Introduction

By Chris Walton, Chief Road Test Editor
Date posted: 07-08-2007

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are separated by about 150 miles and a rivalry as fierce as the one between Coke and Pepsi.

BMW builds the 2007 335i Sedan in the Bavarian city of Munich, while Mercedes-Benz has just released the all-new 2008 C350 Sport from its headquarters in the Swabian city of Stuttgart. Though Mercedes has long had the upper hand in terms of both stature and commercial success in Europe, the BMW 3 Series outsells the Mercedes-Benz C-Class by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the U.S., some 120,180 to 50,187 last year.

It's a rivalry that even carries over into competition on the racetrack, where BMW and Mercedes-Benz have a long history of competition in the German Touring Car Masters (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or DTM), which is as close to NASCAR as you can find in Germany, and are presently locked in battle for prestige in Formula 1.

So when you compare these cars, it's about pride, not just money. And now that there's an all-new generation of both the 3 Series and the C-Class, the battle begins again. Which would you bet on, the player from München (which translates as "monastery"), or the one from Stuttgart (which translates as "stud farm")?

The Players
Available this August, the W204 C-Class has an ultra-rigid unibody, improved steering, lightweight suspension components integrated with adaptive dampers, and world-class safety systems. This restyled sedan now has more passenger volume and more interior features, plus a multimedia information and entertainment system that sets a new standard in the class.

We secured the sportiest version of the 2008 C-Class, the C350 Sport with its 90-degree, DOHC 3.5-liter V6, which puts out 268 horsepower. Its base price is $37,275.

The E90 model of the BMW 3 Series arrived for the 2006 model year, and it predictably represented another move upward in size and sophistication. The most controversial aspect of the new car is its top-of-the-line twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6, the first in what is expected to be a full range of BMW turbocharged engines.

We obtained the sportiest version of the 3 Series, a 2007 335i Sedan with a twin-turbocharged, 300-hp 3.0-liter inline-6. Its base price is $39,675.

We're acutely aware of the price and horsepower discrepancies between these two sedans. In precise terms, it's a difference of 32 hp and $2,400, so the BMW makes you pay about $75 for every additional horsepower it offers. We might have chosen the $33,175 BMW 328i sedan with its normally aspirated, 230-hp inline-6 for this comparison against the C350, but these cars don't line up very well.

What we have here is the best possible edition of both the 3 Series and the C-Class, the cars that best express what each manufacturer is hoping to accomplish in this category. We're asking these cars to compete on the merits of performance, top-dog 3 Series versus top-dog C-Class.

It's All About Power
Let's get the numbers out of the way. In a sprint, the 300-hp BMW outpaces the 268-hp Mercedes by 1.2 seconds to 60 mph and 0.9 second in the quarter-mile. The true display of the BMW's horsepower advantage, however, lies in its trap speed at the end of 1,320 feet, and the 335i has a 6.5-mph advantage. Each car has an automatic transmission (a six-speed in the BMW and a seven-speed in the Mercedes) that upshifts with the crispness and sophistication you'd expect, and each offers Drive, Sport and Manual modes. The BMW's automatic is set apart by shift paddles incorporated into the steering wheel, a $100 option that delivers quick, matched-rev downshifts — cool, affordable and worth it.

To quote our logbook after the turbocharged 335i's run, "Launching is a bog or boil affair. Too much throttle and the tires will spin wildly in 1st gear; too little and it will leave slowly, off boost." Meanwhile, the C350's logbook notes, "Best launch was with the traction control shut off, but without brake torque or wheelspin." The 3 Series has power, but the C-Class has traction.

Make It Stop, Make It Stop
Hammering the brake pedal from 60 mph again showed the BMW to be the more capable car. Both cars are equipped with four-wheel discs and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, brake drying and hill-start assist — some of these features are new to the C-Class for 2008. All four discs on the BMW, however, are larger in diameter than those of the C-Class. The test results reveal one excellent stop from the C350 at 118 feet, and one outstanding stop from the BMW 335i of just 112 feet.

