The launch of the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe sees
BMW M GmbH revealing a new interpretation of the high-performance sports car -
and carrying the BMW M philosophy over into the fifth generation of the M3.
More than 40,000 examples of the fourth-generation BMW M3 Coupe were built, and
now the BMW M4 Coupe is poised to continue this success story. The
"M4" badge is a reference to the model series that provides the basis
for the new M model - and, for the first time, the Coupe will be introduced at
the same time as the four-door variant. Logic dictates the latter will be
christened the BMW M3 Sedan.
2015 BMW M3
The fourth generation: V8 engine and intelligent lightweight
design.
2007 signalled a break with tradition as the BMW M3 took to
the stage for the first time in 15 years without the straight-six unit so
frequently crowned Engine of the Year. Instead, the fourth-generation car -
which appeared in coupe, sedan and convertible form (the latter joined the
range in 2008) - was powered by an eight-cylinder unit. The new 3,999cc engine
developed 309 kW/420 hp and some 85 per cent of its maximum 400 Newton metres
(542 lb-ft) of torque was available across a huge 6,500 rpm rev range. The
engineers continued along the path of lightweight design with the Coupe in
particular. On the back of positive experience with other M models, the roof
was once again made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. The bonnet with its
striking power dome was made from aluminium, as were large sections of the
newly developed lightweight chassis.
The third generation: enhanced dynamics in a sharper design.
The third generation of the BMW M3 - launched in 2000 and
available in coupe or convertible form only - added another, now traditional,
signature feature to the model: a power dome on the bonnet. The new model also
raised the bar another not inconsiderable notch in terms of performance and
dynamics. Its six-cylinder in-line engine still had 3.2-litre displacement, but
now developed 252 kW/343 hp. And that meant the M3 could accelerate from 0 to
100 km/h / 62 mph in 5.2 seconds (Convertible: 5.5 s), should the occasion
demand. Almost more impressive still, though, was the sprint from 80 to 120
km/h / 50 to 75 mph, which could be dispatched in a mere 5.4 seconds. Evidence
of the six-cylinder engine's exceptional pulling power could not have been
provided any more emphatically.
The second generation: three variants of a "wolf in
sheep's clothing".
The successor to the original M3 was not designed as the
basis for a racing car. However, it was developed from the outset in three body
variants. The two-door Coupe, which made its debut in 1992, was followed onto
the market in 1994 by a Convertible and - for the first time - a four-door
Sedan. All three models were powered by a six-cylinder 3.0-litre engine
developing 210 kW/286 hp, which powered the car to 100 km/h / 62 mph from a
standstill in under six seconds. Top speed was electronically limited to 250
km/h / 155 mph. A small-series M3 GT variant was added to the range in 1994,
its 217 kW/295 hp sending it straight to the top of the M3 performance scale at
the time. In 1995 the car's displacement was increased to 3.2 litres and output
rose to 236 kW/321 hp.
The first generation: forming the basis for the world's most
successful touring car.
In spring 1985, the BMW Motorsport department began
development of a racing machine to line up in touring car competition. The
roadgoing version required for homologation - 5,000 examples of which had to be
built for sale per year to satisfy the sporting regulations for this category
of racing - was conceived from the outset as a race-ready Group A machine. The
inaugural BMW M3 celebrated its premiere in September 1985 at the Frankfurt
Motor Show (IAA), with the market launch following in summer 1986. Its
naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine developed 143 kW/195 hp (version
without catalytic converter: 147 kW/200 hp) from a 2.3-litre displacement,
accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h / 62 mph in 6.8 s (6.7 s) and had a top speed of
230 km/h / 143 mph (235 km/h / 146 mph).
Hall of fame: The evolution of an automotive legend over
three decades
The new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe represent the
fifth generation of a pure-bred sports car offering excellent everyday
usability - one which has raised the bar in the ultra-high-performance mid-size
sedan/coupe segment at every turn over the last three decades. "The BMW M3
has been our iconic model in the high-performance sports car segment since
1985, when the company unveiled the first generation of the BMW M3 at the
International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt," recalls Dr Friedrich
Nitschke, President BMW M GmbH. "Today, 28 years later, the new BMW M3
Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe are set to extend this tradition into a fifth
generation and take the car's unique combination of outstanding dynamics and
unrestricted everyday usability to yet another new level."
Intensive experience-sharing ensures a smooth production
start-up.
This will be the first time the Munich plant has handled
production of a lightweight design concept bringing together an aluminium
bonnet and side panels, CFRP roof and lightweight tailgate in this combination.
