M3/M4 BMW E90 M3 Sedan (Official pics & info)

[Mr. Mercedes]

The coupe front does not work well enough with the sedan body. Generally it's rather unexciting next to the RS4 and C63.

 

[450SEL6.9]

4.9 seconds for 0-100 for the M3? A few of the car magazines that tested the 300-hp 335i got a sub-five-second time. Acceleration-wise, the 335xi is said to be even faster. If the performance with the 335xi is so similar to the M3, what's the point?

 

[warot]

4.9 seconds for 0-100 for the M3? A few of the car magazines that tested the 300-hp 335i got a sub-five-second time. Acceleration-wise, the 335xi is said to be even faster. If the performance with the 335xi is so similar to the M3, what's the point?

335xi: No LSD, regular interior, not to mention a pretty high ride height,.

M3: LSD, M-Dynamic, sporty seats, better brakes, lighter car, sound of that V8...

I can go on and on. It's been beaten to death on other BMW forums. The fact is, you can try to upgrade the 335i to be as quick as an M3. But in the end, it'll end up costing you the same as just getting an M3 in the first place and you won't have warranty.

Also, note that the "official" BMW time for the 335xi is more like over 5 seconds. I would expect the M3 to be quicker than the official time as well.

 

[Merc1]

The thing is you have to look at who is doing the testing. It really isn't accurate to use one magazine's numbers vs another's. For instance this from Car and Driver says it all IMO:

BMW quotes 0-to-62 mph in 4.9 seconds, but since we have tested the coupe (in less than optimal conditions) at 4.4 seconds, and the sedan doesn’t differ much from that car in size and weight, we’d imagine sub 4.5-second sprints are extremely likely.

They'll get the M3 sedan's 0-60 time under the 335i's easily.

2008 BMW M3 Sedan - Auto Shows - Car and Driver October 2007

M

 

[///K]

Can't wait to see this car in other colors...BLACK!!!

 

[EnI]

4.9 seconds for 0-100 for the M3? A few of the car magazines that tested the 300-hp 335i got a sub-five-second time. Acceleration-wise, the 335xi is said to be even faster. If the performance with the 335xi is so similar to the M3, what's the point?

Cars are not about HP & 0-100 numbers only. Especially not the M cars.

I still do not understand US customer obsession with HP, 0-60, 1/4 mile figures. And "the bigger the better" philosophy.

 

[Centurion]

I like it betta!!!

Classic! That's what the M3 sedan needed a big and bold bumper which stands out.


Larger images:

 

[Zafiro]

M3 should not look like a M5. Thats stupid. Period!
Im amazed how people find reasons to bash the new M3, incredible. Particulary MB fans seem to enjoy it.

 

[Centurion]

M3 should not look like a M5. Thats stupid. Period!
Im amazed how people find reasons to bash the new M3, incredible. Particulary MB fans seem to enjoy it.

Nobody have said that it's ugly. It's not like we hate it. The exterior is attractive but it doesn't have any unique characteristics and looks a bit so and so next to the coupe. BMW could done some minor customizations so that it doesn't look like an E90 with the front of the M3 coupe and rear bumper glued on to it. Especially when BMW in general tend to differentiate their cars a lot.

 

[Sunny]

Nobody have said that it's ugly. It's not like we hate it. The exterior is attractive but it doesn't have any unique characteristics and looks a bit so and so next to the coupe. BMW could done some minor customizations so that it doesn't look like an E90 with the front of the M3 coupe and rear bumper glued on to it. Especially when BMW in general tend to differentiate their cars a lot.

The hood bump, the hood vents, the side vent, the side mirrors, the fenders, side skirts, the rear wing... are all different between a vanilla E90 and the E90 M3 -and I am not counting the front end and rear bumper.

And I think that list is longer than the difference between C63 and the vanilla C - if you don't count the front end and the rear bumper. I could be wrong though. I think the same goes for RS4, not counting the 2 bumpers, the only 2 differences I can think of are the fenders and side mirrors. I could be wrong again though.

 

[EnI]

Nobody have said that it's ugly. It's not like we hate it. The exterior is attractive but it doesn't have any unique characteristics and looks a bit so and so next to the coupe. BMW could done some minor customizations so that it doesn't look like an E90 with the front of the M3 coupe and rear bumper glued on to it. Especially when BMW in general tend to differentiate their cars a lot.

Beside technical advantages of putting E92 M3 nose on E90 M3 there is also a marketing reason:

M3 is a considered as a one model in few body shapes. So BMW tried to unify the look as much as possible. M3 is a sub-family within 3er family.

Imagine all four M3 models with different design solutions. Kinda a confusing.

Note: 3er coupe & cabrio were meant to be designated as 4er in the beginning. But were renamed back to 3er due the M3 ... since M3 trademark is iconic, and naming it M4 would kill the heritage.
Putting coupe nose on E90 M3 has a similar reason: to demonstrate M3 is a one model in different body shapes. A specific model within 3er family. And that M3 sedan (missing for nearly 10 years) is in the same league as the coupe - and not inferior. Not to mention the Touring.

 

[Zafiro]

Take a look at M3 E36 Sedan/Coupe. They look exactly the same, in fact they are more similar than todays M3's. BMW is doing the same thing they did 15 years ago.

 

[450SEL6.9]

I can go on and on. It's been beaten to death on other BMW forums. The fact is, you can try to upgrade the 335i to be as quick as an M3. But in the end, it'll end up costing you the same as just getting an M3 in the first place and you won't have warranty.

Also, note that the "official" BMW time for the 335xi is more like over 5 seconds. I would expect the M3 to be quicker than the official time as well.

I have a 335xi and the official time is 5.6 seconds, but it seems a fair bit quicker than all their official estimates. I have driven a 2005 M3 and the 335xi is not much slower. My friend who swapped her M3 with my car briefly said hers is not much, if at all, faster. I don't doubt that the new M3 will be quicker than the 335i and xi, but the performance discrepancy is much smaller. How much quicker can they make the M3? Then what will they need to with the M5 to ensure it is not inferior?

I still do not understand US customer obsession with HP, 0-60, 1/4 mile figures. And "the bigger the better" philosophy.

Normally, I don't either care much about advertised acceleration times, but in this case it is more a question of value. The performance of the E90 M3 and the 335's look to be much closer than in the past. Ferrari's F430 Scuderia is also said to be just as quick as the Enzo in some measures, but it costs a whole lot less.

 

[SCOTT27]

CAN YOU HEAR ME???? GET OUT OF THE CAR!!!

BMW 5 Series Sedan - BMW AG

 

[LaArtist]

so its really only the CSL wich will alter the package and look of the car..
as i expect the cabrio to have the same look as the sedan and coupe..

so thats the exact reason why i want to see M6 CSL and now this M3 CSL
in hope for a package that suits me bettter visually

 

[bmer]

A couple of captions I took from the M3 Sedan web special:

 

[bmer]

Damn, I would never have thought better pics had this big a difference. Definately nothing wrong with this car's looks.

 

[Centurion]

Thank god BMW has another set of pictures. It looks much better in these new ones. I't still not 100% dope though.

 

[Sunny]

From this pic, it really looks like they are promoting stealth factor - may be why they chose to present the sedan in silver and the coupe in red. I really love Q cars - if it had the CF roof, I would definitely pick it over the coupe.

oh and the side vent looks very Aston Martinique - much better than the one in the coupe.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Honestly, the rear is lacking. I don't like the rear lights. The front is great because of the coupe front but overall this car doesn't excite me like the RS4 did and especially C63.