Last BMW M3 Coupe... Production Ended!

 

Last BMW M3 Coupe Rolls Off the Production Line Marking the End of a Naming Era

We guess everything has to come to an end, and that's the case for the BMW M3 E92 Coupe, the very last example of which rolled off the assembly line today at the Bavarian firm's plant in Regensburg, Germany.

While the related E93 M3 Convertible will continue to be manufactured alongside the regular 3 Series Sedan, Coupe and Convertible at the same factory for a few more months until this September, this is the last time we'll see the famed "M3" badge used on a two-door model.

You see, BMW has split its compact executive model's offerings into two different nameplates, with the more family orientated cars keeping the "3-Series" badge, and the sportier looking vehicles like the Coupe and Convertible adopting the brand-new 4-Series moniker. We will see a new M3 in the future, but it will be a four-door sedan model.

The patriarch of the M3 family, the four-cylinder E30 generation model, was introduced in 1986 originally as a coupe (there was also a limited run and now highly collectible convertible version). It was followed up by the six-cylinder E36 M3 in 1993, which is the least desirable (and arguably, the softest) of all M3s, and the E46 generation in 2000, which many consider if not the best M3, certainly second after the original.

Unveiled in 2007, the E9X generation M3 (E90 Sedan, E92 Coupe and E93 Convertible) was the first V8-powered model in the series. The Coupe was by far the most successful, with BMW delivering more than 40,000 examples worldwide. The sedan M3 added close to 10,000 units to the total, while just under 16,000 units of the convertible edition have been built to date.

Over the six years the E9X M3 remained in production, BMW introduced a handful of special edition models including the GTS Coupe, fitted with a bigger and more powerful at 444HP (450PS) 4.4-liter V8, bespoke chassis components and aerodynamic measures, plus a two-seat cockpit, of which only 135 examples were made.

Even rarer is the M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technology) that joined the fray in 2011 in a limited run of 67 units. The Sedan model was powered by the GTS' 444HP (450PS) 4.4-liter V8 and boasted exclusively manufactured lightweight components.

To celebrate the triple success of the brand's DTM comeback after winning the drivers’, team and manufacturers’ titles, BMW also launched a limited-run M3 DTM Champion Edition. A grand total of 54 cars were made, one for each DTM race victory notched up by BMW between 1987 and 2012.

The story of the M3 Coupe (and Convertible) will continue with the new M4 series that will also mark the return of the straight-six engine to the range, albeit with two, or according to some accounts, three turbochargers.

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[Source: carscoops.com]

Why I hate BMW 4-series coupe

Few Facts about the  BMW 4-Series F32

Last week BMW, after showing the new 3 Series,  revealed officially  the new  4-Series. At first sight the car looks much more like the 3 Series and less like a small 6 Series. Which would be okey if the BMW haven't change the car name and instead calling the car 3 Series Coupe named it 4 Series.  The truth is that the 4 Series got bigger that the 3 Series Coupe E92.  BMW says the wheelbase on the 4 Series is 50mm longer than the old two-door’s, plus the new car is 26mm longer overall, with the track widened by 45mm at the front and 81mm at the rear.  So, BMW is trying it best to convince us that this is a small 6 Series...

Besides that the car is 16mm lower than the E92 3 Series and has the lowest gravity center than any other BMW currently on sale. Which definitely can sharpen the driving abilities of the car. Compared to the 3 Series the car has more aggressively adjust suspension, for more sport feeling there are available M Sport package.

The new 4 Series is available with a standard petrol engine that produce  181 hp 420i and at the top of the range is the 435i with 302hp.  BMW 4 Series is also available with 3 diesel engines.
With starting price around $50.000 (in the UK) it's  $5.000 more than the new 3 Series.  The production of the car will start in July 2013 and first delivers will be made at the end of 2013.

So, Why I hate the 4 Series ?

The top of the range, as mentioned above,  is the 435i - with petrol engine - but us we all know there will available a BMW M division  model, the M4.

Until now, always, the best 2 door medium segment supercar produced by BMW was the M3 The BMW M3 legend began with the incredible E30 M3, followed by the E36, than by the great E46 and the latest E92.

