I've Seen It, I've Seen It, I've Touched It!!!

[1198r]

I went to the European PGA at Wentworth in England today - sponsored by BMW. Had a wander round the BMW sponsored tented village looking at BMW cars and asked a friendly BMW lady if the new M3 would look anything like the BMW British Touring Race Car they had there..... she looked at me, smiled and said "actually, we have the new M3 here under lock and key... would you like to see it....:rocks:

I said no thanks i'm waiting til I take delivery.....

I joke... I said yes PLEASE! I explained I had a deposit on one and she smiled more

I then followed her into the BMW lounge, through to a room which was unlocked. Lights were off in the room. Room black walls and floor, but there in all its classy yet subtle aggression stood a white E92 M3. The room was quite small but I stood in front of the car and it's aggressive wide front really stood out. The front wheer arches make it look quite wide. The bulge not that obvious. The front air scoops give the car such a mean purposeful look. I then gradually wandered around the car - taking in as much detail as I could - from the side working round, the aggression is so subtle and classy at the same time. The clear turn indicator strip with M3 on, the skirts below the doors. The rear looks cool and the lip on the boot a tell tale sign of madness. The four pipe chrome alloys - tastefully indicating a car ready for some fun. The roof - a work of art. The wing mirrors an engineering masterpiece. 19" alloy wheels - good but not as nice as 18's in my opinion.

I then opened the drivers door and sat inside. Bluey grey leather seats welcomed me. Same leather had been applied to doors (looked a bit tacky for my liking). Fake carbon look leather finish. Seats very comfortable. Could not adjust anything as key firmly in BMW's hand....

Looking around cockpit, all instruments, pedals, gear lever, steering wheel just finely balanced between basic benefit to tell driver what he needs to know and class of build quality. Quite a few buttons and steering wheel - which felt magic BTW. Three buttons down by gear lever to. SatNAV screen nicely tucked away but not turned on. Dials for air con and stuff felt really good - not plastic crap. The centre concole runs from front to back and the rear seats comfy too!

They then let me open up the bonnet! Not much to see really apart from words M3V8 and black plastic everywhere. What did strike me was how small the engine compartment looked. When the bonnet was shut, it was clear how light it was - it flexed as it shut.

I wandered around the car again marvelling at its proportions and really can only describe as -

Aggressive but classy

This is some piece of kit - worth waiting for for sure.

I am going back Sunday to have another look to examine the things I should have!

Note: no photo's allowed - sorry.

[ajj]

so is it much better in real life as everyone has been saying? does it give the same magical effect that we all had when we saw the e46 m3 for the first time?

ha..u lucky bastard! can't wait to take delivery.

[JEllis]

so is it much better in real life as everyone has been saying? does it give the same magical effect that we all had when we saw the e46 m3 for the first time?

We ALL didnt feel that way about the E46 M3....

Anyhoo....great write-up man. You sound like the car took your breah away! I think I am ordering mine in white!

Jason

[ajj]

funny..i thought that the e36 m3 was very boring when it first came out..bought a 3rd gen rx-7 coupe at the time instead. e36 was a great car no doubt, but that whole beauty beholder eye thing again...aargh.

now been through 3 porsches and my current e46 m3, and no car has had the first impression impact on me as the e46 m3. c'mon guys..remember when you first saw it and just had to have it. ha...was..is a great car, but it too is starting to look dated. time for change..i hope the e92 m3 has the same first impression on me as the e46 did!

[1198r]

Yes it did take my breath away. To be honest I am still processing what I saw and how I felt. I have been waiting - like you guys for a long time and when the one thing you really want to see - but not expecting - is thrust upon you - in a funny kind of way your shocked.

I just simply loved it. Not to in your face, not too boring. Every detail purposeful. For example the wing mirrors. I, like a few on here thought they looked a little weird, but when you see them with everything else on the car - you understand why they designed them like they did. Any other way now and they would look weird - and this is the great thing about the car - i've seen it for 5 minutes and already the car has set a design precedent - which is exactly what BMW M division want. Amazing.

On reflection, what is astounding about the car is it's proportions. The car was in a small room with black floors, walls and ceilings and some bright lights (when they eventaully switched them on!!). You would think a white car would look big in such an environment. It didn't.

I realise I have been lucky to see it. My hope is my rabblings on here are helping you realise it's worth the wait.

Cheers

[SpencerM3]

AWESOME

Very jealous you saw it

[m_bazeepaymon]

Originally Posted by JEllis

We ALL didnt feel that way about the E46 M3....

Anyhoo....great write-up man. You sound like the car took your breah away! I think I am ordering mine in white!

Jason

i honestly gotta figure it out if I want Interlagos Blue or Alpine white with Fox Red...

[Romo]

I have seen it, touched it, know how it smells, my ass touched it`s seats. Just an amazing piece off engineering .
I also did see different collors and interiors. IMO the 19" is a must have on the M3. I didn`t see one M3, I saw about 15 off them in Garching.......................in different combinations, so I know what I`m talking about.

