So I arrived at PH Towers today in my
435i long-term test car
to see a moody looking E92 glowering at me from the car park in the morning dew. This is BMW UK's press car, plucked from the very
final run of M3 production
last July and specced up with a selection of special bits and bobs. On the dash it has a 'Limited Edition, one of 500' script but it's not exactly like the run-out Limited Edition 500 model sold exclusively in red, white and blue here in the UK. Our man from BMW is looking into the exact spec, likewise exactly how late in the production run this car was built. He says it's one of the last ever though.
It's funny returning to an 'old' car while excitement about its replacement is reaching fever pitch, not just with our contest to spec up the PistonHeads M4. If you haven't already chuck in your configuration here.
Having parked up the 435i I had to move the M3 across to the official PH spaces and even though I've only driven it a sum total of 50 metres thus far it was enough to fill me with excitement for the coming week. I don't ever remember feeling this before but compared with the 4 Series I'd just jumped out of the M3 feels nicely compact - kind of 1 Series size - and very 'fitted'. And that engine remains so special for a road car, there really is nothing like it. And won't be again. I'm sure the M4's new twin-turbo straight-six will be impressive but there's something properly racy about the V8, even on that metallic sounding tickover.
I'll not spoil the surprise of what we've got planned for the coming week but, suffice to say, we're going to have some fun...
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