The brakes of both cars proved utterly free of fade, even during our tortuous canyon runs through Malibu. When it came to city driving, though, the BMW's brakes exhibited an odd, sticky, on-off behavior below 5 mph that sometimes made it difficult to come to a halt smoothly. On the other hand, the Mercedes' brake pedal has a little too much stroke built into its action.

Round and Round We Go
It's interesting to discover that these two sedans with optional sport packages now share wheelbase dimension (108.7 inches), matching tire sizes (front, 225/40R18; rear, 255/35R18) and even rear-wheel track width (59.6 inches). The as-tested weights show the 3,592-pound C350 to have a weight distribution of 53 percent front/43 percent rear, while the 3,641-pound 335i offers 50 percent front/50 percent rear weight distribution.

The C350 dances far more adeptly than it has before, but it simply cannot match the practiced footwork of the 335i. On the skid pad, the best combined laps show that the BMW's run-flat tires deliver a sports-carlike 0.88g performance, and the C350 can muster only 0.83g. A similar story plays out in the slalom, where the BMW snakes through the cone course at 69.2 mph compared to the Mercedes at 67.6 mph.

Our testing logbook says, "Both the balance and the grip of the C350 are trustworthy and it's easy to find the limits. While there's certainly more information coming from the steering than in the previous C-Class, this is by no means a class leader in terms of feel. Good, just not great." Next to the BMW's name, the logbook notes, "It might not be the quickest in its class through the slalom, but it feels the best in class with its intuitive steering and brilliant transitional response."

A Ride Through the Real World
Highways seem a little smoother in the C350 than in the 335i, yet the world is also a little quieter in the BMW because the larger outside rearview mirrors of the Mercedes produce more wind noise. The BMW's ride is a little busier, though not punishing thanks to its optional Sport suspension and standard run-flat tires. Rough patches are acknowledged, but disruptive events dissipate rapidly and never linger.

The C350's new adaptive shock absorbers are meant to offer lots of compliance in the first centimeter of travel, and they do. Most of the time, the C-Class delivers what almost everyone would describe as a more comfortable ride, although we noted the C350 did transmit more tire noise over rough pavement than the 335i. This might be due to the differences between the Continental ContiSport Contact3 tires of the Mercedes and the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires of the BMW.

Room With a View
The Mercedes-Benz is all business, with its black, tone-on-tone interior treatment enlivened by chrome and aluminum details. The silver instrument panel surround is specific to the Sport, as is the black bird's eye maple trim. It's a luxurious look.

The BMW is visually interesting, with organic curves. The small buttons are more inscrutable than those in the Mercedes, and they seem to be part of an overall design theme rather than necessary interfaces for the driver.

The C350's standard eight-way power seats feel ultrafirm at first, but we found them very supportive for a long-haul drive. Even so, we thought a Sport-designated model should offer more lateral support, even if just for the driver. Ten seconds in the driver seat of the 335i make you admire a design that somehow manages to combine a supportive profile with long-distance comfort. You have to keep in mind that these seats are part of the 335i's $1,700 Sport package, though.

There's enough space behind the wheel for almost every driver, but headroom is 1.5 inches less in the C-Class because of the sunroof that is standard equipment. As far as the rear seat goes, the measurements suggest the 3 Series has a slight edge. Yet it's useful to remember that these are not midsize sedans, and limousine comfort is not part of the package.

The Electronic Connection
Thanks to the use of hardware and software from other Mercedes-Benz models higher up the chain, the C-Class now comes standard with a clever 5-inch pop-up screen on the dashboard, nicely done controller on the center console and intuitive software to connect the two. While we must give credit to BMW for pioneering the console-decluttering trail with iDrive, there have been vast improvements and innovations since this technology was introduced by the 2002 BMW 7 Series.

