Monday 4th April 2011

First Official Pics Of Harder M3

BMW teases us with official pics of a new, harder-core, CSL-esque M3 saloon concept

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BMW has released pictures of a very special M3. This is a concept car unveiled at a special M GmbH event in Germany. It has been built using parts from the hardcore GTS and hints at a possible production car, most likely a successor for the legendary E46 CSL.

Details are still elusive and there is debate as to whether or not it will use an uprated version of the standard M3's 4.0-litre V8 or the GTS's 4.4-litre unit. But were we betting people, the stock motor is the one with the shorter odds. What is not in doubt, however, is that it will certainly have more power than the standard M3.

The concept features many parts that you would find on a GTS, however. Black kidney grilles, darkened alloys, an uprated exhaust system, a new boot lip spoiler, tweaked suspension and a front splitter similar to that on the GTS.

M division engineers are remaining tight lipped about any further details but M division boss Dr Kay Segler did let slip that it would have 'lightweight construction', although no carbon fibre accoutrements have been spotted as yet.

If this car makes it into production (which is pretty much certain), it will sit between the boggo M3 and the top-end GTS version in the range. What is not certain, however, is whether or it will come to Blighty, at least as a saloon; sales of the four-door M3 are considerably slower than those of the coupe and the convertible, with 144 saloons being sold in the UK last year compared with 686 coupes and 384 convertibles.

[Hellbound]

April Fools! :|

Sorry....a little paranoid now...

[chrisg_s2k]

Hellbound said:

April Fools! :|

Sorry....a little paranoid now...

That was my first thought too....

...but God-damn I hope it isn't. So. Much. Want.

[Riggers]

chrisg_s2k said:

That was my first thought too....

...but God-damn I hope it isn't. So. Much. Want.

It is past midday, folks...

[jsg612]

Dark blue with black wheels is possibly the worst looking combo ever (in my sole opinion ofcourse!). Would look excellent with the 19" polished wheels.

[bromers2]

Won't get away with them darken windows.

[i remember]

Worst colour, looks st!

[powwerr]

^^^ what he said. colour is completly wk.

[george h]

Think I'd still take a C63 over this

[The Stiglet]

^^^ What they said!

Looks like a horrible little Evo/Halfords disaster.

[Tango13]

In white or silver that would be stunning but the only shade of blue permissable on a M car should be Estoril blue, all IMHO of course.

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Well I think it looks delicious in that colour combo.

[Fergie87]

Has that side profile been stretched because that looks very long.

[P4ROT]

george h said:

Think I'd still take a C63 over this

+1 they'll never beat the e46 csl

Would be pretty annoyed if i'd just bought a gts lol

[thehardman07]

Yep, got to agree, navy and black just don't go.

It's like wearing a navy shirt with black trousers (or vice versa). Just No.

(No offence to all those wearing the above colour combo whilst reading this of course)

[ellisd82]

Its a 5 series.

[Skinnnnnyboy]

I actually really like the colour with the black wheels

[motor mad]

PistonHeads - COLOUR MATTERS

[lazyitus]

Really, really nice looking car.

[Mermaid]

How many special editions have there been - the latest was the Competition pack, previously the Edition and I believe there is one more. And none really special.

So they have milked that for what it was worth, and now offer a really special swansong NA M3 - a bit like the E30 M3 Sports Evo (darker wheels than the standard M3) - make it a limited edition car, 1000 or 2000 units and you have a ready market.

[Accelebrate]

Similar colour combo to a certain McLaren? No?