BMW has officially revealed its new M3 DTM race-going car in these pics and videos. The vehicle will compete in the DTM racing category from 2012 and this concept should prove to be quite close to the definitive version next year. The BMW M3 DTM has an air restricted 4.0-litre V8 engine with 480 hp, a top speed of about 300 km/hr and an acceleration to 100 km/hr time of three seconds. It gets a six-speed sequential gearbox.

The new BMW DTM racer will be driven by Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus in BMW’s return to DTM racing and competition with Mercedes and Audi. Not to be outdone, Audi has also released its first pic of the new Audi A5 DTM model, codenamed the R17. It replaces the old Audi A4 DTM racer and should have about 460 hp when it hits the track.

BMW M3 and Audi A5 DTM racers

Continue reading: BMW M3 DTM racer and Audi A5 DTM rendering

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The BMW M3 CRT or Carbon Racing Technology model is being released. It’s based on the M3 sedan and is a four-door variant of the M3 GTS Coupé. The driving force behind the model is BMW’s increasingly extensive use of lightweight materials, and the M3 CRT comes in at 45 kg less than the standard sedan, for a total of 1,580 kg.

The bonnet, roof and seats all use CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic), which will also appear on BMW’s future ‘i’ electric models to counteract the weight of the battery packs to be used. The M3 CRT also gets a new titanium exhaust. The model is available only in Frozen Polar Silver tint, and has a black grille and exterior trim around the air intakes, and some red highlights around the aerodynamic features.

On the inside the black and red combination continues with red leather seats and rear separated sports seats which replace the classic bench seat. That makes the M3 CRT a four-seater car. The engine is a 4.4-litre V8 with 450 hp, M-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a sprint time to 100 of 4.4 seconds. Top speed is 290 km/hr. A new coilover suspension has been fitted and we also get stability control and DSC traction control. Only 67 M3 CRT cars will be made at a price of about 130,000 euros.

Continue reading: BMW M3 CRT pics and details

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In the pics we see the BMW M3 Carbon Edition specific for the Chinese car market. It’s the third in a series of M3 special editions for China and indicates just how well BMW has courted that market. The model is as its name suggests, and uses carbonfibre for the roof, front splitter and air vents and the rear wing. The interior is also decked out in the minimalist material.

We love the M3 Carbon Edition’s bright white exterior and black stripes up the bonnet. It’s a pricey model though, with a starting price of about €130,000. See more pics and details from M3Post and autohome.com.cn.

In the meantime, Autocar is reporting that a hardcore BMW M3 sedan is on its way as a final version before the new 2012 M3 arrives next year. The last special edition will use the same 4.4-litre V8 engine as the coupé, but will be lighter than the sedan on which it’s based. Power will be between the 414 hp of the standard model, and the GTS 444 hp. That doesn’t give it much of a window but the British mag says it could reach the latter figure.

Apparently “several other surprises” are planned for the model to give it a fitting swansong before the new version arrives. It could be an opportunity to experiment with some styling upgrades before moving on to the new model, including new front and rear bumpers, lightweight body panels and a new front splitter and rear diffuser. While a sedan model, this new M3 is designed to take the place of the M3 CSL model, which sits between the standard and GTS versions. No news is available as to when we might actually see this.

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The Porsche 911 GT3 is a kind of sacred monster, and definitely the more classic of the two cars in this Autocar face-off. Still, the BMW M3 GTS is currently a very trendy performance car of the moment, and although very different from the Porsche, it shares a similar philosophy. But can the brawny BMW keep the pace with the 911?

The video starts with some technical stuff because the benchmark this time has been nominated as speed. But really, the comparisons were never going to stop there. Apart from the differences in weight, and the entirely different gearboxes used, traction control and the like, there is history, image and purist philosophy to be taken into account here.

If you’re already divided into the BMW or Porsche performance camp, this video is unlikely to change your mind. For the rest of us it’s interesting and certainly exhilarating to watch the two models fly around the track. See the conclusions at the end.

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Blasphemy for BMW M3 fans is the idea that a V6 engine could go to equip their beloved model, but that might be exactly what happens for the future M3 according to M3post.com. The blog says that BMW is considering four different options which are traditional or modern to varying degrees.

Everything from V8’s to V6’s are being mentioned at this stage, throwing up more doubts about what BMW will decide to use in the future. In any case, so far the following options are being rumoured:

• S65 V8 Twinturbo: according to reports, BMW M has reworked this engine which was set to be retired and have added twin-turbo. Apparently the new unit would be only slightly more powerful but with more torque and improved fuel consumption.
• 3.0-litre, inline six-cylinder N54/55: this engine option has always been considered a good choice for the M3 with the only doubt being about power output. BMW could play with TwinPower or twin turbo technology to get power up and it would save on costs seeing as this unit is already used on other models.
• 4.4-litre, twinturbo S63 V8: this option seems unlikely as it would mean trying to squeeze this power train into the smaller BMW M3 model, and wouldn’t offer cost savings on other models as it just wouldn’t fit into the Z4, for example. The further unlikelihood of seeing this unit on the M3 is that it probably won’t offer the fuel efficiency BMW wants.
• V6 S63 engine: will BMW dare to fit out its M3 with a V6? This is apparently the favoured option right now, although the number of turbos hasn’t been revealed. The engine has good investment prospects given that it would also fit the Z4 and the X3. The only hurdle for BMW is to overcome the desire for an inline-six from purists. As M3Post says, “Former M CEO Dr. Segler did say that BMW does not subscribe to dogmas, but we’re not sure he had this in mind.”