The fact that from now on the M3 will be called M4 is bit disappointing. At least for me is like the next generation of compact (C segment) Volkswagen would be named Tennis, instead Golf.  

I strongly believe that BMW will not wipe out the M3 badge, I expect a new M3 based on the new 3 Series Sedan, but still the idea of a sedan M3 doesn't excite me much. Definitely the M4 and the (possible) new M3 sedan will be great cars, but the magic will be lost.  The magic that have cars such as,  the 911 and until now the M3.

So, lucky you E92 M3 owners for being the last owners of a 2-door Coupe M3.

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Supercharged BMW M3 E92 by Liberty Walk

It was just a few months ago that renderings began to circulate the web; images of an E92 M3 with bolt-on fender flares that challenged the likes of Rocket Bunny and Rauh Welt (RWB) were inciting intense anticipation across the automotive aftermarket. The kit was designed by the team at Liberty Walk Performance in Japan, the group responsible for the brushed-steel-finish widebody Lamborghini that swept SEMA and seemingly every automotive magazine at the beginning of the year. They're back once again, and this time, in our own neck of the woods, with the out-going E92 M3 as their chassis of choice. To bring the project to life, LB Performance partnered with Nitto Tire, Rotiform Wheels, LT MotorWorks, and others - and we're thrilled to present one of the first looks at such a car.

The build began at LTMW, a BMW-specific (and namely E9X chassis-based) shop located in El Monte, California. Owned and operated by Long Tran, an absolute E90/2 fanatic, LTMW was the perfect team for Wataru Kato, the owner of Liberty Walk, to enlist the help of. However, LTMW would be put to the test - their deadline was M-Fest in Las Vegas, and the amount of time between when they got the car and when it was expected to leave? A mere 30 hours.

A stock M3 arrived at LTMW late wednesday afternoon, and the car had to be on the road by 6:00am Friday morning. To pull it off, all hands were on deck, and without hesitation,the car was disassembled, masked, and the car's arches were cut apart to make room for the massive bolt-on flares. Prep, fitting, and paintwork all had to be completed before the final hour - but this M3 features more than just agressive looks.

Under the hood, a full ESS supercharger kit pumping out 585 horsepower gives the low-slung, aggressive M3 some matching performance. The kit produces the 40% gain over stock thanks to a Vortech V3SI blower and a high-capacity liquid intercooler system. The mean tone of the M3 is piped out through an Arqray Power exhaust system and Mastermind cross-pipe, taking the world-renowned V8 howl to exotic and super-car levels of tone, pitch, and scream.

Under the car is a set of KW Clubsport coilovers, which bumps the handling up a notch while also bringing the car closer to Earth, helping to fill the wheel wells with the Rotiform SNAs and Nitto Invos. The SNAs that are tucked beneath the flares are the lowest-offset set Rotiform has ever built. Measuring out to an impressive 19x10.5 et-15 in the front and a mind-boggling 19x12 et-50 in the rear, it leaves little room to go more aggressive. The rear wheels feature a full four inches of concave in the center, paired with a massive 7-inch lip.

Offering up tires for such a wheel is the team at Nitto. To bring the entire package the M3 has to offer to the pavement, the Rotiform wheels are wrapped in the Nitto Invo, their ultra-high-performance offering for supercars and anyone in need of maximum traction without the need for DOT R-Comps. It ices the cake that the Invo's tread pattern has to be the coolest available on the market.

Despite the long list of mods and challenges, the car was completed in time, and made the trip to Las Vegas for its unveiling on Friday. The result? Immediate attention, and it's easy to see why. We're under the impression that Liberty Walk has a hit once again. However, with an $11,000 price tag on the body kit alone, we're eager to see what comes of it. In any case, the LB Performance M3 takes what is already the epitome of the modern sports coupe and takes it to an exciting new level. The lines of the kit flow perfectly with the lines BMW sculpted from the beginning. Now to convince someone to mold the kit on.... Any takers?

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[Source: stanceworks.com]