powerdome and air intakes are in line with the
forward-pointing sweep of the engine compartment lid and harmoniously blend into the overall design of the front, which is longer than that of the
BMW 3 Series Coupé. Together with the double kidney grille typical of BMW and the flat headlamp units, they lend the BMW M3 Concept Car a highly dynamic character.

Wheel arches and side skirts communicate agility and stability.
The muscular front wheel arches of the BMW M3 Concept Car symbolise
the high level of agility and driving stability achieved by this vehicle.
Together with the forged 19-inch light alloy rims in the classic Y-spoke design, they emphasise the vehicle’s wide track, while a glance through the
spokes of the rims reveals the compound high performance brakes developed exclusively for M vehicles.

The opening behind the wheel arch on the front side wall, which the designers refer to as gills, has an elaborate three-dimensional form that is split by a discreet chrome bracket containing the direction indicator and the M3 logo.

Two arched surfaces form the pronounced side skirt, creating a purposefully designed contrast between light and shadow. By giving the side wall a lower appearance, the side skirt lends the car a lighter, sportier look from this angle. The incidence of light on the likewise sharply defined rear wing and wheel stresses the dynamic character of this vehicle and visually highlights its rear-wheel drive.

The design of the side skirt corresponds with the shape of the strongly pronounced contour line. The play of light and shadow between the parallel contours of the skirt and contour line brings about a tightness in design
that emphasises the individual character of the BMW M3 Concept Car even more strongly.

Exclusive exterior mirrors developed for the BMW M3 Concept Car feature the characteristic black double foot that reminds the viewer of the wings of an aircraft. Even this small detail is in keeping with the principle of “form follows function”. With their horizontal contour line and tapered shape toward the outside, the exterior mirrors not only contribute to the overall impression of the vehicle, but their aerodynamic shape, optimised in a wind tunnel, is advantageous to air resistance values.

Wide track, muscular stance – rear design emphasises dynamic performance.

The rear of the BMW M3 Concept Car picks up on the design of the car’s front. The side lines gradually sink toward the rear and the wings end in
a modelled hollow flute, emphasising the rear-wheel drive and visualising the superior dynamics of this vehicle. From any angle, the rear creates
the impression of a pronounced wheel orientation and a muscular stance.
Its proportions lend it confidence and a calm yet powerful impression.
A visually discreet spoiler lip on the luggage compartment lid, also called
a Gurney flap, optimally channels the air at the rear and additionally
reduces lift on the rear axle.

The contours of the diffuser, whose design is subdivided by modelled struts, mirror the shape of the air intakes at the front. The diffuser and the double exhaust tailpipes positioned close to the vehicle’s longitudinal axis appear to pull the rear together at the centre and build up a tension in conjunction
with the horizontal lines of the bumper. The tailpipes have a round cross section and are cut off vertically, as is typical for BMW M GmbH engineering.
Exclusive roof with visible carbon fibre structure.

There is hardly a body element in the BMW M3 Concept Car that exhibits the level of advanced technology as clearly as the roof. It is constructed of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). Specialists at the BMW Plant in Landshut, Germany, rely on an exclusive production method in which the structure of the Formula 1 material remains visible and the finely structured surface is only coated with a layer of clear finish.

As a highly visible advanced technology component, the CFRP roof dominates the technically innovative appearance of the BMW M3 Concept Car. Seen from the side, it lets the roof edge appear flatter and thus lowers the perceived body height. Apart from the exclusive appearance, the CFRP roof also offers a real technical advantage: It is considerably lighter than a steel roof. This not only reduces the overall vehicle weight, but by reducing the weight of the highest element in the body, the centre of gravity is lowered as well. Thus, the reduction in weight at this location is particularly beneficial to the agility and dynamic performance of the vehicle.

