Official Photos, Specs, Weight! of 2008 BMW M3 (Not Concept, Not Photoshops)

[MexicoCityM3]

BMW released today official photos and a few specs of the new 2008 BMW M3. Noteworthy:

1. The production version will get the CF roof .
2. No SMG/DSG gearbox at launch, only standard 6 speed.
3. Standard 18" wheels (this is great, especially for the bad roads here in Mexico).
4. Official weight is 3483 pounds, according to BMW, an increase of 70 or so pounds over the outgoing model. This is very very good.
5. Electronic Damper Control as in the M5 to choose suspension settings (3 levels). This is totally awesome.
6. Sport button to sharpen throttle response (as in the E46) and steering (new).
7. M button to configure EDC and sport with one push to your preferences. Sweet gimmick.
8. 14.2 inch cross-drilled front rotors, 13.8 inch cross-drilled back.

More M3 hotness here (colors, video, official info, rims, small configurator):

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/index_highend.html

Best info from C/D here: http://www.caranddriver.com/carnews/12774/2008-bmw-m3-coupe.html
Info from Autoweek here: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/FREE/70402007/1528/FREE
Large pics at my club's site here: http://bmwclub.org.mx/photos/fotos_espa/default.aspx. The production car is the red M3.

I like it. Can't wait to test drive it.

[ro51092]

Damn, this is so awesome, I don't know where to start.

[SJ_GTI]

Damn, this is so awesome, I don't know where to start.

Will you be trading in your A4...? 

[850CSi]

[ro51092]

Will you be trading in your A4...? 

No, but this could be its replacement. Did you have any problems with yours?

[Minpin]

+1,000

[JYODER240]

Raza will find a reason to hate it.

[MexicoCityM3]

Bump. Thread updated with more info including weight, check OP.

Oh my god I just lost any objectivity that I still may have had. So excited! That weight is awesome awesome awesome.

E92 M3 FTW!!!!

[sandertheshark]

Oh, yeah, baby!

[LonghornTX]

Pretty good weight, much less than that of its nearest competitor, the RS4.

[850CSi]

3483!? Not bad at all.

Come to think of it, what car with a V8 weighs less than that?

[MexicoCityM3]

3483!? Not bad at all.

Come to think of it, what car with a V8 weighs less than that?

An F430. A bit more expensive, though .

[Raza]

Corvette.

[LonghornTX]

3483!? Not bad at all.

Come to think of it, what car with a V8 weighs less than that?

I think the V8 vantage is pretty close to that and the vette is well below that.

[MexicoCityM3]

I think the V8 vantage is pretty close to that and the vette is well below that.

The Audi R8 weighs the same according to C/D "At about 3500 pounds, the R8 is 500 pounds heavier than an Acura NSX, so it doesn?t take all the Weight Watcher prizes".

I'll have fun chasing those overpriced "exotic" VDubs in an E92M3.

[Champ]

Well optioned for under 70grand?

[MexicoCityM3]

Corvette.

No shame in that. Anything with 4 seats, a real trunk and an interior that doesn't make you want to throw up?

[Raza]

No shame in that. Anything with 4 seats, a real trunk and an interior that doesn't make you want to throw up?

Corvette has a real trunk, and a decent interior.

And with the BMW's exterior, I wouldn't need the interior to throw up.

[Lebowski]

No shame in that. Anything with 4 seats, a real trunk and an interior that doesn't make you want to throw up?

The corvette's trunk is significantly bigger than the 3-series coupe's and the back seat of an E92 is useless anyway.? Granted the interior sucks, but IMO the E90/E92 interior isn't all that great either.


I like this M3.? Only things I don't like about it are the hood bulge and possibly the price - if this thing is pushing $70k well equipped, I'll lose interest in it real fast.

[MexicoCityM3]

the back seat of an E92 is useless anyway.?

BS. I can easily drive with 4 people in my E46 and I am 6'4". The E92 is larger inside.

[MexicoCityM3]

Corvette has a decent interior.

For a Chevy. Sorry, it is in a totally different league than the M. Have sat in it, have ridden it, not my style at all. Still waiting for a car with 4 seats, better price, and better power to weight stock.

[Lebowski]

BS. I can easily drive with 4 people in my E46 and I am 6'4". The E92 is larger inside.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.  I'm sure people are lining up to get in the back seat of that thing.

