BMW M3: The Wait is Finally Over!

On Saturday, March 8th, BMW’s next generation M3 will magically appear at dealerships around the country.

It’s been a long and somewhat torturous wait for fans of the M, as the Germans slowly released information on this machine and the various spy photos trickled in. Finally in March of last year the official press release and photographs burst on the scene, kicking anticipation up yet another notch. This was followed later in the year by the appearance of the actual production car at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

The heart of this car is its hand built, 4.0-liter V8 producing 414 horsepower and with a stratospheric 8400 rpm redline. Truly an amazing engine! Of course all the usual BMW M bits accompany this motor – the strong brakes, tuned suspension, aggressive body kit (check that carbon fiber roof!) and a bevy of techno goodies make for one impressive package.

It’s also nice to see the return of a four door (E90) variant along with the coupe (E92). This sedan version is a definite response to competition from Audi’s RS4, Mercedes’ new C63 and the upcoming Lexus IS-F.

With pricing starting at $53,800 for the sedan and $56,500 for the coupe, these cars are comparable to anything else in their performance category. The question remains, will the M-cars still be the king of the performance hill, considering the high level of opposition out there?

The Connoisseur will take a first drive in the next few days and report back. Stay tuned…