2008 BMW M3 Canada Dealer Brochure

i was hoping that the new M3 would be a little faster off the line to 60mph. As the 335 coupe i believe is sub 5 seconds anyway. I love BMW's but i think they needed to do more to fend off the RS4s etc...

seriously, if BMW saids the 335i is suppose to get
0-60 in 5.3 seconds, and its getting 4.8 seconds from not 1 but a few tests im going to go out on a limb and say this M3 will get to 60 in the low 4's, the m3 is still the one to beat in this class, it defined the class

it looks like it is designed for kids. The hood scoop is funky, more WRX then german sports car.

Don't worry- just like Audi, BMW underestimates their 0-60 times. In fact, I'm pretty sure Audi also says 4.8 for the RS4, and it's gotten 4.3. So it will be a very close race indeed.

This M3 shares many stats with the IS-F, but the IS-F is reportedly going to have 350lb-ft while the M3 only has 295lb-ft. The RS4 has 317. Just comparing torque alone, the IS-F simply cannot be ruled out by default yet. I'm sure this point has been brought up already...

Also, those 18" wheels don't look as good as the larger ones available on the new M3. Other than that it is indeed a good-looking car.

AYe, no kidding.
Audi is now the one 2 beat!

Wishful thinking.

and it will be faster than 4.8.
both bmw and mercedes are very conservative in their claims.
335i claim is 5.3 and it consistently pulls 4.8....so if M3 claim is 4.8, actual time will be in the low 4s.

the IS350 claims 5.3 and that's what most tests have gotten. lexus is about marketing and they squeeze every last claim they can out of every car.

"and it will be faster than 4.8.
both bmw and mercedes are very conservative in their claims."

And Audi... They say 4.8 for the RS4 and its average is more like 4.4. It has gotten 4.3, though.

BTW, as beautiful as the 335i is, it hasn't "consistently" gotten 4.8 seconds. That's the absolute fastest it's gotten, but I'd say 5.0 is more of its regular time, which means it can still hang with an E46 M3.

I love the IS350 (favorite Lexus), and no doubt it's fast, but you just can't compare it to BMW drivers. I take them all the time, easy. One poor misguided soul in a 330ci tried to drag me, and you should've seen his face! "Sport" mode all the way, baby... there's also the obvious batch of arrogant M3 drivers who don't actually know how to drive.

I guess the badge gives them more confidence.

A 306-hp naturally-aspirated engine with 277lb-ft consistently getting below 5-seconds is hardly "squeezing" when you have BMW getting below 5-seconds with 300-hp with two turbos added...

All these cars are competitors Sailor, whether you like it or not. The RS4 is a sedan. Is there going to be a C63 coupe anyway? Otherwise, you're implying that the M3 practically has no competition.

I didn't bring up the IS-F, nor do I care really, but more than one person started discussing it, so it entered the conversation, and I said my piece.

Yes I remember reading that article from R&T last year that the Lexus IS350 goes from 0-60 in 4.9s.

Yes the IS350 did get to 60 in 4.9s. I honestly don't see the M3 getting below 4.7s, not with only 295ft/lbs of torque (regardless of super, ultra M vanos lift with super torque sensing valve technology). If it does you will have to rev the &*%$ out of it. As far as looks - I have seen a few 335i's in Vancouver now and man do they ever look good, so the M3 will impress. My money is on the IS-F though. Sorry M3 fans, just my opinion. IS-F will not disapoint.

The RS4 "only" has 317lb. ft. of torque, weighs more than the M3 and has gotten from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds. You're underestimating, by a lot.

"Sorry M3 fans, just my opinion. IS-F will not disapoint."

And you think the M3 will? You don't know the first thing about BMW if you think they blew this one. The old model had significantly less horsepower and torque and clocked consistent 0-60 times of 4.8 seconds.

The IS 350 has 277lb-ft by the way...

the old M3 did 4.8 seconds with I believe 263lb-ft, the IS does 4.9-5.3 with 277, etc. You're going to be eating your words shortly.

A high-torque car will be at a slight disadvantage over a close gear ratio car when it comes to initial acceleration, but its the torque that will give a car the edge in mid-range driving.

