Pictures of the new ‘F30’ BMW 3-series have barely been released, and already spy photographers have captured a prototype of the new M3 near the Nurburgring.
The four-door test mule – complete with the M3’s trademark quad exhaust tailpipes – shows that BMW is pressing ahead with the development of the new car earlier than normal in the 3-series model cycle. Company insiders have previously admitted they want to increase the lifetime of M-cars, meaning they will be launched closer to the introduction of the basic models.
BMW has reportedly been impressed by the speed at which Mercedes introduces AMG versions of its new models, which can lag behind by just six months. This also beefs up the business case of the AMG models. They are on sale over the complete lifecycle of the model, bringing in cash over a longer period and lifting the image of the standard donor car for longer. In the past, BMW has been limited to launching M derivatives later in the lifecycle because it had to wait for the coupé version of the 3-series to be launched, and then there was a further gap before the halo car M3 appeared. The E36-generation M3, for example, was launched two years after the saloon and the E46 M3 three years later.
Speculation abounds when it comes to the much-anticipated sixth-generation M3, but these spy shots at least gives us a glimpse at what the next ultimate, ultimate driving machine will look like.
We can see that the car will wear the updated front fascia of the new 3 Series, with the sleeker, lower-profile headlamps that stretch all the way to the kidney grilles. The hood appears to be the same on this test mule as it is on the standard 3 Series, but the front valance is unique – with a central intake opening similar to the one found on the 3 Series with M Sport Package. From the side, it’s clear this car rides a bit lower than the standard 3 Series, dropped on large, 10-spoke wheels. At the rear, a quad-tip exhaust system can be seen, hinting at the presumably potent engine this car is packing.
A large question mark hangs over one key part of the new M3: its engine. The new M3 is widely tipped to use a turbocharged six-cylinder in place of today’s V8, a move that repeats the M5’s shift to a V8 turbo from a V10. However, it’s unclear if the M3 will feature a straight six or a V6. BMW currently has no V6 petrol in its range, although it has recently published a patent for a turbo V6.
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