Limited BMW M3 Lime Rock Park Edition Coupe Announced (Updated with Video)

[US///M3]

BMW has gotten so greedy,the days of a lightweight E36 M3 (200 to 300lb lighter) with aluminum doors, upgraded suspension, oil vapor separator etc. for a reasonable 3-4 grand over the standard E36 M3 are gone.

[JJFESQ]

Nice Car.
I Remember when the E30 M3 came here you didn't need SE cars because of the built in exclusivity of any M car.

[antzcrashing]

sick! America finally gets a special edition and it is sweet!

Worthy of the Lime Rock name

[aajami]

Originally Posted by antzcrashing

sick! America finally gets a special edition and it is sweet!

Worthy of the Lime Rock name

This isn't the first special edition we've received. The Competition Edition in Frozen Silver was released last year.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by JJFESQ

Nice Car.
I Remember when the E30 M3 came here you didn't need SE cars because of the built in exclusivity of any M car.

Is that the same car that they couldn't sell at first and had to build in a ton of trunk money? People seem to recall "Facts" about the E30 M3 that are just not realistic.

The E30 M3 sold so poorly in the US the E36 M3 almost didn't happen, now that is the true story.

[jonasaurus]

So many different versions (not including the GTS and CRT), no improvements to performance...

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by jonasaurus

So many different versions (not including the GTS and CRT), no improvements to performance...

+1

You would think if they use a track name ,it ll be more than just wheel,car,interior colors.
Nothing like Ford's BOSS 302 Laguna Seca with actual performance upgrades at a reasonable price.

They ve gotten so fn greedy it's never even once in a while about giving back or doin something special for their core fans.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by US///M3

+1

You would think if they use a track name ,it ll be more than just wheel,car,interior colors.
Nothing like Ford's BOSS 302 Laguna Seca with actual performance upgrades at a reasonable price.

They ve gotten so fn greedy it's never even once in a while about giving back or doin something special for their core fans.

What was the 1M then? That car was created solely for the core fans. BMW M fought hard for that car to "give something back" to their fans- did you miss that? It was also the cheapest M car ever- and one of the most enjoyable on the track in a long time.

People are just bitching to bitch; BMW can't do anything else unless they charge a boat load of money and then wouldn't be able to sell it. There is NO history of BMWNA getting any truly "special" models except for homologation purposes- which was the E46 M3 GTR and was subsidized to keep BMWNA and PTG in ALMS racing.

The US requirements for bringing a new car are very cost prohibitive and make special editions that are more than window dressing extremely difficult unless they were to increase the cost of regular models to subsidize the performance models or sell them at a loss and that is not how BMW does things- Other brands may and that shows in their bottom line.

The Z4 E86 M sold so poorly and BMWNA took such a hit on each one they "sold" there will not be another car like it... the E36 LTW is another example of that. People claim they "want" these cars but not many of these people can either afford them or ever buy them.

Here is the list of limited runs- note how there is a history that the US does not get them and this will not be changing anytime soon.

E30:
Did the US get the M3 EVO? NO
M3 EVO II? NO
M3 Sport Evo? NO

E36:
Did the US get the Euro Engine? NO
a lightweight version (LTW)? YES- needed trunk money to move it.
M3 GTR? NO
M3 EVO? NO

E46:
Did the US get the M3 GTR? Yes, at $220k a pop and sold ten for homologation.
M3 CLS- NO
M3 Competition Package- YES

E9x M3
Did the US get the M3 GTS? NO
M3 CRT? NO
M3 Competition Package? YES

And that is all folks..

[US///M3]

I wouldnt call an M car that weighs almost as much as an E90/92 NA high reving V8 M3, with almost identical performance, with a 135i,335i,535i's etc. N54 With an upgraded intake and cooling ... a Gift.

The E36 M3 LTW was reasonably priced btw to all the BMW employees in denial, the M3 is not what itused to be.
The last M3's to be best in class in SCCA or NASA is tge E30/E36 M3. GM still makes 3,000 lb Corvettes, BMW doesnt make 3,100 lb M3's or a four seater car anymore.
The M3 brand has been diluted.

[Bluesummer]

let's see if they make normal M3 look special by over producing random social editions.

[PrimoM3]

Originally Posted by US///M3

The last M3's to be best in class in SCCA or NASA is tge E30/E36 M3. GM still makes 3,000 lb Corvettes, BMW doesnt make 3,100 lb M3's or a four seater car anymore.
The M3 brand has been diluted.

While I agree with you that the 1M was a huge letdown, your argument about the Corvette is shortsighted. What if anything about the Corvette is luxurious? And how about the safety scores? Or how about build quality? Everything in a Corvette looks like an 80's GE appliance and rattles like crazy. Yes, it's faster and lighter, but at the expense of the aforementioned.

The M3 is a great street car with sporting roots - it's also been called the benchmark again and again- but it's not a competitor to the Corvette, nor has it ever been (from the factory).

[aus]

Someone's drinking a lot of BMW Cool-Aid. Calling an car with a regular 3-series engine with the boost turned up a little is not an //M car. That car cost next to nothing to develop. It's a parts bin special. The limiting factor was the short life of the 1 series left. They could have sold a lot more 1M's if there was more time on the platform. That's why they're selling for $10,000 over.
So BMW gave us a "gift" that's limited production and allows the dealers to sell it for $10,000 over sticker. I'd say there that's a pretty good case for a market for a more performance oriented car. It's sad when Ford and GM get it, and //M doesn't.