The C-Class' Multimedia package, a $2,700 option, brings together all of the car's entertainment, navigational and system settings in a highly logical manner. This world-class system includes a navigation system based on a 30GB hard drive that affords 4GB of music storage (about 1,000 songs ripped from a CD or memory card), an in-dash six-disc CD/DVD-Video/DVD-Audio changer, 450-watt Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround-sound audio with voice-control functions, and the option of an upgraded 7-inch high-definition screen. Even Sirius Satellite Radio is standard equipment. Nothing in BMW's entire options list comes close to what you can buy for any 2008 C-Class.

It's Not Always About the Numbers
When a car as good as the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 comes along, it'd be nice to suspend the rules of engagement for awhile. The C350 falls short only because it's matched with competition as tough as the 335i.

We wholeheartedly endorse the C-Class. Rather than try to out-BMW a BMW, Mercedes-Benz has chosen to fortify its best-selling model line with a chic exterior and outstanding standard and incomparable optional equipment. Even the price makes sense when you consider a C300 with a six-speed manual transmission starts at $31,975.

But it boils down to this: The 2007 BMW 335i provides an unrivaled driving experience. Its defining feature is its twin-turbo inline-6, an engine that rewards the horsepower fiend in all of us. In addition, the 335i carves up the road with a chassis that always assures you that there's plenty of car under you no matter how fast you drive.

In contrast, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport rewards a driver who is less interested in absolute performance than a simple degree of driving exhilaration, and who enjoys style and infotainment technology usually reserved for more expensive models in the Mercedes portfolio.

Even as these cars have grown closer in size and performance, they still go about their business in ways that are as different as Coke and Pepsi, Munich and Stuttgart.

"Move away and the M3 flows smoothly across the ground, its tyres and suspension providing the sort of ride comfort you'd not normally associate with a BMW M car. This car, you think after a few hundred yards, is more refined in its suspension composure than some luxury cars. The RS4, by contrast, rides much more firmly to begin with and its suspension simply feels harder, less well resolved than the BMWs.

But the Audi's steering also feels sharper and more precise than the M3's and better weighted as well. The first time you attack a corner properly in the M3 you wonder for a second whether the front end is going to hang on or not, and whether the nose is going to get anywhere near the apex. There's a vagueness to both the response during turn-in and to the feel through the rim mid-corner that makes it hard to trust the M3's front end.
Quite unlike the RS4. In the Audi you know exactly where you are on the road. You brake for a corner, you turn in, you feel the increase in load through the outside front tyre via the steering wheel rim, you place the car with millimetre precision, then you drive through the corner towards the exit knowing exactly how much grip there is left to lean on. The fact the Audi will go into understeer and run wide sooner and at a lower speed than the M3 is almost irrelevant in the event. What's more important on the road is the clearer, more intelligible way in which the RS4 telegraphs its intentions. It simply means you can get more out of it without having to try as hard, even though ultimately the M3 will go around corners that tiny bit quicker.

The M Power Strikes Back
By Alistair Weaver, Contributor


Date posted: 07-19-2007

Gerhard Richter is vice president, BMW M Gmbh — the man responsible for the new generation of M cars. He began his career at BMW in the chassis development department, helping to engineer the first-generation BMW 7 Series. He then became the project engineer for BMW M's first everyday road car, the 1979 M535i, and he has worked at M ever since. Gerhard Richter was interviewed at the launch of the new 2008 BMW M3 by Inside Line's Alistair Weaver.

How would you define the role of the M3 in the BMW M range?
The M3 stands for our philosophy. It is the best representation of the M character, combining the feeling of a racecar with that of a normal street car. We concentrate on what we call "concept harmony," by which we mean that we look at the car as a whole. This is what separates us from everyone else.