I wont be surprised if the M3 achieves the fastest 0-60 time in this segment, but I also wont be surprised if the IS-F out-accelerates it 40-60 or whatever in between...

"The IS-F has exactly the same problems as the RS6, it has a real automatic transmission (gotta love those torque converters), it has a V8 engine where it shouldn't have (too far forward) and all that torque will ruin the feel of the car when you exit a corner..."

Wasn't it YOU that was just telling everyone to stop talking about the IS-F, and stop speculating about it beating the M3? I guess the standards change when it comes to speculating the IS-F being a "complete flop" huh?

And what was particularly wrong with the old RS6 and E55? These were two cars that Audi and Mercedes made no bones about being torque monsters with great mid-range power. I expect the IS-F to not necessarily be a "torque monster" but undoubtedly it is torque that will separate the IS-F from the M3. Just because the IS-F may have more torque than the M3 that doesn't automatically mean it will be a dog through the corners! You have only the RS4 to look to to see

That M3 in White looks so good.

JUGNU

I second that.

And to the paper racers, go drive cars. These cars were meant to be driven, tracked, and enjoyed. I think that true enthusiasts are disapointed when 'their' cars are comprimised for the sake of winning the 0-60 war in some car comparo. Why do we have to set such tangible goals for our auto's? The best attributes about most really great drivers cars are the attributes that can't be measured or quantified.

Speed = Greatness, to the unexperienced and the naive.

A drivers car can't be measured by numbers and tests, only by a mature driver, with an open mind.

Josh

d1sinfo-nice sti. tru scoobies and evos dont need but they are aggressive on the track top speed doesnt even matter for those cars.

I am suggesting that true drivers, true enthusiasts are past bragging rights, egos, and have sought out a true driving experience as there pinnacle.

Therefore when the needs of the paper racers, status symbol drivers, and ego driven drivers are put above the needs of the real enthusiasts then the problems start appearing. I also believe that the enthusiasts as network heads influence in a more positive factual way the general public(network nodes). Gold chain wearing sunday cruising Corvette drivers damage the image of the Corvette, but an enthusiast with SCCA stickers, and a helmet in a passengers seat might support the identity GM is going for. So please the enthusiast who supports your image, effect network nodes through heads. I think you will find gold chain wearing corvette drivers as community nodes influenced highly by network heads not in fact network heads themselves.

Ok branding rant off.

Htay7500

Thanks! I don't even really feel the STi is that great of a drivers car. I think drivers cars are enjoyable on the road, try enjoying the STi on the road without endangering people. It is an awesome track car though.

"That M3 in White looks so good." same here too,

I asume this is not the brochure that they hand out to the public. All car manufacturers should publish their dealer brochures on the web. As a consumer, I want full disclosure. I am fed up with the marketing hype and lack of complete information in the usual car brochures.

The current BMW M5 has a manufacturer posted 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds, but R&T (I know has been under debate) has gotten 4.1 seconds multiple times so going by that -.5 second result the new M3 should get about 4.3 seconds, right in line with the RS4, but we will have to see.

And when we do we will know 1 thing. The gears they chose that provided a great band of power for the driver also give a good 0-60 time.

Ohh and who has a bigger penis.

I never tried any kamikaze launches on my M5…since I can pretty much smoke most cars even in P400 mode (400 hp). It’s a terrible shame that the North American version didn’t have the F1 launch control, but I can imagine that to be able to achieve low 4’s you’re gonna have to set SMG to S6 (fastest shift) and turn the traction control off (gulp).

Acceleration is important but M cars are much more than straight line speed. To complete the package, they also put a lot of emphasis on lateral acceleration, unlike AMG cars.

Wow, woke up this morning and got flamed. Welcome to the forums. Anyhow, S4cabriowhatever, where in my post did I say that the new M3 will dissapoint? I must be blind, please point me in the right direction, you idiot. For the record "the IS-F won't dissapoint, the new M3 will be awesome and the RS4 rocks" - from a CAR FAN.

S4cab over-analyzes the comments of people who don't display themselves as %100 German fans. He'll make a big deal about what you DON'T say in your comments more times than not... It never fails. If you say one thing, you must think the exact opposite about the corresponding!