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With its ample functionality, inimitable dynamic capability, and undeniable heritage, the BMW M3 Competition proves that it’s more than just a fast car. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers. With 503bhp, 650Nm of torque, and a sub-4 second 0-100km/h timing, the BMW M3 Competition is a bombastically fast car. However, it isn’t all about speed. Plenty of cars now pack 500+bhp, and 0-100km/h times continue to tumble across the industry, accelerated by the increasing number of electric cars. Owning and living with a fast car isn’t simply just about how quickly you can go in a straight line. Indeed, with something like the BMW M3 Competition, there’s more than meets the eye. 1. Duality and function Going fast is easy. Lump in any big engine, tune it up for maximum power, and you have a simple recipe for going quickly. Making that performance usable, accessible, and available is a much trickier business. The BMW M3 Competition has always been about finding that balance between performance and usability. With this newest generation model, there’s a greater level of day-to-day comfort, even as performance levels have gone up a notch. You can still ferry the family, whether it’s taking kids to school, doing the weekly grocery run, or even going furniture shopping at IKEA. And, a four-door saloon also means that there’s plenty of practicality. You don’t have to worry about squeezing into the rear seats. 2. Precision and joy Of course, with any M car, there is the eternal promise of driving joy, whether it’s simply out having fun on the weekend, or even the occasional foray to the track Going fast? That’s easy. Just stamp hard on the throttle and you’re away. You don’t even need Sport mode. However, M cars are also known for their precise driving dynamics. With this new M3 Competition, the sedan’s dynamic capabilities have been sharpened even further. With adjustments to the car’s suspension, steering setup as well as the on-board electronics, the M3 Competition has been endowed with even more precise handling. This gives you the confidence and knowledge that you have a precise tool of power, with the ability to use all of its 503bhp when the opportunity presents itself. 3. Fraternity and heritage A big part of the M badge is also its extensive heritage. The new M3 Competition builds on five previous generations of performance sedans, stretching back all the way to the original E30 M3 that was first propelled into the world in 1986. With a car like the M3 Competition, you’re buying into the heritage of performance. Naturally, that also comes with a fraternity of fellow drivers. This means the occasional meetup with fellow M enthusiasts for a chit chat over coffee, or else poring over the keen details on each other’s cars. Or perhaps, even some group drives, whether locally or overseas (whenever that happens again). With the new BMW M3 Competition, it’s more than just a fast car. It’s an extremely quick and competent daily driver - whether it’s simply to run life’s errands, chase the joy of dynamic prowess, or simply revel in the fraternity of performance and like-minded friends.

