Any update on HUD?

[ShinySteelRobot]

Just wondering if there is any further word regarding whether the HUD will be offered on the M3 in 08 or 09...? *

Thanks,

Justin

*Now that my wife & I have an infant child I'll need something with 4 doors, so I was thinking of putting down a deposit on an M3 Sedan. But my 6er has spoiled me for anything without a HUD, so I'm going to wait til I can get an M3 with a HUD.

[EBuyuk]

HUD will not be available in the M3 due to the fact it isn't available on the regular 3er. Supposedly this was because there isn't enough room in the dashboard.

What's amazing though is that BMW M could have tried to squuze it in since they only kept 20% of the original 3er to begin with. Why not try to put this in... I really noticed the lack of the HUD when I was driving on the track. I guess I am spoiled from the M5 a bit.

[ShinySteelRobot]

Ah dang. Oh well, thanks for the info. Maybe I should get an M5 instead of an M3.

[Sedan_Clan]

From my experience, the HUD may or may not be in your direct line of sight depending on seating position. In the M5/M6, my seating position put the HUD out of visual range for me. But according to previous posts, it won't be on the ///M3 anyway, so you won't have anything to worry about.

[JEllis]

A HUD is a just a cool gimmick to me. I dont think I will miss it....

When I was a kid, my moms pontiac had a HUD

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by JEllis

A HUD is a just a cool gimmick to me. I dont think I will miss it....

When I was a kid, my moms pontiac had a HUD

+2

[ShinySteelRobot]

Originally Posted by JEllis

A HUD is a just a cool gimmick to me. I dont think I will miss it....

When I was a kid, my moms pontiac had a HUD

Sorry, I have to disagree with you there. HUDs have come a long way. It's not just a green number showing your speed anymore like in old American cars. Off the top of my head, the BMW HUD is useful for thing such as:

* Finding your way around (it's linked to the nav system -- you never have to look at the navigation screen anymore, and that means you can mute the nav system voice prompts too)

* In the M6 (and maybe the M5) it also shows a bar graph of your tachometer revs (helpful for shifting for max performance)

* Warning messages automatically appear in front of you (such as DSC deactivated, low fuel etc)

* And of course, keeping track of your speed without looking down (especially nice when you a see a black and white car in the distance--you know in a split second whether you need to tap the brakes )

I supposed if you've never used one, you'd never miss it. But once you've had a BMW HUD, you really miss it when you're in a car without it. In rental cars I keep noticing how much I have to look down at the guages and then back up at the road. With a BMW HUD you (almost) never look down.