AC Schnitzer Tunes the BMW M3 Cabriolet

With 420 HP under its hood, the new M3 Cabriolet is no sloucher. That’s the reason why AC Schnitzer decided -for the time being at least- to concentrate its efforts in improving the M3 Cabriolet’s handling and appearance. Apart from the new suspension settings, the Aachen-based tuner’s sport package for the M3 Cabriolet also includes a new 8-pot high performance braking system. In terms of looks, AC Schnitzer offers a full bodykit that consists of a new front skirt underlined by the carbon spoiler lip with optional aluminum braces, bonnet vents, moulded side skirts, a carbon rear diffuser that incorporates new chrome tailpipes and of course, oversized 20-inch alloy wheels. -Image gallery after the jump

Via: Worldcarfans , Source: AC Schnitzer

2009 BMW M3 Sedan Facelift - High Resolution Photos and Details

If you just bought a 2008 M3 Sedan, we’d advise you to stop reading this article immediately because we’re pretty sure that you won’t like what you’re about to hear and see. The Bavarian carmaker went ahead and facelifted its all-new M3 Sedan just a few months after the high-performance sports sedan made its market debut earlier this year. Like the recently facelifted 3-Series Sedan (see here) , the 2009 4door M3 receives a new set of tail-lights inspired from the new 7-Series along with a more pronounced trunk lid. Not a lot of changes, but it does look better than the 2008 M3 Sedan (images here).

Inside, refinements include a redesigned air grille in the center of the cockpit, a new armrest on the center console and new available trim options. As with all 2009 BMWs, the M3 Sedan also gets the new generation iDrive that includes a redesigned controller with direct-dial buttons on the center console and a high-resolution 8.8 inch display along with an updated navigation system. There are no mechanical changes with the 2009 M3 Sedan retaining the same 420Hp 4.0-liter V8 engine as before. -High resolution images after the jump

Teen Lands Brand-New BMW M3 into a House

This is what you get when you buy a totally immature and unskilled 19-year-old a brand new BMW M3; he picks up a couple of friends and decides to unleash all 414 ponies in a residential area with catastrophic results. Luckily, aside from a few bruises and scratches, no one was seriously injured during this incident. The kids however fled the scene as soon as the M3 landed on its side in front of the house, only to be caught shortly after by the cops. It just makes you wonder what goes on in the parents’ heads when they decide to adorn their teenager’s garage with such a powerful car like the BMW M3. -More pics after the jump

Description of the accident from one of the passengers:

crazy ****ing night....so my girlfriend had a kickback last night at her house. an hour after i arrive a kid in a brand new 08 m3 shows up...car doesnt even have 1000 miles on it yet...so me and 2 others decide to go for a little ride in it...car was ridiculously loud and fast....so we go up and down a hill a few times to warm the car up...then the genius decides to put it in M mode....he floores it up the hill...****ing fastest **** ever...then he loses control...hopes a curb...car turns sideways...and we end up in someones front yard...everyone walked out though thank god...i think my thumb is broken and i have a bruise on my collar bone from the seat belt. BMW crash system was amazing...i dont know how anyone could survive that we were probably going 60 mph....

y we ran and **** like that...they werent very nice about it (meaning the police).took my phone and started reading all my texts and going through my contacts and ***

Via: Jalopnik , Source: E46fanatics

2009 BMW M3 Sedan Facelift – First Official Image?

If this scanned image of the M3 Sedan from BMW’s German brochure for the 2009 3-Series Sedan and Touring models (see video here) turns out to be true, we’ll probably be talking about one of the fastest facelifts we’ve ever heard of as the sedan variant of the M3 was introduced into the market just a few months ago.

However, being the inquiring minds that we are, we discovered the same exact photo of the current M3 Sedan with matching license plates on the official brochure of the 2008 BMW M3. It could be that BMW decided to cut costs and just photoshop the M3’s new rear tail-lights, but better wait to see an official announcement before we make any hasty conclusions. -Continued after the jump

Via: Autoblog.nl

1991 BMW M3 E30 DTM Race Car for Sale!

Even though we could see ourselves using this bimmer as the ultimate weekend track racer, the 1991 BMW M3 DTM race version that’s up for grabs has two serious flaws that deter us from even thinking about buying it: a) it’s located in Denmark and b) the seller is asking €90,000 or about $143,000. While we could probably find a way around the first problem, unfortunately the asking price is somewhat totally out of reach…. Any suggestions? -Continued

Seller’s Description

BMW M3 DTM 2.5 version 91. Complete rebuild into original livery. New brakes 6pot calibers, new 184 MM twinplate clutch, new Drenth seq gearbox, new rebuild 2.5 engine, carbon dashboard, stack instrument, carbon body parts, 100 L fuelcell, new coolers for gearbox and reardiff, rebuild reardiff, airjacks, magnesium front uprights, tubular rear swing arms, adjustable rollbars from cockpit, heated front windscreen, shell dipped and repainted in motorsport colors. A very nice unspoiled example with no damage. Has to be seen. A opportunity to buy a works car in perfect condition. Small spare package to follow.

Link: Racecarsdirect

Video: BMW M3 ALMS Racing Version

BMW has released footage of the all new racing version of the M3 Coupe completing its maiden drive on the race track. The race prepped BMW M3 that was first shown to the public at this year’s Chicago Auto Show (see details here) has been designed to compete in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) beginning in 2009. Wider and significantly lighter than its production equivalent, the M3 ALMS is powered by a modified version the M3’s 4.0-liter V8 engine delivering 485 HP. -Video after the jump

2010 BMW M3 CSL Rendering

It’s been nearly a year since we last heard anything official about the E92 M3 CSL when BMW M Division’s vice president Gerhard Richter confirmed the Bavarian carmaker’s intention to build a successor to the highly acclaimed, lightweight M3 CSL.

However, German magazine Autozeitung is willing to spice things up for Bimmer fans as it features an artist’s rendering of the new M3 CSL in its latest issue. While we can’t make anything from the article, the rendering depicts a more aggressively designed M3 Coupe with a new front bumper, a carbon fiber hood and rear air intakes.

Via: Autozeitung

Blast from the Past: BMW E30 M3 EVO vs Mercedes 190E 2.5 16v

We discovered this scanned article from the 1988 September issue of Car Magazine comparing the BMW M3 2.5 Evolution I with the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5 16v over at our friends at VW Vortex. The eloquently written comparison test by George Kacher is not only eye-catching but it also brought back many pre-internet era memories when as kids, we just couldn’t wait to get our hands on the latest car magazines and feed our four-wheeled obsession.

Check out the scanned article (click the pics to enlarge) after the jump along with a set of high-res pictures of the BMW M3 E30s and the Mercedes 190E 2.3/2.5/EVO that we managed to dig out of our archive. -Continued

Scans Via: VW Vortex