The bonding facility for the carbon roof in the paintshop is also new to
Munich. The intensive sharing of experience with colleagues in Regensburg helps
ensure that the employees in Munich maintain an outstanding level of
manufacturing expertise when it comes to lightweight design technologies.
Indeed, Plant Regensburg can call on many years of experience in lightweight
design. As well as production of the outgoing generation of the BMW M3 with its
carbon roof, the Regensburg factory has also been responsible for the
manufacture of numerous BMW Motorsport touring cars built for race action.
Full integration into the regular manufacturing process.
One of the reasons for the decision to split production of
the BMW M3 and BMW M4 between the two facilities centred on the company's
commitment to integrating the two high-performance sports cars into the
production processes for their respective donor models. For example, the BMW M4
will be built alongside models including the standard BMW 4-Series Coupe in
Munich, and Regensburg is the venue for production of the BMW 3-Series Sedan as
well as the new BMW M3. Among the benefits of "mixed" production on a
shared line is that the plants can respond quickly to market fluctuations by
making adjustments to unit figures as required. As well as efficient production
planning and logistics, the essential ingredient in this approach is the
single-line system: both M models will be built alongside their respective
donor models on the same production line.
Production: Return to the birthplace of the BMW M3
It was at the Preußenstraße headquarters of BMW Motorsport
GmbH in Munich 28 years ago that the company's then managing director Paul
Rosche developed the idea for the BMW M3. Production began just a few months
later at the original BMW plant next door. A total of 17,970 units of the
firstgeneration BMW M3 were built here up to 1991. And now, almost 23 years
later, production of the iconic sports car - long since guaranteed legendary
status - is returning to its birthplace. BMW Plant Munich will host production
of the new BMW M4 Coupe, while the BMW M3 Sedan will be built at BMW Plant
Regensburg, where 222,293 units of the second, third and fourth generations of
the BMW M3 combined have been produced since 1992.
Optional add-ons for comprehensive driver information.
Keen track drivers will be pleased to hear that BMW M GmbH
has developed a free BMW M Laptimer app, which allows owners to analyse their
personal driving style. Once their smartphone is hooked up to the BMW - via USB
cable or the car's snap-in adapter - customers can operate the BMW M Laptimer
app easily using the iDrive Controller. The app then gets to work without
delay, recording the car's speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, engine
revs, the gear engaged (if the M DCT or automatic gearbox is specified),
steering angle, accelerator position and fuel consumption. That means, when the
data is subsequently analysed via graphic displays on the customer's
smartphone, the driver's reactions can also be assessed. Another feature allows
two recordings on the same track to be compared corner-by-corner. The readings
used here can be either the driver's own or data shared via email.
Innovative driveline and chassis technology deliver
unbeatable dynamics.
The optional M DCT Drivelogic changes gear with no
interruption in the flow of power, enabling it to reduce shift times, while a
Launch Control system optimises acceleration off the line. M DCT additionally
features the Smokey Burnout function, which allows the driver to indulge in a
degree of rear wheel spin while the car is moving at low speeds.
Interior with exquisite materials and motor sport ambience.
The BMW M3 and BMW M4 also stand out with an interior that is
exclusive and functional in equal measure. For example, the M Sport leather
multifunction steering wheel is fitted as standard, as are bucket-style M
sports seats and the BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite. Like the front
seats, the distinctively contoured backrests of the rear seats also offer
exceptional lateral support. They are made from a lightweight composite
material and can be folded in a 60:40 split. This gives the BMW M3 and BMW M4 a
degree of variability and everyday usability that is well beyond the norm for
highperformance sports cars of their level.
Carbon roof as a visible sign of the commitment to
lightweight design.
The CFRP roof, which was fitted to the Coupe version only of
the outgoing BMW M3, is a standard feature of both the new BMW M3 Sedan and the
new BMW M4 Coupe. The "exposed" styling of the carbon-fibre
construction accentuates not only the exclusivity of the two models and their
direct links to motor sport, it also emphasises clearly the lightweight design
philosophy underpinning the cars.
The interior design: flawless ergonomics in a sporting
ambience.
Climbing into the BMW M3 and BMW M4, drivers will be greeted
by the interior architecture familiar from the BMW 3-Series and BMW 4-Series,
complete with unimpeachable ergonomics and clear driver focus. In keeping with
the character of the two models, however, the interior fulfils an even more
sharply defined sporting brief. To this end, the host of traditional BMW M
equipment details includes M door sill finishers, an M driver's footrest, M
gearshift lever, M-design circular instruments with white graphics, M leather
steering wheel with chrome trim, colour contrast stitching and
electroplatedlook shift paddles (if the M DCT gearbox is specified).
