German carmaker BMW continues to maintain its position as the best-selling luxury car brand in the world. Fighting with rival Mercedes-Benz every year for the biggest laurels, BMW continues to constantly change its existing line and add new vehicles to its line in an attempt to stimulate and strengthen customer interest. One area in which BMW has found much of its recent success is with its line of racing-inspired vehicles, the M Series. Since 1979, various Motorsports [M} labels have been applied to vehicles that have been developed by the BMW division. Motorsports, including the BMW M3, a car based on the popular BMW 3 Series. Today, BMW engineers are working hard to develop a completely new BMW M3, and if all the car noises are correct, very few cars will be able to keep up with this 400 hp road master.
The True History of the BMW M3
An open battle in the car park continues to gather strength, pitting the German carmaker against the German manufacturer. The legendary Mercedes-Benz takes over the BMW proclaimed for the right to call itself the best-selling luxury brand in the world. For years, the honor belonged exclusively to Mercedes-Benz, but a recent stumble from Mercedes, along with a wave of new BMW products, put it in first place. Not far from the two is Lexus, Toyota’s luxury division, but for now the battle remains a battle between these two German carmakers.
For luxury car enthusiasts, the BMW-Mercedes rivalry has been a winning battle, as both carmakers have poured engineering funds into their vehicles. None of the car manufacturers are based on their past achievements; instead, both insist on adding the latest safety features, including Mercedes’ Night Vision Assist and impact-absorbing BMW bumpers, which absorb stronger impacts without damaging the main body of the vehicle. Safety is one of the main concerns of consumers when selecting a particular luxury brand, according to all the top surveys in the automotive industry.
For BMW, his latest car project was a well-kept secret until recently. Camouflaged spy photos of the new BMW M3 have been circulating on the internet for some time, but only in June was a pre-production version of a completely naked BMW M3 seen. He was seen navigating the winding roads of Southern California, according to The Car Connection, the vehicle and shopping information site.
New BMW M3 Competition Offers
For BMW enthusiasts, the news of a pre-production BMW M3 means one thing: BMW will soon announce the date of 2007 when the latest M-Series car will be available in dealer showrooms.
Currently, the current BMW M3 is still based on the fourth generation 3 Series, which was replaced in 2006. The new BMW M3 will be based on the latest generation body and will feature some notable improvements over the previous BMW M3 model, including:
A bigger and more powerful V8 engine with a power of 400 horsepower. Currently, the BMW M3 has a six-inline engine with a power of 333 horsepower. The new model is expected to rise from 60 at the start in less than 5 seconds, reaching 155 mph.
A six- or possibly seven-speed manual transmission.
A longer wheelbase for better weight distribution.
The BMW M3’s style cues will find their way to the new model, from the front wing vents to the dual exhaust, along with the ubiquitous recognized M-Series emblems.
For Mercedes enthusiasts, they can point to the upcoming 2007 C-Class, which is a direct competitor to the BMW 3 Series, as proof that DaimlerChrysler will not let BMW out too soon. There will be a new AMG [motorsport] version of the C-Class, which will reveal what is surely a hard-fought battle enjoyed by fans of luxury compact cars around the world.
Other competitors of the BMW M3 include the Cadillac CTS-V, Audi RS4 and Lexus IS. Prices have not been set for the new M3, but they can be expected to exceed about $ 60,000 fully equipped.
Copyright 2006-2012 – Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who covers classic, current and future models. He manages Auto Trends , a website that covers concept cars and car technology.