German car maker BMW has released a brand new M3 Carbon Edition for the Chinese market. The model follows on from the previous limited edition models, the Tiger Edition and Tiger Matte Edition, which were also exclusive to China.

The new M3 model has a black grille, side body stripes, front bumper with black carbon accents and 19-inch alloy wheels. The interior has been given a two-tone leather upholstery, carbon fibre trim, as well as special insignia. The M3 Carbon Edition has not received any engine modifications and is thus powered by the familiar 4.0-litre V8 with 309 kW and 400 N.m of torque. As a refresher, the BMW E92 M3 accelerates from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

A total of 111 units will be produced for China, priced at 1.23 million Yuan, or roughly R1.2 million.

RENM Performance’s re-working of the BMW E92 M3 is known as the ‘Agitator’. RENM claims their Agitator tuning package transforms the BMW M3 into a true performance vehicle with vastly improved driving dynamics.

Power has been raised from the standard M3′s 309 kW and 400Nm of torque to 331 kW and 440Nm of torque. The power gains come from an ECU re-calibration, Inconel high-performance exhaust, carbon fiber air-intake, sports air filters and adjustable ride height/dampening suspension have all been added. The power is now delivered in a more linear fashion and provides better performance in the lower to middle rev-range.

The Agitator’s Inconel F1-derived exhaust technology, is said to offer excellent heat resistance, and weighs 12 kgs less than the standard system, with a design that’s been optimised to expel the additional exhaust gasses from the more powerful engine.

The aerodynamic improvements to the Agitator include customised T6 forged three-piece wheels, adjustable coilover suspension, hallmark-designed 76mm diameter tail pipes, aerodynamic carbon fibre front spoiler, boot lid and rear diffuser.

Ever since the E92 BMW M3 was first revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, true BMW enthusiasts have been intrigued but still longing for the CSL to make its return. Standing for Coupe, Sport, Lightweight, those three letters name the purest driver and most track-focused cars BMW has to offer.

The last M3 CSL was built in a limited run of just 1 400 cars between 2002 and 2004, and while no successor has been launched, fans can take some solace in the knowledge that there are other options.

Take for example the BMW M3 GTS. Powered by a 331 kW 4.4-litre V8 engine and shipped from the factory with a roll cage, race seats, harness belts, a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, and a host of aerodynamic tweaks, the M3 GTS is intended as a road-legal race car for customer teams and privateers.

The BMW M3 GTS has now proven itself on one of the worlds toughest race tracks, the Nurburgring Nordschleife, completing a lap in a time of 7 minutes 48 seconds – 17 seconds faster than the standards BMW M3 and 2 seconds faster than the previous generation M3 CSL. To put the lap time of the M3 GTS in perspective, take a look at the table below…

The downside to the GTS however, is its hefty price tag (almost three times that of a standard M3) and the fact that it won’t be available in South Africa.

Vorsteiner has revealed a new body kit for the current BMW E92 M3, named GTRS3 M3.

The body kit includes a new front bumper, splitter, flared wheel arches, vented race-style bonnet and extended side skirts. At the back you will spot a new rear bumper with integrated diffuser. Almost the entire kit is made of carbon fibre.

We still don’t know what exactly hides under the bonnet of the Vorsteiner GTRS3 BMW M3 E92, but we guess there are some performance enhancements, including the stainless steel quad-exhaust system. Twin 7-spoke V-308 concave forged mesh wheels in 18- and 20-inch are available. The rims are outfitted with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 performance tyres. Exclusivity is guaranteed, with only 100 GTRS3 body kits available worldwide.

Manhart has created a three-stage power upgrade for the E92 BMW M3. The first stage is a small compressor using a supercharging pressure of 0.35 bar, producing up to 384 kW. With stage-II the supercharging pressure is increased to 0.50 bar that achieves a peak power output of 436 kW.

As if these figures weren’t impressive or scary enough, the stage-III package puts the Manhart Supercharged M3 in the supercar league in terms of power output. A larger compressor from ASA, with a charge pressure of 0.67 bar, is combined with a custom exhaust system that houses two 200 cell race-spec catalytic converters. The stage-III package manages to extract a Koenigsegg CC8S rivalling 488 kW, capable of catapulting the car from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds with a top speed of just over 350km/h.

Manhart have used Bilstein PSS10 threaded suspension and 20-inch black BBS wheels to keep the car on the straight and narrow. Continental tyres in sizes 245/30 ZR20 at the front and 295/25 ZR20 at the rear are fitted and should be capable of transferring the hotted up M3′s power to the road – provided some measure of diplomacy is excercised with the throttle. Stopping power is provided by 365 mm brake discs at the front, with floating callipers from the BMW M5 E60, while the rear brake components remain in standard form.

Manhart’s custom exhaust system features a constant diameter of 70 mm and exits with four 82 mm tail pipes. The stainless steel version produces around 13 kW, with the 50% lighter than standard titanium version responsible for releasing 18 kW more power from the 4,0-litre V8.

BMW has unveiled its latest M Motorsport concept, the lightweight, 335 kW, Inca Orange, M3 GTS.