How difficult has it been to replace the old inline-6 engine with a V8?
It was not so easy. The six-cylinder is the traditional engine for an M3. But the old engine had reached its limits. We had to develop an all-new engine and it made sense to design a V8. For fans of the six-cylinder engine, we have the M Coupe. This is our entry-level M model.

Will there be a new version of the lightweight M3 CSL?
We built the last M3 CSL to test how many euros customers are willing to pay for less weight. For 20 years, they've learnt to pay for more power, not less weight. The reaction to the CSL was very positive and you will already see in the new M3 that we've spent a lot of money bringing down the weight.

The last M3 CSL was very successful and fun to drive. From now on, there will always be a CSL version of the M3.

The M3 has grown up, both in terms of size and price. Is there room for a smaller, entry-level M car, based around the new 1 Series coupe available in Europe?
Theoretically, yes. A 1 Series coupe would be a good base for such a car, but there has been no decision yet.

It is true that the M3 has grown over several generations and the latest car is a similar length to an old 5 Series. But we also have the M Coupe for those who want a small car that concentrates on driving fun.

How do you decide which engine to develop for each car?
We're looking for the best performance for the type of car. For the M5 and M6 we use a V10, and for the M3 we use a V8. If you only develop one engine for all your cars, then you cannot have the perfect car. If the engine in the smaller car is too big, you will not have the right harmony.

What are your main targets when developing a new model?
We concentrate on several targets — high revs, lower fuel consumption. There are lots of targets but our main target is that the car must be fun to drive. Raw horsepower is not as important as how agile the car is and how the driver feels.

The power-to-weight figure is the most important figure — more horsepower and lower weight equals more agility.

Will we see alternative engine technologies in the future, such as diesel?
When a diesel is able to achieve high revs, why not use it? But for now it's not possible. We need that special, high-revving character in an M engine. It's not enough just to increase the boost pressure [of the turbo]. We need to change the character of the car.

What about a hybrid?
We already have a brake-energy regeneration system in the new M3, but it's not our target to put 100 kilograms [220 pounds] of batteries in our car. We need much smarter hybrid technology.

Or turbocharging?
Maybe in the future. In 2011, the F1 racing regulations could change to introduce turbocharging. If we were able to bring our character together with a turbo engine, then why not? Formula 1 is very important for us; BMW M's heritage is in motorsport. Changes in the F1 regulations might be good for us. If the change fits with the M character, it could be a solution. The most important thing for the customer is to have this special character.

Or hydrogen?
Maybe in 15 years time. It's important to remember that the car is only 100 years old and technology moves very fast. The new M3 engine has 17 percent more horsepower than the old, but it has 7 percent less weight and 8 percent lower fuel consumption. This is one of the most efficient V8s on the market.

What do you see as the key rivals for the M cars?
The characters of our rivals' cars are so different that customers can find the right car for them. The Porsche is a Porsche — very successful and fun to drive. And when people think of Porsche they think of the 911 — a modern-day Beetle.

(laughs)

Audi Quattro Gmbh uses front- or four-wheel drive, and so the handling is quite different. It's a good solution if you live in the mountains. Mercedes AMG uses a relatively low-revving big-block engine and an automatic gearbox. Every car is different.

AMG has recently started to offer a limited run of tuned cars called Black Series. Can we expect a similar range from BMW?
This is not our philosophy. The Black Series is a way of trying to change the character of the cars, but we wouldn't do this because we have a clear idea of what our cars need to be. We have a personalization program — Individual — which caters to owners with special tastes, but these changes would never affect the driving characteristics of an M car.

Audi recently introduced the R8 to much acclaim. Will BMW build a supercar?
That's a very difficult question to answer. A car like the Porsche Carrera GT could reflect our character, but the Carrera GT was not a commercial success. Below this supercar level, anything we could offer would just be on a level with the M3 or M6.

We could build a car that used the technical aspects of the M3 or M6 but clothe it in a new body, but such a car would be more expensive and no more fun to drive. That is the reason why we're hesitant to build such a car, although as an engineer I'd love to do it.

