[aerisolphaln]

If 65K base is true, which would be right in line with prices in England and Europe, you are easily talking about a 73-75K M3 before you add "many" options. Easily this thing could wind up at 80K.

This would be a MAJOR MISTAKE BMW, if you are listening. M3 buyers from the e46 M3 will NOT spend that much money on an e92 M3, and people who ARE going to spend that much will look to brands with more image - Porsche.

If M3's are priced like this in the US, there may be more M3's on the dealer lots than M5's and M6's.

BMW have NOT done enough to move the 3 series in general and the M3 specifically this far upmarket.

I think we are headed for a major M3 flop in the US, and there is no way BMW will come close to meeting their large scale production levels of 100,000 e92 M3's if 50% of those are going to be sold in the US, not with a base US MSRP of 65K.

Last but not least, there is no WAY the base M3 can command a 25K premium over the base 335i. Even if you take all of the performance, styling, and prestige of the M3 over the 335, I think maximum you are looking at a 15K premium (base M3 of 55K). You can no longer argue that an M3 is going to be "exclusive" as BMW are trying to sell many more M3's than previous models.

I am more and more thinking that I will either load up a 335 with options and a Proceed, save up for a couple of years and then add a track toy (cayman S, Elise) or just go for a 997S. Of course the 997S would be more expensive, but I think spending more than mid-60's for a very well-optioned M3 would be totally throwing money away. As it approaches Porsche range, I am more and more tempted to just get the Porsche, which has so much more brand power and image than any BMW ever will.

I hope you're paying attention BMW, because I am the exact demographic you want to sell the M3 to, and I'm thinking you are going to miss me entirely.