sinner... you say that the thing that made the e46 great was all the car you got starting under 50k. we all knew that there would be some kind of a mark up on the e92 M3, and by all reasonable measurements the M3 is looking to come in at between 55-58k.
the link below will explain how people came to those numbers:
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55044
Surely you must have expected at least a 5 or 6k bump, so i really don't get what the source of your concerns is. if you don't want a 70k car, then don't get it loaded. even stock, the e92 M3 will be a lot of car for the money compared to the e46 m3:
1) substantially quicker 0-60
2) v8 engine coming in 30 lbs lighter than the old i6
3) carbon fiber roof previously only seen on the m6 and the m3 csl
4) info indicates navi and idrive possibly come standard
5) 80 extra hp
either way.... your fears are as speculative as the price right now. do yourself a favor and wait for the official pricing before you make a decision.