Equipment: Extensive standard equipment joined by a host of
options that enhance dynamics and comfort
The new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe leave the factory
with a thorough selection of equipment on board which reflects their character
as extremely performance-oriented cars offering excellent everyday usability.
In addition, customers can choose from an extensive range of optional equipment
to give the high-performance sports cars an even more uncompromising sporting
edge or push their comfort levels to the maximum. And for customers keen to place
a very personal stamp on proceedings, the wide-reaching spectrum of BMW
Individual items - including BMW Individual paint finishes, BMW Individual
Merino leather and BMW Individual interior trim elements - will be another
avenue well worth exploring.
The rear: BMW M4 with spoiler integrated into the boot lid.
The design of the rear end displays striking differences in
the two models. The BMW M3 Sedan, for example, is fitted with a Gurney spoiler
to reduce lift, while the tailgate of the BMW M4 Coupe features an integrated
rear spoiler and is made from particularly lightweight carbon-fibre-reinforced
plastic. As well as performing a functional aerodynamic role, the tailgate also
contributes significantly to the BMW M4's standalone design. Indeed, the pair
of lines which begin life flanking the power dome in the bonnet - and score a
clearly defined path over the CFRP roof - complete their journey in the boot
lid.
Design: Striking use of forms underlines standout
performance capability
The design of the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe
visualises in eye-catching style the outstanding performance capability and
impressive handling properties of the two new models. "The superior
performance of the BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupe should be obvious at first
glance," explains Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles.
"Indeed, the exterior design of the new BMW M3 and BMW M4 has a visual
impact that elevates the BMW M design language to a new level of expression,
highlighted by a purposeful character, emotional appeal and dynamic
verve."
BMW M3 Sedan also gets CFRP roof for the first time.
On the outgoing models, the CFRP roof was confined to the
Coupe version. Now, for the first time, the four-door BMW M3 will get this
striking design and functional feature as well. The CFRP roof brings weight
savings of five kilograms in the case of the BMW M3 Sedan and more than six
kilograms in the case of the BMW M4 Coupe. It also lowers the vehicle's centre
of gravity, which has a positive impact on driving dynamics.
The new six-cylinder in-line engine: High-revving,
turbocharged unit combines the best of both worlds
The new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe from BMW M GmbH
see a return to a six-in-line engine configuration, as used on the second and
third generations of this iconic sports car. "When developing a new model
we first think about what requirements the vehicle will be expected to meet,
then decide which concepts and technologies will best meet these goals,"
says Albert Biermann. The new turbocharged engine combines the best of both
worlds - reaching a maximum 7,600 rpm, it is unusually high-revving for a
turbocharged engine, resulting in linear power delivery over a wide engine
speed range and a characterful engine note, while M TwinPower Turbo technology
ensures that peak torque is on top over a broad rpm range. A further hallmark
of this engine is its outstanding efficiency.
Electric Power Steering with three settings.
The electromechanical steering system in the new BMW M3
Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe represents a new development from BMW M GmbH and the
critical component in the link between driver and car. It offers the gifts of
direct steering feeling and precise feedback. The integrated Servotronic
function electronically adjusts the level of steering assistance according to
the car's speed, providing optimum steering characteristics at all speeds. The
steering for the BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupe also offers the driver three
settings as standard, which can be selected at the touch of a button. COMFORT,
SPORT and SPORT+ modes allow the level of steering assistance to be adapted to
suit the situation at hand and the driver's personal tastes.
Aluminium suspension elements ensure sharper dynamics.
The core expertise of BMW M GmbH resides in developing M
cars that offer impressive steering precision, on-the-limit adjustability,
agility and driving feeling, together with unbeatable traction and outstanding
directional stability - all without neglecting everyday usability. In order to
achieve these aims with the significantly increased performance capability of
the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe, the axles of the outgoing BMW M3
have been redesigned with painstaking attention to detail.
A blend of elements working in perfect harmony delivers outstanding
performance, precision and agility
Low-slung and broad-set, the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4
Coupe share a finely balanced stance on the road. Indeed, the M-specific design
of the two high-performance sports cars underlines their performance
capability. Large air intakes and Air Curtains at the front end, exposed
carbon-fibrereinforced plastic (CFRP) and aluminium body components, and the
diffuser at the muscular rear end are not merely design flourishes; they also
fulfil functional roles in terms of aerodynamics, cooling and weight saving.
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