The CFRP roof is a perfect example of how interlinking technical innovation with an individual design strategy was central to the development of
the BMW M3 Concept Car. Following the tradition of the previous three generations of the BMW M3, this concept study represents a high performance sports car interpreted for use in everyday diving, with its every detail being yet another example of the objective pursued by the engineers. The BMW M3 Concept Car is a vision that shows where striving for the ultimate driving experience will take us in the future.

[dalyduo]

Hate to say this but it looks like a really expensive tarted up Pontiac GTO...
The headlight treatment and "face" of the car look rather hawk like and animated but I'm not sure how it will age. If you're inside driving it you're probably not worried about that. :-)

Probably looks much better in person.

[AZRCD]

Call me crazy but it doesn't have a muscular feeling from the pictures. No presence either, nothing that makes me tremble at the thought of driving it. The profile is it's best view by far IMO. However, for my money I'd take an alpine white e36 M3 on looks. Probably on driving terms as I'm a big fan of the e36, but I never did drive an e46 M3.

[cdh]

Originally Posted by AZRCD

....nothing that makes me tremble at the thought of driving it....

As long as the car trembles at the thought of you driving it, you are fine.

None of the recent 3's have looked as good as the generation you used to own Sy, what year was that? There was no doubt it was a BMW, no doubt it was German....they are getting more Asian looking, less unique.

Of course, none ever looked as mean/beautiful as the GTR (yeah, it's a full-blown race car, but I had to post this pic, wow)

[Duncan]

The bumpers and hood are a nightmare, but I could probably forgive it with more fender flare

[sydude]

Originally Posted by cdh

None of the recent 3's have looked as good as the generation you used to own Sy, what year was that?

You're absolutely right. I still have it - it's a classic, built like a rock, and I'm never getting rid of it. It's a 2003 E46 (that's the series designation) M3. The prior series that Abe's talking about was the E36. Abe, if you want to drive the E46, come on by.

[Rosso]

Originally Posted by sydude

Press Release:

The BMW M3 Concept Car.
Description in Brief.

• At the core of this concept study is an M3-typical V8 engine tuned
to the high revving M concept.

A little like picking one of Sy's pit-chics over another from a photo, eh? Always room in the driveway for a German hotrod, but I my personal lust is for the M-Coupe. Is the M3 V8 new next year? I thought they were straight sixes?

[Slowhands]

The beauty in purpose-built vehicles such as racing cars, airplanes, boats arises from the fact that each is designed, engineered, and built to serve a specific purpose. The designs that are the most successful at solving the problems encountered in going fast are the ones that best understand and utilize the Laws of Nature to achieve their ends. Nature seeks out the simplest, most direct solutions to her problems. When humans recognize this, that elegance is a natural component of the forms of their vehicles, because these forms are simply a reflection of their function. And so we see beauty in well-engineered objects.

The Germans used to excel in this area. When the 2003 E46 M3 came out, I thought it was a perfect example of this. clean, taut, elegant yet muscular lines. If the car's design follows its function, it will look fast naturally. You don't have to explain a lot of arbitrary add-ons ("the power bulge on the hood reflects the fabulous horsepower available; the gill vents suggest testosterone-infused brake pads") -- that's street tuner world, currently recycled by Asian works design houses. Stick a friggin' blower through the hood and be done with it, it's much more honest. All of a sudden Chris Bangle, the Godfather of arbitrary design, gets the nod at BMW and starts foisting his Frankenstein-like body shapes on us, with weird bulges in unexpected places. I'm sorry, different is not always better, especially when its purely arbitrary. But for some reason, everyone wants to copy him (witness the hideous new MB S-class).

Give me a 1971 280 SL any day.

[AZRCD]

Originally Posted by sydude

You're absolutely right. I still have it - it's a classic, built like a rock, and I'm never getting rid of it. It's a 2003 E46 (that's the series designation) M3. The prior series that Abe's talking about was the E36. Abe, if you want to drive the E46, come on by.

I'll be knocking on your door when I get back from CO. Is your car trembling yet? I was never going to get rid of mine, but... Crap

[sydude]

Originally Posted by AZRCD

I'll be knocking on your door when I get back from CO. Is your car trembling yet?