If you build a &euro1 million supercar, no one will ever have the chance to see it. For us it's better to make an M3 or M6, where the price is OK.

Hartge of Darkness

By Nick Hall, Contributor Email
Date posted: 08-06-2007


This innocuous BMW 3 Series blends into the outside lane with the workforce of Beckingen, Germany, as they scuttle homeward. There is rarely a second glance in our direction, as there's no outward sign to even hint at the violence that lies within the 2007 Hartge H50.

Once the autobahn opens out like a red carpet, we mash the throttle and the machine beneath my seat takes off like a stabbed rat. Though the 2008 BMW M3 is now upon us, not even such a car could muster this kind of forward thrust.

The telltale howl from under the hood belongs to the BMW M5's V10.

M5 Engines 'R Us
Ex-racer Herbert Hartge has made his trade from transplanting big engines into small BMWs since the 1970s, when Formula 1 world champion Keke Rosberg drove one of his M5-engined E30s on his days off. Since then, Hartge has put the M5 engine into more or less everything with a Roundel badge with predictably explosive results.

One of the few German firms to achieve government recognition as a manufacturer rather than simply a tuning company, Hartge has built its reputation on M5-engined anything. The V10 under the hood of this 3 Series coupe certainly qualifies. And while none of the crowd at Hartge's headquarters in Beckingen are fans of the BMW's SMG automated sequential gearbox, they've made the best of a bad job by matching it with the M5's V10 in a 3 Series coupe body to create the ultimate sleeper, distinguished visually only by the Hartge badging and a subtle body kit.

Inside the car, you notice a speedometer that ends on the far side of 205 mph, as well as the homemade dashboard add-on that contains a gear indicator and all the vital information about the setup of the SMG gearbox. As for the primeval noise and guttural vibration when the V10 clatters into life, well, this is the start of a 200-mph journey.

Another Dimension of Speed
With the engine screaming toward the red zone above 8,000 rpm, the Hartge H50 just tears up time and space, depositing itself at the apex of the next bend before the previous straightaway has truly registered in your consciousness. It's supercar fast, and it takes just a click of the finger on the shift paddle mounted on the steering wheel to sustain the surge of acceleration.

Hartge didn't just transplant the living, breathing V10 from the M5 into this E46 coupe. While it was on the operating table, the corporate engineers fitted reworked cylinder heads, high-performance camshafts, a new engine map and a near straight-through exhaust system to coax 550 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque from BMW's masterpiece.

The legendary stability and intrinsic balance of the BMW 3 Series seems unaffected by dumping the bigger engine in the front end, and Hartge claims the weight distribution has changed to 52 percent front/48 percent rear. The H50 just hoovers up the road with disconcertingly low levels of drama. Only the high-pitched scream of the engine gives away the rate of knots, and the chassis exudes a serene sense of calm even at speeds that would precede a major incident if anything goes wrong.

On the brakes into a bend, the H50 blips the throttle to produce the perfect down-change into a lower gear and all that's left to do is to hurl the car into the corners with ever-more ambition. The low-slung stance of the 3 Series and the swarm of electronic pulses coursing through the three PlayStations' worth of computer chips in the H50 mean the Hartge coupe simply never fails to stick, even when it's asked for the impossible.

Muscling Up the Visual Impact
Styling is still the most controversial aspect of the current BMW lineup, and while Chris Bangle's flame-surface effect has grown on us, there aren't many professing love for the hard edges and odd angles. The last-generation E46 was such a perfectly proportioned machine that the design team could only go wrong from there. And they did.

The coupe version of the new 3 Series is sleeker than the sedan, with its ground-hugging profile more suited to a high-power conversion and accented here by a splitter-type front spoiler that provides some much-needed visual impact. Rocker sill extensions, a small spoiler on the rear deck and an aero diffuser under the rear bumper complete the bodywork additions. Four exhaust tips signify that there's an M engine at work here, and the 20-inch Hartge wheels might be more than you want.