2021 BMW M3 And M4 Revealed: Aggressive Looks, 503 HP, And A Manual source: https://www.motor1.com/news/445255/2021-bmw-m3-m4/ BMW’s iconic performance cars head in a bold new direction for 2021. The BMW M3 and M4 are icons, and inarguably two of the most important performance cars in the German automaker's portfolio. But the latest iterations are not the performance vehicles you once knew – for better or worse. Both designers and engineers took a bold new approach in creating the 2021 BMW M3 and M4, now in the sixth generation. The biggest talking point for the new M3 and M4, obviously, are those massive dual kidney grilles propped up front and center. But behind that controversial snout hides a new twin-turbocharged straight-six capable of producing up to 503 horsepower (375 kilowatts) in the Competition model and allowing for a 0-to-60-mile-per-hour sprint of under four seconds. Coupled with an updated cabin design – complete with brand-new sport bucket seats – and loads of fresh technology, and the new M3 and M4 promise to be more than just polarizing silhouettes. BMW designers weren't kidding when they said the M3 sedan and M4 coupe would have a bold personality. The pair of performance cars, as mentioned, get massive dual kidney grilles that extend vertically from the base of the hoodline to the bottom of the bumper, similar to what we've already seen on the entry-level 4 Series. The big kidneys join aggressive full-LED headlights (with BMW Laserlight available as an option), and a large vent at the base of the bumper that extends nearly the width of the front fascia. Both the M3 and M4 come standard with a carbon fiber roof – or an optional, no-cost moonroof – M-specific front and side splitters, and staggered wheels (18s in front and 19s out back). The higher performance Competition model gets 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inchers at the rear. There's also an optional M Carbon package available on both models, which adds more lightweight stuff to the exterior, and a Shadowline option that drapes the exterior mirrors, rear spoiler, and tailpipes a darkened finish. New color options include Isle of Man Green metallic paint on the M3 pictured here, as well as Sao Paolo Yellow on the M4. But buyers can also choose from other hues like Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Brooklyn Grey, Oxide Grey, Portimao Blue, Toronto Red, Tanzanite Blue II, Individual Dravit Grey, Individual Frozen Brilliant White, and Individual Frozen Portimao Blue. In terms of size, the new M3 and M4 are both a bit bigger than their predecessors and both have an identical 112.5-inch wheelbase. The M3 is 4.6 inches longer, 0.4-inch wider, and 0.1-inch higher than its predecessor, while the M4 is 4.6 inches longer, 0.7-inch wider, and 0.4-inch higher than the previous model. Performance: Rear-Wheel Drive, Manual The new BMW M3 and M4 use the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine. That unit is good for 473 horsepower (353 kilowatts) and 406 pound-feet (550 newton-meters) in the standard M models, allowing a 0-to-60-mile-per-hour sprint of 4.1 seconds. The more powerful Competition models, though, get 503 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm), running to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Those horsepower and torque figures mark an improvement of 59 hp and 73 lb-ft of torque compared to the previous models. Both versions have electronically limited top speeds of 155 mph (250 kmh) or 180 mph (290 kmh) with the optional M Driver's package selected. Both the M3 and M4 come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while the Competition offers an eight-speed automatic only, with power sent exclusively to the rear wheels… for now. BMW says an xDrive version of the Competition models will be available in the US later next year. The rear-biased all-wheel-drive system is similar to the M5’s system, with an active M Differential at the rear axle and the ability to choose between 4WD and 4WD Sport modes, with the latter option sending more power to the rear. And if you really want to get loose, turning off the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) transfers power to the rear wheels exclusively. In the center console, just to the left of the iDrive controller, is a new model-specific M Mode button. Unlike traditional tactile drive mode buttons found on other cars, the single M Mode option gives you access to a dedicated M Mode settings screen where you can adjust things like the engine, suspension, and steering. Drive mode options for the engine include Efficient, Sport, and Sport Plus, while drive mode options for the chassis are Comfort, Sport, or Sport Plus, and the M-specific power steering are selectable in both Comfort and Sport. The exhaust system, meanwhile, gets a special M Sound button that improves the note synthetically. Other than the obvious engine and drivetrain upgrades that the M3 and M4 get over their base counterparts, the two also get model-specific exhaust, braking, and suspension treatments. Upgrades to the underbody include new front and rear axle subframes and additional underfloor bracing, as well as adaptive M dampers. The front brakes are six-piston fixed-caliper brakes with 14.9-inch discs, while the rear set are single-piston floating-calipers with 14.6-inch discs. Interior: Big Bolstered Buckets A number of features from the standard BMW 3 Series and 4 Series – and really, the rest of the lineup – carry over to the inside of the M3 and M4. Most notably, both vehicles get the same central touchscreen and digital instrument cluster found elsewhere in the range. Only now there are subtle touches to indicate the pair's more sporty nature, like a new red stop-start button in the center console, optional carbon fiber trim pieces, appropriate M badging throughout the cabin, and red M Mode buttons on the steering wheel that allow the drivers to cycle between Road, Sport, and Track settings. New sport seats also set the M3 and M4 apart from their base siblings. The radically styled, Merino leather buckets are brand new and have massive side bolsters, integrated head restraints with an illuminated model badge, and M-specific perforation for better ventilation (a first on the M3 and M4). Those buyers wanting something even more supportive, though, can select the optional M Carbon seats. Those seats shed 21 pounds over the standard buckets thanks to a lightweight carbon fiber construction, and they feature a new integrated headrest, even more aggressive side bolsters (now wrapped in Alcantara), a seat-bottom bolster, and an illuminated M badge. Plus, you can get the optional M Carbon bucket seats in some wild colors, as pictured in the M4 Competition below. Full Merino leather comes standard on either seat option, available in colors like black, Yas Marina Blue and black, Silverstone and black, and Kyalami Orange and black. There's also an extended Merino leather option that drapes the upscale cowhide on other parts of the interior, available in all of the same colors. Front legroom in the new M3 actually decreases slightly compared to the previous model, dropping from 42.0 inches to 41.6 inches. But headroom grows a bit from 40.3 inches in the previous M3 to 40.6 inches in the new one. In the M4, front legroom also decreases from 42.2 inches in the previous model to 41.7 inches here, but front headroom improves from 39.8 inches to 40.3 inches. Technology & Safety: Subtle Upgrades The BMW M3 and M4 get the same 10.3-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster found elsewhere in the range. Only now the digital instrument cluster has M-specific graphics, and the central touchscreen displays the aforementioned M Mode option. The latest iDrive 7.0 operating system also carries over with standard features like navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and BMW's personal voice assistant. A head-up display is available, but only as an option. The M3 and M4 also get an optional M Drive Professional feature, which helps drivers analyze driving lines and times on race tracks. Even better, baked into that M Drive Professional feature is an M Drift Analyzer, which records the duration of a drift, distance covered, and the line and angle, displaying a final rating on the Control Display after each drift. Users can also download an iPhone app that corresponds with the M Drive Professional and M Drift Analyzer to give them a bird's-eye view of the track and access to a lap time comparison chart, as well as data like speed, accelerator position, and total G forces. The M3 and M4 get a standard Active Driving Assistant package, which includes lane departure warning, speed limit information, active blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear-automatic emergency braking. But the Competition models get BMW's more advanced Driving Assistance active safety suite as an option. That package includes features like full-speed adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, active lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and high-speed automatic emergency braking.