I went out and told her that you were coming to try her out, and she just laughed... but she said she'd humor you, even if she doesn't feel a thing..

[AZRCD]

So why don't you get the Active Autowerks supercharger? Make that baby run with the V8's!

Man I really do miss my car.

[AZRCD]

Oh, and she will DEFINITELY feel my fat ass in the set!

[sydude]

Since when do you have a fat ass? I don't remember you having a fat ass.

[AZRCD]

Before you knew me (I was never a skinny kid) and I got it back since you saw me last.

[Slowhands]

Originally Posted by sydude

Since when do you have a fat ass? I don't remember you having a fat ass.

uh.... you sound a little worried, Sy...

[sydude]

I'm not worried, I just want to get an advantage over him next time we go karting (which may be tomorrow - let me know if any of you want to come).

[AZRCD]

I'm in Snowmass, need to carve.

[birkmama]

The rejection of new design ideas and execution is not always necessarily a function of the design. In many cases it is also the result of age. From a strategic standpoint, the M3 will still try to talk to the same demographic target group its predecessor did. 40 something year olds with ok means and the will to sacrifice them for a rewarding ride.
To illustrate the point: The 40 something year olds in 2008 were low 30s when the E46 launched. Assuming this objective it makes it maybe easier to understand the design. Understand - not like since like is still highly subjective and should be.

In terms of form follows function I do think the M3 does not pose. The bulge in the hood, the gills the air intakes are all functional parts of this concept.

I was looking for a couple of guinea pigs to sample the car for feedback, but against my initial assumption there seem no candidates in this community....

[dalyduo]

So what you're saying, in the kindest possible terms, is that many of us are irrelevant old farts no longer in the cross hairs of the M3's demographic. And the up and coming virtual reality kids with extra disposable income will most likely be drooling over this forward leaning design.

The irony of the design is that the functional bulges and gills that actually serve a purpose are somewhat evocative of non-functional appointments on poser cars from our past. For those not old enough to make those comparisons I suspect this M3 looks about as cool as a car can look because it's form follows function rather exotically.

Once you're behind the wheel it's all window dressing anyway. (except for the functional gills) Of course we all want to have a great looking car but it's the experience behind the wheel that should weigh more heavily in the equation.

When you get into high end "status" cars like BMW there is a part of the market that buy's the name and look with little appreciation of its performance. If an eye catching design increases sales by 25 or 30% that increase in sales also gives you more money for engineering a better car going forward. So I guess as much as my instincts are for the more conservative older designs, there is an argument to be made for leaning forward.

Originally Posted by birkmama

The rejection of new design ideas and execution is not always necessarily a function of the design. In many cases it is also the result of age. From a strategic standpoint, the M3 will still try to talk to the same demographic target group its predecessor did. 40 something year olds with ok means and the will to sacrifice them for a rewarding ride.
To illustrate the point: The 40 something year olds in 2008 were low 30s when the E46 launched. Assuming this objective it makes it maybe easier to understand the design. Understand - not like since like is still highly subjective and should be.

In terms of form follows function I do think the M3 does not pose. The bulge in the hood, the gills the air intakes are all functional parts of this concept.

I was looking for a couple of guinea pigs to sample the car for feedback, but against my initial assumption there seem no candidates in this community....

[PT Cruiser]

Like the front view. Not so sure from the side.

But one thing that always surprises me is how often cutting edge designs initially rub me the wrong way at first, but then after they've been around a year or so, I find that I like the look after all. And it's even more surprising when, 10 years later, the same designs looks hopelessly outdated.

I'm with Pat, though. Who cares how it looks? The real question is, how does it handle? It's going to take a pretty darn good car to make me part with my '97 M3.