On the whole, Hartge has accentuated the wedge shape of the 3 Series and given it a sense of forward thrust. Of course the Beckingen firm is on a tough wicket here, as building a supercar from something that's appearance challenged and then asking $220,000 for the privilege of ownership is pushing things. The Hartge H50 is the ultimate sleeper car, but it sure isn't pretty.

On the plus side, the H50 has the practicality of a 3 Series, including four real seats, highway cruising capability and all the storage any human being could reasonably want from a 200-mph car. Hartge has dressed the interior with a new steering wheel and acres of carbon-fiber, although this is all optional. This 3,680-pound beast is effectively the M5 CSL-Lite that BMW says it simply cannot make.

Twists and Turns
With all 5.0 liters working hard, the H50 car scoots to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and on to 200 mph — yes, this is a real 200-mph 3 Series. The Coupe comes with Hartge's own suspension system, which is fully adjustable and drops the ride height up to 1.2 inches. With ultrawide 20-inch wheels carrying 245/30ZR20 front and 295/25ZR20 rear Pirelli P Zero Nero tires, it takes a determined stab at the throttle pedal to force the rear of the car out of line, and then the Hartge-tuned limited-slip differential will help keep even enthusiastic amateurs from burying it in a hedge.

This car understeers gently at first before sliding round ever so progressively at the rear, but only with serious provocation. If the rears lose grip, the stability control can be tuned to deliver either a gentle slide or an armful of opposite.

With eight-piston calipers working with 15.0-inch front brake discs and four-piston calipers working on the rear 13.6-inch discs, a dab on the middle pedal hauls off speed like throwing out the proverbial anchor. Altogether the H50 has the composure of a BMW 6 Series and the speed of a Ferrari F430, which deserves some kind of unofficial medal.

Drunk on Speed
The Hartge H50 is brutal, ugly and loud, but the way this car dispenses with traffic, winding roads and autobahns suggests it might just be the fastest car you could own, as a spurt of acceleration is always a click of the fingers away.

A 200-mph BMW 3 Series is one of those deviant cars that we're just happy to see from time to time. The fact that this one is every bit as easy to live with as the slightly more upmarket M5 makes it the ultimate sleeper.

Of course the Hartge H50 drinks fuel like a thirsty tramp, but this is just the price you pay for commuting to work in the unofficial BMW M5 CSL.

Across Spain in a 2008 BMW M3, VW Golf GTI, Audi RS4, Porsche 911 GT3 and Audi R8
By Chris Chilton, Contributor Email


Date posted: 08-12-2007

Before we begin, you should know a few things.

One: This is not a comparison test.

Two: Because this is not a comparison test, we did not run the 2008 BMW M3, Audi R8, Audi RS4, Porsche 911 GT3 and VW Golf GTI through our battery of track tests (slalom, 0-60 mph acceleration, etc.). Although we have tested the Audi RS4, Audi R8, Porsche 911 GT3 and Volkswagen Golf GTI in previous contests, this time we just climbed in and drove the bunch flat out through the Spanish mountains. All impressions are straight from our seat pants and not from our elaborate electronic testing gear.

Three: We're well aware that these five cars are not direct rivals. The only sort of guy who buys a $25,000 hot hatch when he can afford a supercar either lost his wife to a cad in a Countach or is one of those weirdos they find dead at 87 with three tins of value beans in the cupboard and $2 million in the bank.

But there's actually a very obvious link between the Audi R8, Audi RS4, Porsche 911 GT3 and Volkswagen Golf GTI, a very good reason for bringing them to face the new 2008 BMW M3, and it's simply that these are some of our very favorite cars, from hot hatch to supercar. They each do a different job but, crucially, they all do a job that BMW's M3 reckons it can do, too.

