jgscott

iTrader: (1)

Ah, some have had the 1UZ spinging up to 9500K RPM. Thank you very much.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

That bulge on the hood just looks terrible from the side view.

spwolf

are those torque figures confirmed? Kind a low for high tech 4.0 V8 engine, isnt it?

Tekknikal

i like the new m3.
looks like it will be another great car. cant wait to see how it drives.
i look forward to the new comparos with the rs4, m3, isf, amg/c, and gt-r. this is a wonderful time to be an enthusiast

Tekknikal

not really. i dont think it will be that bad. ~300lbft isnt exactly anemic. iirc the band is very flat too. regardless, torque doesnt win races. horsepower in powerband does.

Overclocker

By GREG KABLE
AutoWeek | Published 04/03/07, 1:26 pm et

We suspect it might be something special, this new fourth-generation BMW M3. A car that takes the sonorous engine note, rabid performance, superb chassis balance, impressive build quality and pure technical brilliance of its predecessor and hauls every last nuance of it to a whole new plane. A car not so much to admire but to lust after. A car to thrust BMW’s M division ahead of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and give the engineers at Audi Sport more than a few sleepless nights.

And special it is. Four weeks after BMW unveiled its M3 concept at the Geneva motor show, the German automaker is now revealing the production version of the 2009 M3 due to go on sale in North America in mid-2008.

As electrifying as the third-generation M3 was to drive, there was no way a mere upgrade would do for the fourth-gen model—not with heavy-hitting competition such as the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 Black Series and the Audi RS5 ready to join the party. Although BMW’s M division hasn’t deviated from the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive format that has underpinned every model, the new M3 appears to have evolved into something more grown-up. It’s still astonishingly quick from point to point and no doubt utterly decisive in its actions but perhaps a little more grand tourer and practicality than the out-and-out racer this time.



The story of the new M3 begins in 2002 with the M division’s decision to proceed with a 4.0-liter V8 engine in place of the outgoing model’s sublime 3.2-liter inline-six. “It wasn’t so much us thinking the new car needed a larger powerplant than news that the competition was preparing cars in excess of 400 hp,” says the company’s development boss, Gerhard Richter, adding, “To stay in the game, we simply needed a bigger engine with greater power.”

With work on the M5’s 5.0-liter V10 already well advanced at the time, it comes as no surprise to find the two engines share the 90-degree cylinder-bank angle and a lot of other common elements, including bore and stroke measurements, four-valve-per-cylinder layout and 12.0:1 compression ratio.

With double Vanos variable valve timing, individual throttle butterflies for each cylinder and highly sophisticated electronics capable of doling out a staggering 200 million operations per second, the new V8 is a classic piece of M division engineering—intended to be equally fit for the racetrack or the open road.



Thanks to the aluminum block, magnesium cam covers and aluminum-silicon alloy for the crankcase, the V8 weighs just 445 pounds—about 30 pounds less than the inline-six it replaces. With 420 hp at 8300 rpm, the new V8 delivers 77 hp more than its predecessor, while torque is up 26 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft at 3900 rpm.

The M3 is also a techno-marvel. BMW’s recently unveiled brake energy regeneration system stores power generated on a trailing throttle and under braking, using it to top up the battery when required rather than drawing precious power from the engine to spin the alternator. The new engine’s ability to rev to a stratospheric 8400 rpm is the real defining element, however. “It is what sets our cars apart,” says Richter.

Having experienced the raucous bark of the new V8 up close, we can confidently say it should possess the characteristic sharp throttle response and rev-driven attitude of the six-cylinder engine it replaces, combined with the added low-end punch and high-end heroics that come with the extra two cylinders and increased capacity.

The new car gets a six-speed manual gearbox with a revised 3.82:1 final drive, dumping power through a hydraulic differential providing 100 percent lockup to the rear wheels. The result, according to Richter, is a car that has lost none of its renowned traction qualities yet can be pushed into lurid powerslides despite the addition of nearly every driving aid in BMW’s new catalog—ABS, ASC, CBC and DSC for those keeping tabs. A double-clutch gearbox might be closer to introduction than first thought, since there will be no sequential-manual gearbox option.