[Raza]

For a Chevy. Sorry, it is in a totally different league than the M. Have sat in it, have ridden it, not my style at all. Still waiting for a car with 4 seats, better price, and better power to weight stock.

Flawed question.  V8s aren't usually in small cars.  It's an abnormality, not an accomplishment.  Say Chevrolet came out with a pickup truck with a 3 cylinder engine.  They'd be the only ones with a 3 cylinder pickup.  That doesn't mean anything. 

Small cars with V8s: 
C55 (dead)
S4
RS4
M3
Mustang
GTO (dead)

So, it's competing with luxury cars, not lightweight anyway (though the C55 was not much heavier.  Conceivably, were it available with a stickshift, it would have been lighter than the M3).  The S4 and RS4 both have AWD, which is at least a 200 pound weight penalty. 

And I wonder what a Mustang GT500's power to weight is compared to the M3. 

And then a horsepower per dollar comparison would be interesting as well.

[sandertheshark]

BS. I can easily drive with 4 people in my E46 and I am 6'4". The E92 is larger inside.

Damn straight.  I'd be lying if I said I'm perfectly comfortable in my own back seat, but it's fine for short trips.  I can think of a lot of four-door compacts that are much worse.

[MexicoCityM3]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.? I'm sure people are lining up to get in the back seat of that thing.

Let me guess. You have never sat in one.

[sandertheshark]

Flawed question...

Good point.  I'm on your side of this part of the argument.  But the E92 has a better back seat than a Mustang. :P

[MexicoCityM3]

Flawed question.? V8s aren't usually in small cars.? It's an abnormality, not an accomplishment.? Say Chevrolet came out with a pickup truck with a 3 cylinder engine.? They'd be the only ones with a 3 cylinder pickup.? That doesn't mean anything.?

Small cars with V8s:?
C55 (dead)
S4
RS4
M3
Mustang
GTO (dead)

So, it's competing with luxury cars, not lightweight anyway (though the C55 was not much heavier.? Conceivably, were it available with a stickshift, it would have been lighter than the M3).? The S4 and RS4 both have AWD, which is at least a 200 pound weight penalty.?

And I wonder what a Mustang GT500's power to weight is compared to the M3.?

And then a horsepower per dollar comparison would be interesting as well.

Too many cars on your list for you to call a V8 in a small sedan "abnormal". The C55 is not "dead", it will be replaced by a C63 (V8) and you know it. Same with the GTO, a new one (V8) is coming. I love the straight six in my M3, but this new M3 seems better in every important way (on paper).

HP per dollar is owned by the Mustang and Corvette. Different cars, not my style at all like I said. This M3 is superior to all those cars you mentioned, at least on paper. Amongst European cars, it is tops in dollar/performance. That is the point I am trying to make. You don't like the styling. I like it. That's too bad. Nothing to argue there, totally subjective.

I guess you are a closet BMW lover, that's why you keep on denying it so strongly.

[Raza]

Too many cars on your list for you to call a V8 in a small sedan "abnormal". The C55 is not "dead", it will be replaced by a C63 (V8) and you know it. Same with the GTO, a new one (V8) is coming. I love the straight six in my M3, but this new M3 seems better in every important way (on paper).

HP per dollar is owned by the Mustang and Corvette. Different cars, not my style at all like I said. This M3 is superior to all those cars you mentioned, at least on paper. Amongst European cars, it is tops in dollar/performance. That is the point I am trying to make. You don't like the styling. I like it. That's too bad. Nothing to argue there, totally subjective.

I guess you are a closet BMW lover, that's why you keep on denying it so strongly.

Whatever it will be replaced with is none of my concern.  It will be when the specifications of that comes. 

So, I ran the numbers:
M3:  8.41lbs/bhp
GT500:  7.59lbs/bhp (according to the 3795lb number I found)

The GT500KR will have an even better power to weight ratio. 

[sandertheshark]

The GT500KR will have an even better power to weight ratio. 

There's only going to be a thousand KRs so that doesn't count.

[Raza]

There's only going to be a thousand KRs so that doesn't count.

What the fuck kind of dumb rule is that?

I don't think we should count any cars that have "M" in the name.  So the M3 is out.  What are we arguing over?