That's always been the thing about the M3, or certainly the recently departed E46 version: It's so many cars to so many people, and all at the same time. It's the car hot-hatch drivers aspire to own: discreet and practical like their rides, but with enough guts to worry supercars on real roads — something not lost on those who could stretch to an exotic but wonder if they really need anything more than an M3 after all. Historically it's been the best performance car money can buy.

So we thought we'd welcome the new car by throwing it in at the deep end. In concrete shoes. I mean, look at what it's up against.

The Wild Bunch
Audi's sensational midengine R8, a cut-price Lambo with a 414-horsepower V8 but so much refinement you wouldn't think twice about using it every day.

Then there's the best 911 we've driven for years: the GT3, a car that clearly spent some time at finishing school in the transition from 996 to 997 generations because it's now barely less civilized than a regular Carrera.

And we couldn't leave out the Audi RS4, the M3's key rival and quite possibly the reason BMW pushed on to V8 power. Yes, we know the sedan version would have been the better choice for comparison, but Audi could only provide a cabrio on the day. Well, it suited the sunny weather.

Mechanically, these cars could be brothers: Both have V8s up front packing around four liters (4.2 in the RS4, 4.0 in the M3), both producing exactly 420 hp with which to inflict grievous harm on their driveshafts. In the Audi's case, that pain is spread across all four wheels, while the M3 tortures the rears alone but has that clever M-differential to lend a hand.

For now both are old-style manuals only. BMW is working on a dual-clutch semiauto to replace the old M3's optional SMG box and Porsche will have one soon, too, but the RS4 will go to its grave with clutch pedal firmly in place: The longitudinal layout means the TT's S-Tronic (DSG in old-speak) won't fit and a proper auto couldn't cope with the 8,000 rpm-plus capability of the V8.

Of the two, the Audi has the more positive shift, the BMW retaining that long-throw, old-fashioned BMW feel. But it's clearly no impediment to performance: BMW says the M3 will hit 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, exactly what Audi claims of the RS4 sedan. Little surprise when just 11 pounds separates them (Audi 3,638 pounds, BMW 3,649); Audi says the 430-pound-lardier cabrio needs just a 10th longer.

Let the Fun Begin
Although they're close against the clock, that extra weight and the awful effects on rigidity of carving off the top ruin the RS4's chances of scalping the M3.

On roughly surfaced Spanish mountain roads, the RS4 wobbles like a newborn calf, but puts its power down cleanly while the M3's traction light blinks stroboscopically, even if the wheels never actually lose purchase sufficiently to ruin forward progress without provocation. Sideways is on the menu — this is an M3 — but it's nearer the back now and you'll find yourself having to munch a starter of stabilizing understeer first.

Yet there are lessons even the RS4 cabrio can teach the M3, such as how to make an interior feel special enough to match the expectations of your most prized badge. (It's all in the dressing because, beneath the incredible seats and flat-bottomed wheel, the A4 cabin looks pretty dated.)

And, more surprisingly, lessons BMW has been handing out to Audi for years — how to make a car ride well and how to make it steer. The RS4 is both more comfortable and steers more positively than the M3, particularly just off the straight-ahead where the Audi rack's weighting generates confidence that the overlight BMW's cannot.

Call 911
But if it's a lesson in steering you want, the GT3's your car. For immediacy of response, weight and genuine feel, nothing here gets close. Matched to near-impeccable body control, it means you can swing from lock to lock on the Ronda road above Marbella without breaking a sweat. It's almost disconcerting at first, so hardwired are your hands into what's happening up front.

The brakes (in this case optional PCCB ceramics) are sharp and decisive to match, and only the slightly heavy, notchy gearshift — it requires a little too much concentration in the heat of action — gets it wrong.

Once it was simple. The GT3 was your track-day nut's car, edgy and uncompromised, and the Turbo was your road-going hero. But now Porsche has tamed the $106,000 GT3's manners without diluting any of the drama, it's become an everyday proposition, a far more appealing car than the pricier Turbo and a serious alternative to an M3.

