2012 BMW 3 Series

[dimka100]

Wow what a good job BMW, you made the car bigger in every dimension yet lighter, with more power for every model and amazingly flat torque/power curves ….

The best models are yet to be unveiled next year, the higher end diesels and a top end hybrid …

The only unfortunate thing is the Australian pricing, why or why are we being ripped of 2 to 3 times more than the rest of the world …

[LeadFoot81]

[fou_bleu]

Winning! I can't wait for the M3 (or M4 if the rumours are true of the Coupe going with the 4-Series moniker.)

[dimka100]

Looks like the new 3 series coupes will be called the 4 series, same will be done when the new series 1 coupes get release and be called 2 series … kind of all makes sense and enables BMW to have a better product differentiation … and maybe one day a range topping 8 series coupe will come out

[woteva]

Originally Posted by F6E

Not so......

The M3 started as a I4 (E30) then went I6 , I6 and currently V8
Similar story for the M5 - I6, I6, V8 , V10

Not so what? Where did I say that the M3 always had a six? I merely said going from an I6 to a V8 ****ed off the purists... which it did.

Originally Posted by F6E

Until now (2012) when manufacturers are slave to meeting emission and fuel consumption requirements.... solution ? ...snails....

Manufacturers have always been a slave to emissions and other design rules, which is pretty much why the I6 was dumped for the 8. Same reason VW dumped the V6 in favour of a 4 banger in the R32 and purists don't care about emissions!

[F6E]

Originally Posted by woteva

Not so what? Where did I say that the M3 always had a six? I merely said going from an I6 to a V8 ****ed off the purists... which it did.

Nah, didn't mean it like that, more along the lines that if the 'purists' were ****ed at ///M dropping the best NA I6 ever in favour of what is possibly the best small capacity NA V8 ever, then they'll cringe at the prospect of a V6TT in a M3. Lots of midrange in place of the 8400rpm redline, although V6TT gets the job done to perfection in the GTR and BMW do have an across the range AWD platform....... Mmmm V6TT AWD M3 ?

Cheers

[woteva]

Yeah not keen on the AWD bit. Love my rear wheel drives!

Used to love BMW's but they don't really do it for me anymore. I'd have a 135i in a heartbeat but I think the quality isn't what it used to be. Leather doesn't even feel like leather anymore. Jump in something like an E39 540i and you'll know what I mean. Drove an E39 525i wagon recently and it felt like the leather on a chesterfield!

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by F6E

Nah, didn't mean it like that, more along the lines that if the 'purists' were ****ed at ///M dropping the best NA I6 ever in favour of what is possibly the best small capacity NA V8 ever, then they'll cringe at the prospect of a V6TT in a M3. Lots of midrange in place of the 8400rpm redline, although V6TT gets the job done to perfection in the GTR and BMW do have an across the range AWD platform....... Mmmm V6TT AWD M3 ?

Cheers

I will repeat myself, I thought the M3 was getting an I6TT?

[Franco Cozzo]

I love the interiors in them, looks like its built very well.

I was going to say "Not cheap looking". But that wouldn't have sounded right, considering the cars we're talking about here.

[F6E]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

I will repeat myself, I thought the M3 was getting an I6TT?

Oh Dear..

"Motor" Nov 2011, page 15

"M3 Gets V6!"
"Next years all-new BMW M3 will come in for the most radical overhaul in the model's 25 year history, headlined by a new powerplant direction and wholesale naming strategy.............. two-door M tweeked variants will be rebadged as M4's.................powered by a twin turbo 3.2 litre V6..........tipped to produce 350kw....blah....blah....."

besides how could they squeeze any more from the 3.0 I6TT ? current M3 gets spanked by a tune-only 135/335 not to mention the 1M which is purposely undertuned to preserve the M3's manhood.... at least the proposed 6 cyl and 3.2 L capacity harks back to the awesome E46's I6 ?

Either way I want one !!

[SteveJH]

Motor?

Didn't they predict another GTHO in that issue?

[gcg2503]

Will sell like hotcakes

Looks great to me!

[F6E]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

Motor?

Didn't they predict another GTHO in that issue?

Haha.. point ... yep, as has every motoring mag since 1980 ?

The mythical GTHO, slayer of all things GM.... what a crock !... two extra letters FMC Oz dare not use in 2011.....

Glory days of the 70's are now Glory Daze !