This is NOT the 1980's. Tracking is MUCH MORE POPULAR now. BMW's are MUCH MORE POPULAR now too. And I always go back to Porsche. Why is it they can bring all these limited run cars here and make money on them? I'm not talking GT3-RS, or 4.0. I'm talking cars like the Cayman R, Cayman Spyder; these cars have special engines that are rated higher than the standard engine. Porsche is way too small to be losing money on any car (well, not anymore since VW took over).

.

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by PrimoM3

While I agree with you that the 1M was a huge letdown, your argument about the Corvette is shortsighted. What if anything about the Corvette is luxurious? And how about the safety scores? Or how about build quality? Everything in a Corvette looks like an 80's GE appliance and rattles like crazy. Yes, it's faster and lighter, but at the expense of the aforementioned.

The M3 is a great street car with sporting roots - it's also been called the benchmark again and again- but it's not a competitor to the Corvette, nor has it ever been (from the factory).

My point was the Vette stayed true to its roots,i wasnt comparing it to the M3.
The E36 M3 was luxurious when introduced and a safe car compared to a top rated current kia/ 3 series. I have yet to meet an E30/36 M3 driver who is concerned of yhe safety of the car.

Toyota/ Subaru just proved that you can still build a safe rwd 4 seater car that weighs around 3klb. The STI version of it ijs going to be amazing.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by aus

This is NOT the 1980's. Tracking is MUCH MORE POPULAR now. BMW's are MUCH MORE POPULAR now too. And I always go back to Porsche. Why is it they can bring all these limited run cars here and make money on them? I'm not talking GT3-RS, or 4.0. I'm talking cars like the Cayman R, Cayman Spyder; these cars have special engines that are rated higher than the standard engine. Porsche is way too small to be losing money on any car (well, not anymore since VW took over).

.

The M3 is the higher rated three series so what exactly is the point you are trying to make? The engine in the M3 is already more performance compared to a 328 or 335.

And BMW does get it. I don't think most people here do. As for the 1M being a parts bin special- umm what do you think everyone else does? They develop one drivetrain and share it, one brake system etc. The C63 is nothing more than a parts bin car etc.

The Cayman S and R are both handicapped to not out perform the 911- The 1M with the M3 engine would have outperformed the M3 and that is a no-no in marketing world. But on many tracks it does outperform and it is smaller and weighs less so it is more nimble.

As for the mark up- I know a lot of people that paid sticker (some even less) for the 1M and that is not a BMWNA issue as they do not control the dealer's final price nor can they because of franchise laws that is free market economy.

How is this different? It's not.

BMW:
328
335
335is
M3

Porsche:
Cayman
Cayman S
Cayman R

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by US///M3

My point was the Vette stayed true to its roots,i wasnt comparing it to the M3.
The E36 M3 was luxurious when introduced and a safe car compared to a top rated current kia/ 3 series. I have yet to meet an E30/36 M3 driver who is concerned of yhe safety of the car.

You can't be serious with the safety in the E30- that thing has more body flex than you can imagine and is like driving a tin can compared to today's cars- let alone how it would handle a hit from an SUV. It's a hoot to drive but safety is an issue- a Smart car is safer as it should be. Not sure how you are declaring the BRZ to be "safe" as crash test info has yet to be published.

The E30 M3 in full race spec and cage as developed by BMW Motorsport had less torsional rigidity than the first generation X5- and that comes directly from the head of BMW M development who was the head of that M3 project and the X5; Albert Biermann.

[car_fan]

Originally Posted by JJFESQ

Nice Car.
I Remember when the E30 M3 came here you didn't need SE cars because of the built in exclusivity of any M car.

^Excellent point

[car_fan]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

Is that the same car that they couldn't sell at first and had to build in a ton of trunk money? People seem to recall "Facts" about the E30 M3 that are just not realistic.

The E30 M3 sold so poorly in the US the E36 M3 almost didn't happen, now that is the true story.

Although trunk money may have been offered. It was not a mass produced vehicle. Yes we know the US received a "watered down" version of the E36 as a consolation. But, at least the E36 featured a light weight version, that guaranteed exclusivity. Most of the "special" E92's on this side of the pond only feature paint and accessory add on's.

[TK-421]

this is what's wrong with bmw

[TK-421]

Originally Posted by US///M3

+1

You would think if they use a track name ,it ll be more than just wheel,car,interior colors.
Nothing like Ford's BOSS 302 Laguna Seca with actual performance upgrades at a reasonable price.

They ve gotten so fn greedy it's never even once in a while about giving back or doin something special for their core fans.

this

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

You can't be serious with the safety in the E30- that thing has more body flex than you can imagine and is like driving a tin can compared to today's cars- let alone how it would handle a hit from an SUV. It's a hoot to drive but safety is an issue- a Smart car is safer as it should be. Not sure how you are declaring the BRZ to be "safe" as crash test info has yet to be published.

The E30 M3 in full race spec and cage as developed by BMW Motorsport had less torsional rigidity than the first generation X5- and that comes directly from the head of BMW M development who was the head of that M3 project and the X5; Albert Biermann.

You cant declare them unsafe either,body flex is a problem when racing performance wise.The top safety rated kias have tons of body flex . Btw i havent heard of a lot of E30/36 M3 subframe cracks/failures like with the heavier E46 M3's. The E30/36 are prolly also the most raced on a the grassroot level out numbering the E46 M3.

[///M1]

Gotta love the 1///M hater comments, they'll never end, will they... I'll take the high road, and instead, post some pics of the FO M3 from this weekend

Color looks better/richer in person than the pics posted on the first page, but to me it is more about marketing than exclusivity. BMW has gotten good at the former, and their recent sales number only adds to inspiring the MBA recent grads employed at the Marketing Dept.

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by JJFESQ

Nice Car.
I Remember when the E30 M3 came here you didn't need SE cars because of the built in exclusivity of any M car.

Thank-you.