Auto Blitz: BMW M3

Showing posts with label BMW M3. Show all posts

BMW Confirms Return to DTM from 2012 with M3 after 18 Years Hiatus

BMW has officially confirmed its return to the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) starting from 2012, almost two decades since its departure from the series in 1994. The Munich-based marque said it took the decision after the positive nature of discussions in recent months with the DTM umbrella organization ITR e.V. and the other manufacturers represented in the touring car series on issues regarding the future technical regulations, and the long-term internationalization of the championship.

The 450-horsepower limited production BMW M3 GTS was the inspiration for this customized 135i Coupe that was created by Ontario-based dealer, Parkview BMW. The hotted up small coupe is finished in the same Fire Orange paintwork as its bigger brother and features a full set BMW Performance Parts including the aerodynamic kit, carbon fiber diffuser, mirror caps, spoilers and rooftop (we're assuming it's a foil wrap), and black alloy wheels shod in wider tires.

BMW has released details of what it will be presenting at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Alongside the world premiere of the Concept 6 Series Coupé, 2011 X3 SUV and 5-series Touring are new engines, AWD and phone tech for the 5-series and an Efficient Dynamics version of the X3.

Audi may have confirmed the new RS5 for the States, but Americans won't be able to sample the scorching hot high-performance coupe until sometime in 2012. But when there's a will, there's a way, so the crew from Motor Trend headed to Germany to compare the two newest entries in the sports coupe segment, the Audi RS5 and Cadillac CST-V Coupe, with BMW's 'old-timer', the M3 Coupe.

We won't spoil the video for you by telling you won, so follow the jump to check it out along with the performance details on all cars and then don't forget to take our poll on which sport coupe would you be more likely to buy.

While surfing on Youtube, we stumbled upon these two videos that were amusing for us to watch, but obviously, quite painful for the respective owners of the cars. In the first clip, a BMW 6-Series driver drift-trashes the GT in a ditch, while in the second video, the guy behind the steering wheel of an M3 E36 Coupe learns a few valuable safety lessons -including the importance of wearing a seat-belt- the hard way. Watch both videos after the break.

Found on Youtube, is this video of a Corvette Z06 losing control and ferociously crashing into a BMW M3 E36 parked on the side of the road during the amateur "Robin Hood Rally" in Tuxedo, NY on June 25/26, 2010.

According to the poster, even though there were plenty of spectators at the scene, and despite the fact that the driver of the BMW was inside the car at the time of the crash, no one was seriously injured. End of story? Not quite, as there is more to this story than what meets the eye.

First of all, the rally is pitched by the organizers as a reality show with amateur racers driving "on closed public roads in the heartland of America", which will air on television in Fall 2010.

A search on "The Robin Hood Rally [website]" returned some very interesting findings, including another serious crash during the first race of the series in May, and more intriguingly, a report from NBC stating that promotional material from "Robin Hood Rally" falsely claimed that the series would air on NBC...

Looks like BMW had us all hyped up for nothing, or almost nothing. The special 'M' model promised by the Bavarian automaker is the 2011 M3 Frozen Gray Edition, of which only 30 identically-equipped examples will be made exclusively for the United States.

An admittedly cool looking 'Frozen Gray' matte finish and a 'Fox Red & Black' bi-color Novillo leather interior are the only unique features of this special edition M3.

Other than that, the M3 gets a trio of standard packages including the Competition kit which reduces vehicle ride height by 10mm and includes special 19-inch wheels with wider offset for enhanced stability, standard Electronic Damping Control with enhanced programming, and higher-threshold programming for the M Dynamic Mode.

BMW announced today that on Thursday, June 17, it will reveal a U.S.-market-only special edition model. The Bavarian automaker is keeping the details to itself, but from the trio of teaser photos that BMW did release, it is obvious that it's an M3 model (notice the fender vents that are absent from the rest of the 3-Series range).

For those BMW M3 owners who would like to tune their car without going to extremes, APP Europe is now offering a new package comprising of performance and styling upgrades sourced from other tuning firms.

Starting with the M3's naturally-aspirated VG8 engine, a kit from Collaction AG bumps output by 30HP and 40Nm to 450-horsepower and 440Nm / 325 lb-ft of torque.

G-Power isn't the only tuner around offering a widebody racing look for the BMW M3 Coupe (see that one here). Illinois-based tuning house has jumped on the badwagon releasing details of its latest street-legal M3 project fitted with a new carbon fiber bodykit.

Evidently inspired by the Bavarian firm's M3 GT2 racer that recently won the 24h of Nurburgring and will compete (albeit in Art Car form) at the 24h of Le Mans, the conversion includes massively wide rear fenders, a unique front bumper with splitters, chunky side skirts, new rear bumper with air vents, vented hood and a jet plane-sized rear wing. The cost of the wide bodykit is said to be around $12,500.

It was in 1986 that BMW launched a car that would virtually rewrite the book on mainstream sports cars and bolster the fame not only of the M-brand but also of the company itself for the years to come. That vehicle is none other than the first generation of the M3 based on the popular E30 3-Series.

Since then, BMW has presented another three generations of the M3, all of which turned the standard 3-Series into a performance car for the enthusiast through extensive engine, chassis and (to a lesser extent) aerodynamic and styling modifications.

For the past 35 years, BMW has been working with artists from all over the world who turn its vehicles into mobile-art and this here is the Bavarian firm's 17th Art Car that was officially unveiled at a special event last night at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.

Designed by American artist Jeff Koons, it is based on the BMW M3 GT2 racer that took first place at this year's Nurburgring 24 Hours. It will compete with this unique and expressive livery at the famed 24 Hours of Le Man that runs from June 12 to 13.