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The lightweight M3 sedan that has been developed for the M Festival looks like it won’t be going to production in the future. The vehicle, more or less based on the BMW M3 GTS coupe but with four doors, will go on show at the festival taking place at the 24 hours Nurburgring in June.

Predictions about whether it would be produced now have to take into account the fact that Matt Russell of the M division for North America has stated that at least in that market, there won’t be an M3 sedan. He cites tight production times and problems with US homologation as the main reasons, but does mention that the components used on the lightweight model could carry across to other models.

We assume that means we probably won’t be seeing it in Europe either, but nothing specific was mentioned. Meanwhile, after Russell mentioned his interest in the new Ferrari four-wheel drive system used on the FF, speculation is now on whether we could see an all-wheel drive M model in the future. Extra weight would be an issue but a BMW M3 4WD is a tantalising prospect….

Source | M3Post via Autoblog.com

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The BMW M3 GTS is… extravagant, to say the least, and that’s talking about its performance. Frankly, we’ll let Fifth Gear driver Vicki Butler-Henderson describe it for you:

“How fantastic! Wow! Oh my gosh! This is an amazing, an amazing car!”

It’s obviously a purist’s car with very little “electronic trickery” but plenty of “spot-on” steering to help you around the track. It’s daring and with a fiendish need for speed. The BMW M3 GTS has a 4.4-litre V8 producing 450 hp for a sprint time to 100 km/hr of 4.4 seconds.

It is an expensive little vehicle, costing more than twice as much as a normal M3. The GTS’ only defect is this kind of a price tag - for less you can take home a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. But then Vicki does say:

“Oh man, what a piece of kit” and “If this car were a man, I would marry it.”

Us, jealous….?

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The 2012 BMW M5 is having a long release, so it’s just as well we don’t have to wait too much longer. After a private press launch on April 1st in Germany, the BMW M5 will debut at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show in a few weeks. This 30-minute video shows the BMW M5 in winter testing, including driving action and static shots. There are a few scenes from the M5 teaser videos that we saw, too, and we get a glimpse at the M5 interior as well. The testing commentary is also in English, so perservere.

The Chinese car market will also get another special edition BMW M3 after the Tiger Edition was launched last year. The new M3 for China will be the “Matte Edition” and as its name suggests, it will be decked out in matte black or gunmetal grey. Exterior features include 19-inch alloys, red brake callipers and black air intakes. On the interior there is a carbonfibre finish and red stitiching.

Source | WCF and Autocar

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The guys at Bimmerfile have been doing the number crunching on Nurburgring lap times from the new BMW 1 Series M, compared to other models in the BMW line-up. According to the report, new 1M does the Ring in 8min 12sec, although we’ve seen more than once over the last few days that M fans had expected an even faster and more powerful model. The 1 Series M has the N54 engine with 340 hp and 450 Nm of torque.

The rub is the M3 comparison figures. The old M3 E46 with its six-cylinder unit and 343 hp laps the Nurburgring in 8min and 22sec, so that puts this ‘entry level’ M faster than the old M3. Compared to the current M3 E92, BMW has made sure that the 1M doesn’t outdo its bigger sister, which records a lap time of 8:05. Its V8 engine has 420 hp, but the model weighs about 85 kg more. See after the jump for all your BMW M division Nurburgring record needs.

Continue reading: BMW 1 Series M Nurburgring times

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Apparently there is only one question: is the Audi RS5 faster than the BMW M3? There’s a whole lot of other interesting stuff in this test drive challenge by Autocar as well but we reckon once you’re divided into the Audi camp or the BMW camp etc., that’s where you stay. That and the RS5 has a mighty competitor in the BMW M3, so well known and revered around the world.

What’s really quite funny about this video is despite the two models haring around the Millbrook Hills track, both drivers are calm and concentrated as though they were having a chat to themselves about what these cars can do. Quite different from some of the other hysterics we often see in these kinds of videos.

Audi’s got a slight traction advantage which both drivers, leader and follower, mention. But the BMW is a slick unit and on the fast stuff, there’s not much in it. The video is not ridden with information but gives us enough insight as to what it’s like to drive both these models. See which one you’d like to be behind the wheel of in the video. There is one conclusion beyond doubt but we’ll let you see what that is.

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The new BMW 1 Series M Coupé will be officially presented at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but BMW is slowly releasing some information regarding its hot little coupé to whet our appetite. The compact 1 Series M should get back to its roots after some BMW purists may be skeptical about the current BMW M3.

The new model will be equipped with a 3.0-litre, in-line six, twin turbo engine with 340 hp and strictly a six-speed manual gearbox. No torque features have been released but BMW expects this little number to weigh in at about 1,500 kg and pricing should sit between the M3 and the 135i Coupé.

It looks like BMW is aiming for a real enthusiast’s car despite doing silly stuff like releasing this ‘teaser’ shots which we don’t really understand the point of. For the rest of the official details, and we imagine some proper pics, we’ll have to wait until mid-December.

Continue reading: BMW 1 Series M Coupé more details released

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In the opening seconds of this video the BMW M3 GTS gets compared to the Porsche 911 GT3 and from there it only gets better. We won’t be having our share of the 110 units of this car to be built, but looking at this video we understand how BMW has made its M3 even better.

Fun to drive it’s got more power and better steering performance and is definitely a vehicle for the serious driver in you. It’s not exactly what you’d describe as a luxury road car and most of the M3 GTS customers will be buying this for their Sunday track drives. Autocar describes it as a “riot to drive” and as being a “hardcore, old school M3″. Cost what it may, this is definitely a dream car.

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