Stripped bare, the M3 Coupe-based racer features a raft of weight-saving measures including plastic rear- and side-windows, lightweight body-contoured front seats and removed rear seats.

The concept, which will spawn a limited production run of street-ready vehicles, weighs in at about 1 490 kg’s – a whopping 190 kg less than the Coupe’s curb weight of 1 680 kg.

Air conditioning has also succumbed to the diet regime, as have the navigation and radio units.

The M3 GTS’s drive train, however, is where much of the fun begins, with a purpose-built, 335 kW 4.4-litre V8, up from the base coupe’s 309 kW 4.0-litre unit. The sole transmission available will be a specially adapted seven-speed M dual clutch system borrowed from the standard M3.

The distinctive Inka Orange paintwork is a homage to early BMW race cars, including the 1973 3.0 CSL seen here.

Track ready, the M3 GTS concept includes a six-point seatbelt and roll-cage mounts. Exclusive 19-inch wheels with 255/35 tyres at the front and 285/30 at the rear, house a fixed calliper brake system with six pistons the front and four at the rear. An adjustable front splitter and rear wing also reveal its race suitability.

The car’s spiritual predecessor, the highly lauded E46 M3 CSL, hit a Nürburgring lap time of 7:50. Pundits say the M3 GTS will reach a 7:40 time, putting it on-par with such heavyweights as the Porsche 997 Turbo and Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren.

First deliveries of the M3 GTS are due to begin in Germany in May 2010, with a sticker price of €115,000 (about R1.35 million). No news whether the M3 GTS will be coming to South Africa, but if there is sufficient customer interest we’re sure BMW SA would ship a few over. Click to see the teaser video.

Adapted from CarAdvice

BMW aficionados know that once an ‘M’ car goes into production that’s it, there won’t be any technical upgrades during its lifecycle. And since the current M3 was launched two years ago, a new one is not expected until at least 2013. So why then is BMW testing an M3 around the Nurburgring in 2009? And why does the subject sport a very basic-looking rear wing, a front bumper splitter and what appears to be a roll cage?

A number of ideas are coming up regarding this, including one saying this is a CSL (Coupe Sport Lightweight). It will be remembered that a track-focused lightweight M3 CSL last went on sale with the E46 model. Among others it had a carbon fibre roof, an SMG II transmission, 90-degree fixed front seats and semi-slick tyres. But BMW says a CSL is not on the agenda for the E92.

Another possible culprit could be a road going version of the BMW M3 GT4 race car. Audi is availing units of the R8 GT3 to the public and BMW might be doing the same with its racer. The E46 M3 had a Competition Package which was also called the CS in the UK. But most of its makeup was taken from the CSL and so without it such a derivative seems unlikely.

What do you rekon this ‘beefed up’ M3 could be? CSL GT4, or just Joe Public with his trackday toy?

Adapted from WorldCarFans

Although BMW’s M division may have arguably veered off course with the recent introduction of the X5M and X6M, well-to-do M-ophiles may have something to look forward to in the form of a M3 GT4.

Campaigned at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this past May, the GT4 variant of BMW’s V8-powered M3 is fitted with all the race-ready kit you’d expect in something developed to tackle the Green Hell, including an Ohlins suspension setup, aerodynamic enhancements, a full roll cage, airjack system, race buckets and a modified engine and transmission.

“It would be specifically for motorsport drivers,” says BMW’s M division head, Dr. Kay Segler. Translation: Don’t expect to see this car on the street – it’s a trackday toy or competition-only machine.

Although the trigger hasn’t been pulled, Segler said it’s being actively considered. If we had to bet, we’d expect the GT4 to be available to gentlemen racers sometime in 2010.

BMW…here at SACarFan we are complete gentlemen and handing the keys to one of your fine M3 GT4′s would be in your best interest. Thank you.

Adapted from Autoblog

We’re not really fans of extreme looking mods here at SACarFan and we prefer a more understated look when it comes to styling, which is why we like IDN’s latest take on the BMW M3 Coupe with their Dakar Yellow project. The subtly modded M3 comes with selected black accessories that includes 18-inch HRE alloy wheels shod in 275/35 R18 Nitto rubber and a Vorsteiner front lip spoiler and rear diffuser, which seem to work pretty well with the Dakar Yellow paint job.

Our only objection in terms of styling are the smoked tail lights, but overall the E92 looks the part and stands out without being obnoxious. IDN’s M3 project car also features a KW suspension kit and custom made Brembo brakes.

The parts list includes:

• Brembo 365mm × 34mm front & 345mm× 28mm rear, with custom ‘Race Grey’ finish and Race Brembo font.
• HRE 18-inch monoblock race wheels.
• Nitto NT05 275/35/18 tyres all around.
• BBS stud conversion kit.
• KW Clubsport Kit.
• AA software.
• Vorsteiner polyurethane front lip spoiler (gloss black).
• Vorsteiner VRS rear diffuser type II (1×1 weave).
• Vorsteiner E92 VRS Boot Lid (1×1 weave).
• OEM M3 E92 mirror caps (gloss black).
• IND painted reflectors.
• IND painted side markers with tinted LED (gloss black).
• IND painted front grilles (gloss black).
• IND tinted rear tail lights.

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Source: M3Post