Best collor IMO Silverstone with Fox red leather ( kind off Terra)

[Caravello]

I don't think the e46 is looking too dated -- a little maybe, it is still a beautiful car-- but a lot of people are now buying them used and you see them everywhere, many looking a little ding-ed up.

My only concern about the e92 is if I should wait a year for the 2009 just in case the first-run has problems or needs slight tweaks and improvements, etc.

[13eastie]

1198r - thanks for the info.

Seriously tempted to go down to Wentworth tomorrow... not far for me to go.

Do you need to have a ticket to the golf to get into the BMW village?

[mofomat]

Originally Posted by 1198r

They then let me open up the bonnet! Not much to see really apart from words M3V8 and black plastic everywhere. What did strike me was how small the engine compartment looked. When the bonnet was shut, it was clear how light it was - it flexed as it shut.

Are you sure it said M3 V8? In the pictures is just says M/// V8.

The bonnet is made of aluminium, just like the E46 M3.

[1198r]

Yes - you are correct - it did say M///V8 - sorry

The car is in room within BMW drivers lounge hospitality area. Yes you do need ticket, which you can buy as you drive in - see you there!!

Cheers

[13eastie]

I went to Wentworth this morning (aquaplaning my way around the M25 in sheet rain), failed to blag my way in, so had to shell out £25...

Pleased to confirm the car is indeed there and looked very nice in Alpine White except for the gratuitous power bulge which is too big and lumpy in my opinion and horrid grey leather all over the inside of the doors... Not really a great deal to add news-wise...

It is RHD, they couldn't confirm whether it was representative of the UK spec though. It is one of two in the UK (the other is red).

All in all it was nice enough to persuade me not to wait until next year for convertible / DSC. Shame not to be able to hear the engine.

Come back with any questions and I will try and answer them.

[1198r]

I went again also to see car (and Golf!!) and managed to speak to the BMW chap who wrote the UK BMW M3 brochure.

Other tit bits of info which I learnt are when driving at night, a dim red band of light illuminates the cabin running front and rear. The light band is about half way up the doors and runs through to the rear.

Split rear seats (60/40).

You can plug an apple Ipod via an auxilliary jack as standard but this way it cannot be operated though iDrive. If you want this, the USB option is needed.

I had a good play with clutch pedal, gear lever and brake pedal. Clutch quite heavy I thought. Gear lever mechanism slick - quite short travel and you can feel it being grabbed into gear.

iDrive wheel moves freely, made by Bang and O'n and finished in stainless steel specific for M3.

Had a good look at the brakes and the fronts look slightly smaller than those on the M5. I asked why not ceramic option and was told they did consider this but the engineers say ceramic would not be any better than these new ones. (I hope this is true but will need convincing).

The car will not be destricted by BMW UK This mainly down to tyre speed ratings

700 cars are coming to UK this year (don't know what "this year" means though. BMW UK have 1400 orders so far which now means a 2 year wait. Over the Golf weekend BMW sold 150 M3's!!!!!!

Two cars are in UK now - white one and red one.

Still no build dates - not even for press cars - which come first (obviously).

Car looks awesome in every way.

Hope this is useful

[SS32]

every little bit of info helps the time go by faster.

I'm guessing the interior lighting you're talking about is like the ambient lighting in E46s?

[1198r]

Thanks.

I don't think so from the way the BMW chap was showing me. He seemed to elude it was a new. He also said it could be turned off if you wanted.

[Romo]

I found the clutch verry, verry light. Compared to my E46 M3, wich has a rather heavy one.

[mofomat]

Originally Posted by 1198r

Other tit bits of info which I learnt are when driving at night, a dim red band of light illuminates the cabin running front and rear. The light band is about half way up the doors and runs through to the rear.

This is a feature of the standard E92 coupe and is common knowledge. Surprised you know nothing about it.

Originally Posted by 1198r

You can plug an apple Ipod via an auxilliary jack as standard but this way it cannot be operated though iDrive. If you want this, the USB option is needed.

Again common knowledge and exactly the same as on the E92 coupe.

Originally Posted by 1198r

The car will not be destricted by BMW UK This mainly down to tyre speed ratings.

Expect an option called "M Drivers package" which includes, amongst other things, de-limiting. The tyre thing is utter bollocks.

Originally Posted by 1198r

700 cars are coming to UK this year (don't know what "this year" means though. BMW UK have 1400 orders so far which now means a 2 year wait. Over the Golf weekend BMW sold 150 M3's!!!!!!

The UK is getting 300 M3's between September and the end of the year.

[mofomat]

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

every little bit of info helps the time go by faster.

I'm guessing the interior lighting you're talking about is like the ambient lighting in E46s?

The E92 coupe has the ambient lights by the rear view mirror just like the E46.

It also has an extra set of ambient lights in the middle of the roof.

In addition to these there is also a long light bar which extends from the front of the front door (both left and right), and extends along the top of the leather trim in the doors through to the rear. There are pictures of this on this very site.