OK, I am going to try out a new series of posting, under the [Spyshots] tag. Please note that photos posted in these thread may not resemble the final product, as well as not gotten details confirmed by the manufacturer, so do take it with a pinch of salt.

Porsche says its Taycan can do 30 consecutive launches with no issues Here are some more updates for fans of the BMW M3. BMW M boss Markus Flasch has confirmed that the car will have the same new S58 engine that the German company is using in its X3 M and X4 M. According to Car Magazine, this would mean that the sports sedan would have 473bhp in the standard model and 503 hp in the Competition variant thanks to a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Compared to its most obvious rival, the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the C63 S variant, they both have similar power figures with the C63 pushing out 469bhp while the S variant outputs 503bhp. That said, the M3's torque figures still aren't a match as the C63 S variant has an impressive 700Nm while the M3 Competition variant 'makes do' with 599Nm. Other than the all-wheel drive drivetrain that has been mentioned some time back, Flasch also mentioned that they "will also do rear-wheel drive cars, purer [editions] ones and have a manual stick shift.”

Thankfully, BMW has confirmed that its upcoming M3 sedan and M4 coupe will be available with a manual transmission. As reported by BMW Blog and Carscoops, BMW M Chief Executive Markus Flasch announced the news when he was asked in an interview whether or not there will be any surprises for BMW fans with the new M3 and M4. It’s a bit early to disclose all the details but something I want to highlight is that we will have a manual stick shift,” he said. “We have already disclosed we will have the option of four-wheel drive. We’ve not decided which variant, which system, but everything that’s on our current lineup; think of the M5; can be made available. The M3 and M4, I’ve driven the pre-production cars already and they’re fantastic.” Flaschadded on, “Manual is very important. The manual stick shift is not a performance-bringer, because an automatic transmission is just faster, you can ask any race driver,” he said. “But it gives the vehicle character and I kind of compare it to people who love mechanical watches; it isn’t more precise and it doesn’t have any advantage at all but it’s a character feature. So is a stick shift.” There is no confirmation on whether the M3/4's all-wheel drive system will have a rear-wheel drive mode like the M5, but we would be surprised if it didn't.

