NEDC from your WLTP
? If not, then let us lure you into a lesson with the promise of a BMW M3 discussion too. NEDC is the New European Driving Cycle, which is how fuel consumption used to be measured in new cars; now cars are tested by the WLTP, or the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. Stay with us now.
While still a lab-based test, WLTP aims to be more representative of actual driving than the old process, which was introduced in 1996. It was ushered in last year along with the new Real Driving Emissions classification, which does take place in the real world. Together they should provide more accurate MPG and CO2 figures for consumers, plus less scope for, um, manipulating the results...
What does this have to do with the
BMW M3
? Well, to make the current F80 WLTP compliant, the car would require a new filter - there's nothing more specific at the moment - and, given that would take a couple of months, BMW has deemed it not worthwhile to rehomologate the car for the time it has left on sale. Hence production will cease in August, ahead of a new 3 Series later this year and a new M3 quite soon after.
According to Autocar this doesn't apply to the M4 though, suggesting that it has longer left on sale and more of a wait before a 4 Series replacement arrives. Therefore it will receive the new filter and become ready for the WLTP test. It will be off sale for a couple of months while this happens.
It's worth noting too that the M4 comprehensively outsells the M3 in the UK, which could well have also influenced the decision. In 2017 BMW sold 3,100 M4s here, with 700 of those being Convertibles, but only 1,100 M3s found buyers in the same period.
With time running out to buy a new M3, the wealth of cars available secondhand (and right now) could prove tempting. Fortunately we know of a classifieds site with a few for sale... This Competition Pack is in a nice spec at less than £50k (with just eight miles), this red example is a rare manual and this white M3 is currently as cheap as the F80 gets, at £31,995. The choice is yours...
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