M division design boss Ulf Weidhase modified the exterior to appear even tauter and more athletic than the standard car. Cues include a deep front spoiler carrying a trio of large ducts to feed air into the engine bay, a distinctive hood power dome, signature chrome gills behind the front wheel arches, widened fenders, an extended rear valance, four chromed tailpipes and 18-inch forged alloy wheels. The lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced roof helps lower the center of gravity.

The production coupe shown here is the first of four M3 variants. A convertible, sedan and wagon also are in the works, the convertible fitted with a folding aluminum hard top.

BMW claims 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, 0.4 second quicker than the previous model. But don’t make the mistake of dwelling too much on the M3’s straight-line performance—handling and agility have always separated the M3 from its rivals. The latest model uses a combination of MacPherson struts up front and multlinks at the rear; however, the wheelbase is dramatically longer and wider, and the suspension geometry has been radically altered. Buyers will also be able to specify electronically controlled dampers providing three levels of firmness: normal, comfort and sport. They are chosen via the new MDrive button that also is used to alter engine mapping and steering response. Ventilated disc brakes measuring 14.1 inches up front and 13.8 inches at the rear complete the package.

The only question remaining is whether the sum of the new M3’s spectacularly sophisticated new parts can match its predecessors from the past 21 years. We hope looks—and hardware—aren’t deceiving.

Source: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../70402007/1059

92 SC400

I dont know about you guys here but I just think that E46 is a much better looking car... I thought maybe the E92 would grow on me but I most definitely hasnt. Ive warmed up to its performance aspect, as most have, but I still reall dislike the styling. I do however, like the E90 over the E46 sedan...

I think for many the bulge on the E46 hood is more subtle that is why no one really mentions it.

STIG

You got it! Here

http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphoto...-bmw-m3-saloon

TRDFantasy

Which V6 engines exactly are you comparing this to? The IS350's 2GR-FSE 3.5L V6 for instance, is lighter than this BMW 4.0L V8.

TRDFantasy

So a car becomes a benchmark simply by one person's opinion? Sorry, but no.

The RS4 actually *has* beaten the E46 M3 in a number of comparisons. Obviously, the new M3 is not out yet, so we can't judge it at the moment. In Germany, the RS4 is currently held to higher regard than the E46 M3, based on several comparisons and from what many Germans are saying.

Yes, the new M3 will smoke a lot of cars on the streets, but so will the IS-F, and so can the RS4.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

Weird side view mirrors.

TRDFantasy

Exactly. It's meaningless to bring up the E46 M3's "bulge" because most people don't even know it has one. It's extremely subtle, and even why I see E46 M3s on the street, it's *very* hard for me to spot the hood bulge.

On the E92 M3 though, the bulge is quite obvious.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Don't you guys think with the difference in premium between M3 and 335i, a modded 335i will be producing more than the M3... TT versus NA...
I know M3 is more than just HP.. but how much room we have more HP from the V8 if it is already advanced..

newr

He said most (not all) V6's.

It's obvious that a smaller engine will weight less than a bigger engine like the 3.5L V6 vs the 4.0L V8 dont you think? not by much though. 306hp from the 2GR-FSE 3.5L V6 is simply amazing but delivering 420hp with only 0.5L bigger is totally insane.

TRDFantasy

I don't have the figures on me, but I am willing to bet Honda's J35 engine in the RL, and Infiniti's VQ35HR both weigh less than the BMW 4.0L unit. I think even the 3.7L V6 in the G35 Coupe might weigh less than the 4.0L BMW unit.

Keep in mind the BMW unit is using some exotic materials to keep the weight down.

Not knowing the details, it would seem that 420HP from a 4.0L V8 is amazing. But knowing all the details, it's nothing surprising.

Peak HP is achieved at over 8000 RPM. The engine uses many exotic materials to rev high and keep the weight low. The engine also uses a number of race technologies to achieve it's peak output.

Comparing an engine like the 2GR-FSE, which is a premium mass market engine, to a specially-built, racing-based engine isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison.

I can point out the fact that the race-spec 2GR-FSE engine which sits in the as-of-yet unraced IS350 GT2 cars yields over 470HP at about 8000 RPM. That's coming from a 3.5L V6 mind you.