A reader of the Motor, a Spanish automotive website, shot these damaged BMW F80 M3s in Spain sitting on the trailers after being trashed on the set of the upcoming Mission: Impossible 5 movie. Couple of weeks ago, some F80 M3s were also spotted in a set in Moroccan near its capital, Rabat, being driven by actor Tom Cruise. Do watch the clip below and see how the M3 were used. Looks pretty painful to us! http://dai.ly/x27n0v4_mission-impossible-5_auto Scheduled for a release in December 2015, this is the second time BMW is associated with the Mission: Impossible franchise. The BMW i8 was used in the previous movie release, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

The U.K. launch of the all new BMW i3 saw groups of journalists driving out to ex-F1 circuit Brands Hatch in a fleet of brand new i3s. In an unexpected twist, BMW lined up professional instructors in a pair of V8-powered M3s, the idea being that the journalists drag-race them from a standing start to 100km/h. The i3′s electric drivetrain generates output of 170bhp and a maximum torque of 250Nm, which is immediately available from a standing start. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds, with a limited top speed of 150 km/h for efficiency reasons. On the other hand, the 4.0-litre M3 dishes out 414bhp and 400Nm of torque. It sprints to the century mark in 4.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h. Apart from the wonderful soundtrack of the M3, you can see in the video that the i3 stays ahead initially because of its wall of immediately available torque, delivered with no gear changes and crossed with low kerb weight. Watch the clip below to find out who actually won. http://dai.ly/x1785hx

A couple of years back, BMW announced that they will return to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing series in 2012, after a nearly 20 year absence. And in just its first season after its comeback, BMW had won a hat trick of titles (driver, manufacturer and team titles). To commemorate these incredible accomplishments, BMW is releasing a limited production M3 known as the DTM Champion Edition. The car is designed to look like Canadian driver, Bruno Spengler's M3 DTM racing car. Spengler won the driver's title for the 2012 season. The car is available exclusively in a frozen black metallic finish. The stealthy look is extended to other parts of the car too. The wheels are finished in matte black and the front grille is given a dark chrome finish. A BMW M stripe covers the carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) roof and boot lid. BMW M logos are placed on the rear portion of the front fenders and a DTM Champions 2012 decal together with a Canada flag are fixed on the rear side windows. Interior wise, the door sill strip features the same design from Spengler's racing helmet. Carbon fibre is used to trim the interior's dashboard and centre console. On the dashboard at the front passenger

The current M3 is long overdue. The fifth generation M3 is on its way and will be revealed during the Geneva Motor Show next year and is rumoured to be powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder. Code-named F80, the M3's appearance in Geneva will be a lightly veiled concept where a clear styling and mechanical package of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG rival can be seen. A production ready model with a production interior will debut at next year's Frankfurt motor show, sources close to the matter have revealed. The current version of the M3 sedan went out of production in October 2011. The new M3 will be launched exclusively as a sedan, as a follow-up to the coupe, cabriolet and maybe a Gran Coupe variant to fall under the M4 nomenclature. The M3 sedan will have subtle styling changes that is also functional like a deeper front bumper with large cooling ducts for the forced-induction engine, a lightly tweaked kidney grille, etc. A trunk-lip spoiler can be spotted from the spy shots that complements the deep rear bumper that incorporates a diffuser and traditional quad exhausts. The M3 will retain a steel structure, though certain parts of the body shell, like the hood and doors, to be constructed from aluminum. To match the performance levels from rivals Mercedes and Audi, BMW's powertrain is expected to deliver about 450bhp. Also for the first time the manual gearbox will be replaced by a standard seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, similar to the M5 but with altered ratios. Picture Credit: Autoblog

[extract] The BMW M3 is one fine performance vehicle and ever since its release, there have been numerous limited editions of the model. Some of these limited editions are market specific while some offer extra bits and parts. And not it seems that the model will get another variant. BMW of North America today announced the 2013 M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition, of which 200 copies will be built. The car is built in conjunction with Skip Barber, owner of the infamous New England circuit, this M3 features the best of BMW's performance catalogue (although there won

BMW M5 M Performance Edition The F10M generation M5 has been on sale recently and already BMW has announced a M5 M Performance edition in the UK. Revealed through a YouTube teaser video, the enhanced M5 will be available in three Frozen (matt) body colours: red, white and blue. Production will be extremely scarce at 30 units; ten vehicles for each color. Though there might not be any performance upgrades, with the stock M5 containing a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine, with a beastly 552hp and 680Nm of torque. BMW M3 M Performance Edition Also revealed through YouTube is the M3 M Performance Edition. Like the M5, a total of 30 examples will be made in a similar red, white and blue colour finishes. Changes seem purely cosmetic as performance is expected to be similar to the standard M3's 4.0-litre V8 with 414 horses. However expect a high-spec equipment list to be offered as standard, and upgraded braking and suspension systems. Check out the blacked out grille as well, though it makes the famed 'kidney-grille' looks bigger. Nonetheless, in my fantasy world where I am King, I'll take the M5 in blue and the M3 in red, thank you.