Sometimes, less is more and judging by these pictures, this seems to be the case with Akrym's new AeroRace bodykit for the latest generation of the BMW M3 Coupe. The California-based tuning company has designed a carbon-fiber boot with an integrated CLS-style spoiler and a new hood with functional air-vents made from the same lightweight material.

Timed perfectly to coincide with BMW's 24Hours of Nürburgring win, G-Power has announced two special edition M3 Clubsport models.

Both the Tornado CS and GT2 S - the Tornado is the more subdued of the two - get G-Power's SK II CS supercharger system, lightened wheels, and a "Clubsport" coilover system.

Both cars crank out 600 horsepower and 580 Nm of torque, resulting in a theoretical top speed of over 320 km/h with a six-speed (330 km/h with the 7-speed DCT).

These are the first official photos of the BMW M3 Coupe finished in the new and exclusive 'Frozen Black' color. The matte black shade is seen here on the 2011 model year M3 Coupe equipped with the optional Competition Package and a set of carbon fiber front splitters and boot spoiler.

The Nürburgring had a eventful weekend hosting its eponymous race, giving two of Germany's biggest names the chance to go at it for a day. BMW and Porsche both showed up looking to be strong contenders again this year (Porsche has won for the past four years).

Stuttgart-based Porsche finally debuted its much-hyped GT3 R Hybrid (more details here) on the track, but the car gave out 22 hours and 15 minutes into the race. Just because the end result was a DNF does not mean that it didn't put up one hell of a show, holding the lead for eight hours.

Porsche factory driver Joerg Bergmeister says he "heard a loud noise at the rear of the car and suddenly the power went."

Here's another tasty classic for sale: a 1988 M3 Coupe with just over 47,000 miles on it (and my personal favorite color combo).

The car is bone-stock, but it's extremely clean. The leather looks nice and well-aged (although I've seen better in similar examples), and everything else shows really well in the pictures. For a proper analysis, I'd probably need to hold onto the car for a few days, or better yet, make that a couple of weeks in the mountains.

Here's the kicker: it's $32,500. The E30 M3 is a classic, to be sure, but could this one possibly be worth that much? This is a driver's car, not a museum piece. For that kind of money why not get a gray-market M3 Evo and have a really interesting investment?

The very fast, very orange, very track-tastic M3 GTS officially drops in July. After VAT, it'll cost you €136,850 and change in Germany. The most powerful BMW M3 ever built for public consumption packs a 450 horsepower (331 kW) V8 stroked to 4.4 liters that's backed by a 7-Speed BMW M-DCT.

For all the high-tech mumbo-jumbo (such as what makes the suspension and brakes so special), feel free to peruse our previous post by clicking here.

BMW's tangerine dream hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, and peaks at 305 km/h (no electronic limiters here, folks).

The Vorsteiner GTRS3 is what happens when you put a lot of carbon fiber, an M3 and some Porsche tail badges in a blender with a dollop of Venom's symbiote as your solvent. Result: a stealthy post-apocalyptic performance milkshake on wheels.

Now point your finger at the picture. Just about everything other than the doors and roof has been replaced with a wide-body version of itself in carbon fiber (front fenders, skirts, rear fender extensions, etc.).

A hood is also available, along with a stainless steel exhaust. Wheel choices from Vorsteiner include forged V-308s (18/20 inches).

While BMW officials are keeping a tight lid on the possibility of an "M" or a "tii" version of the 1-Series Coupe, photographers are continuing to churn out spy shots and videos of camouflaged 1-Series Coupe prototypes testing on the road and the track.

This time we have a new video showing what appears to be a modified 1-Series partially wrapped in BMW's characteristic black and white camo, testing at the Nurburgring race track.

Auto Blitz

BMW Confirms Return to DTM from 2012 with M3 after 18 Years Hiatus

Tuning: BMW 135i Coupe GTS-Wannabe

BMW's Paris Show Highlights Include EfficientDynamics X3, New Engines and AWD for 5-Series

VIDEO: MT Pits Audi RS5 Against Cadillac CTS-V Coupe and BMW M3 Coupe [with Poll]

FAIL: BMW Show Offs Gone Wrong [VIDEOS]

VIDEO: Corvette Z06 Slams BMW M3 During "Reality TV Series" Rally - But Wait, There's More to This Story...

Big Deal: BMW Presents U.S.-Only 2011 M3 Frozen Gray Special

Mystery [...] BMW M Model to be Unveiled on Thursday, Only for the U.S.

APP Europe Builds 450-Horsepower BMW M3 Coupe

Le Mans GT2 Racer Look for BMW M3 by GTHaus [+ Video]

The Ultimate BMW M3 Video: 25 Years, Four-Generations, in 30 Minutes

Jeff Koons' BMW M3 GT2 Art Car Racer Unveiled Ahead of 24hrs of Le Mans

Akrym Adds Some Carbon Fiber to BMW M3 Coupe

G-Power Celebrates BMW Nürburgring Win With M3 Clubsport Models

2011 BMW M3 Coupe with Competition Package and New Frozen Black Matte Finish

BMW's M3 GT2 Snatches Victory from Porsche's 911 Hybrid at Nürburgring 24 Hours Race

Super-Cherry 1988 BMW M3 E30 up for Sale

VIDEO: To the Track! BMW M3 GTS 450HP Launched

Vorsteiner GTRS3: Bad Boy Widebody BMW M3 Coupe

VIDEO: 2011 BMW M1 with Juiced-Up 3.0-liter Turbo Filmed at the 'Ring?

Total Pageviews

Popular Posts

Blog Archive