[birkmama]

Not quite - I used demographic medians as an orientation and tried to explain the fact that in order to remain in the market it is essential to alienate part of your followers to conquer new ones. If you don't you are following a Cadillac strategy who managed to increase the age of their buyers a year per year. Needless to say that this equation must come to an end at one point - and now after they are paying tribute to this with more youthful products. Yet once the image is established the efforts to reverse it are enormous.

Porsche for example has always gone the route of that risk and the oproar always was huge when they come up with the:

• 993 - headlights too sloped
• 996 - no air cooling, egg-eyes, no waist
• 997 - too generic not innovative enough

and yet they seem to fare well with it. We will see what the customers have to say once the car is in the market and also who these customers will be.

Originally Posted by dalyduo

So what you're saying, in the kindest possible terms, is that many of us are irrelevant old farts no longer in the cross hairs of the M3's demographic. And the up and coming virtual reality kids with extra disposable income will most likely be drooling over this forward leaning design.

[Rosso]

Originally Posted by birkmama

...demographic medians as an orientation and tried to explain the fact that in order to remain in the market it is essential to alienate part of your followers to conquer new ones...

So, if you are at liberty to explain such, how does the desired M3 demographic differ from the Z4 derived M Coupe demographic?

Signed,

M Coupe Lustee

[birkmama]

Originally Posted by Rosso

So, if you are at liberty to explain such, how does the desired M3 demographic differ from the Z4 derived M Coupe demographic?

Signed,

M Coupe Lustee

Dear Lustee,

Are you asking to compare desired vs desired or actual vs desired? I assume the former and will simply say that Z4 M coupe owners more often add that vehicle to the household, whereas many M3 households see only one car. This also means that their income should skew higher.

It would be more insightful to talk about psyhcographics, wouldn't it? So dear Lustee, why would you lust an Z4 derived M coupe over an M3?

[Rosso]

Originally Posted by birkmama

Dear Lustee,

Are you asking to compare desired vs desired or actual vs desired? I assume the former and will simply say that Z4 M coupe owners more often add that vehicle to the household, whereas many M3 households see only one car. This also means that their income should skew higher.

It would be more insightful to talk about psyhcographics, wouldn't it? So dear Lustee, why would you lust an Z4 derived M coupe over an M3?

Don't need no stinkin' backseat! Third vehicle (not including vintage Jag, Ducati Monster or corporate issue Dodge) in a two driver household. To my eye, the M-Coupe needles into the same raucous, hooligan, vein as the Monster. Make mine black. No nav system...

And maybe subconciously, I see the M Coupe as the car the XK-120 should have grown up to be. Never thought of it that way before now, though.

How long do I have the couch for???

[FINKLE]

As a BMW technician/enthuisist, personally, I don't like it. And most other technicians don't like the way BMW vehicles are now looking. They are starting to look more japanese. Which the last time I checked isn't German or anywhere near Germany. The cars have these sleak, smooth lines that make the car look feminin instead of what it should be, more aggresive and more musculer. So that when you see one in your rear view mirror you quiver in fear and the thought passes through your mind "I'm not fucking with that guy". And its intimidating just looking at it sitting still. Oh WOW its got a V-8. Whip-dee-freaking-do. You want a real M3 V-8. Get a E46 M3 buy a S62 motor, do some modifacations and when your done you will have a M3 V-8. If you've got the money for a new M3 than you'll have the money to make your own M3 V-8 with a better look. I wish I could side with BMW on the new styles, I've been an enthusiast for years not to mention I work for them, but I just can't. BRING BACK THE GERMAN LOOK!

[Rosso]

Originally Posted by FINKLE

... more aggresive and more musculer. So that when you see one in your rear view mirror you quiver in fear and the thought passes through your mind "I'm not fucking with that guy"...

LOL - Finkle - with all due respect, do NOT come down south around here to the gateway to the Bubba Nation. Your heart won't take the strain. The SKS hanging in the back window of the '82 F-150 4x4 with the 560 V8 and the 38 inch tires in your rear view mirror will be real.