Fancy a 710bhp BMW M3? If you do then I suggest that you head over to the nearest G-Power dealer and ask for the G-Power BMW M3 Tornado RS. For about 35,000Euros G-Power will give you 710bhp and 700Nm of torque for you to play around with or you just simply need those figures to show off to your friends at the local bistro. I also wonder if the price includes the orange and black paintjob. It should as it costs nearly as much as a brand new 330i. In one of the slickest power upgrades this side of a supercharged E60 M5, this E92 BMW M3 gets a supercharger system that is called the SKIII

Recently on the 2nd of October, there was a crash at the Nurburgring track in Germany. Many people speculated on the internet about what had happened. The matter of fact is that no one really knew what happened and there are even rumours that there are some people who are trying to "veil" this incident. But now, there is a video circulating on the internet that shows part of the accident. This video was shot from the back of a car that wasn't involved in the crash. The video is over 15 minutes long but the incident starts at the 09:55 mark. You might want to skip to that point. At around the 10:00 mark, after the car has slowed down, it passes through the accident site. If you look at the video closely (close to the top right corner of the car's rear windscreen), at the 10:32 point, you can see the second crash taking place which supposedly involved the BMW M3 "Ring taxi" hitting the back of the Corvette. Although we didn't get to see the first accident taking place but at least it gives us a clearer picture of what happened during the second one. A long strecth of a fast left bend was just before the accident site and as we can see from the video, many cars scrambled to apply their brakes after seeing other vehicles slowing down. And any cars that were too fast would have little time to brake and avoid a collision from happening. The best question for me to ask is "Why was there road works done on a track day?" link to the accident Photo credit: jalopnik

[extract] A crash on the Nurburgring track happened on the 02 October involving 8 cars, including a rented Corvette and a newly commissioned BMW M3

Onyx or Onyx Concept is an Irish company that started out with tuning the Range Rover Sport and all sorts of premium SUVs (like the Porsche Cayenne and the full sized Range Rover) and the odd Bentley (the Continental GT). They have now gone a little down market with the BMW E92/93 M3. Of course, onyx is a semi precious stone, so loved by traditional Englishmen who think that luxury means an onyx coffee table for their living room. And that table is usually a little garish and slightly over the top. Much like the car you see in the pictures. The Onyx M3 has an exterior with a front bumper with a carbon fiber lip, rear bumper/diffuser in carbon fiber, side skirts, a carbon fiber bonnet, carbon fiber boot and a roof spoiler made also of carbon fiber. I suppose there will be a slight weight loss due to all that lightweight carbon fiber here and there. The interior gets buffalo instead of normal cow. I suppose this is slightly harder wearing and still can be had with various color combinations. Since the exterior has a lot of carbon, the interior can be laid with a 12 piece carbon fiber panel kit that can come in various colors, from the usual grey black to orange and blue. Much like the onyx coffee table, very garish. For those who are a little power hungry, Onyx mentions that the standard 414bhp can be upgraded to 621bhp but does not mention how they will go about trying to achieve this figure. One can assume that a supercharger or a turbocharger kit will be bolted on for this feat. No prices have been released at this point of time. But since most of the car can be custom made to the likes of the customer the sky's the limit.

Spyshots of the 2010 BMW M3 facelift were posted onto the web last week. If you were expecting those aggressive looking contour lines that appeared on the hood of the 2009 BMW 3 series sedans, you can forget it. The Bavarian manufacturer didn't bother with those. The flagship M3 only received minor changes to its front bumper and a new LED tail-light arrangement. Most changes were made on the inside with better trim, improved iDrive system and better interior lighting. BMW designers seem to be picking up a thing or two from the people at Porsche...haha