With the PASM switchable dampers set to "4normal," the GT3 is astonishingly civilized. OK, so this one's got the ClubSport package that brings a half-cage instead of rear seats and some seriously grippy buckets up front, but you can have an ordinary interior instead and still enjoy the same 410-hp naturally aspirated 3.6-liter flat-6 whose roots can be traced to Porsche's late-1990s Le Mans racers.

Porsche says it takes half a second out of the M3 to 60 mph and gets even sillier thereafter, right up to 192 mph. The noise is hard, mechanical and utterly addictive, but the 298 pound-feet torque peak doesn't turn up until 5,500 rpm has registered on the big central dial staring back at you through the Alcantara-trimmed wheel, so you can forget any thoughts of serious overtaking maneuvers in the top two gears.

Yet 3rd and 4th are epic cogs on quick A and B roads, taking you up to 140 mph and safely past errant M3s and RS4s. If it's pure involvement you're after, an ability to immerse you so deep in the experience you never want to surface for air, the GT3 is unstoppable. And good as the M3 is, it just can't compete. We'll have to wait for the M3 CSL for a true GT3 rival.

Ready for the R8
Then what chance does the Audi R8 have, given that we earlier judged it very marginally less exciting than the Porsche 911 Turbo? In fact, there's very little wrong with the $118,000 R8, bar the amount of noise generated when you uncork the RS4-derived 420-hp V8. There's just not enough of it.

But on the same lump-strewn roads that set the RS4 wobbling and the M3's rear tires hopping, the R8 is a revelation. And the reason it works so well is not because it's racecar stiff but exactly the opposite. Its incredible compliance means it can carry ludicrous speeds over terrain that has you hanging on in the GT3 for fear of a car/hedge interface.

With a mammoth 628 fewer pounds to haul than the RS4 cabrio, performance takes a big leap, and not just the small step the 0.3-second advantage Audi says it has to 62 mph suggests. Also, unlike the RS4 with its minimal rear-drive bias, the R8 can be provoked into a satisfying drift through tighter corners. This is a genuine driver's car, so don't let any supercar snob tell you otherwise.

What a shame the steering is a little slow, and very slightly numb. Obviously Audi set out to build a supercar more refined and usable than any that had gone before, but a few minutes in a Porsche Cayman is all it takes to convince that midengine cars can steer well without being nervous.

There are clear parallels between the M3 and R8. Both have been designed to be great all-rounders; both are immensely capable but possess an air of refinement that disguises just how talented they are, and both are about to be eclipsed by more hard-core versions of themselves to placate those not excited enough by what they see here. But the M3 CSL and V10-powered R8 will cost more and take each car into the jaws of some seriously talented competition.

Finally a Round of Golf
So what of the Golf? We left it until the last minute to write about it, just as we all did to drive it.

Well, wouldn't you? We'd just spent two days with the keys to an R8, an RS4, a GT3 and the spanking-new M3 in our pockets. Greedy maybe, but hey, we're only human.

Except the GTI is brilliant. This is the Edition 30, built to mark three decades of the Golf GTI and sold only in Europe. It gets more color coding, stunning dark-finish 18-inch wheels (optional in the U.K.), half leather for the retro-check seats and some very unwelcome red flashes in the interior, including the steering wheel stitching and carpet edges.

Oh, and it costs more, $3,400 more. Which sounds like a rip-off until you learn it's packing 227 hp, up from the 197 hp of the standard car. Torque climbs, too, by 14 lb-ft to 221 lb-ft and, as a result, performance gets a boost, the sprint to 60 mph dropping by 0.4 second and below the psychologically crucial-in-this-class 7.0-second mark, to 6.8 seconds. VW also says top speed is up from 146 mph to more than 150 mph, a hair's breadth from the 155 mph of the electronically limited M3.

Quick, yes, but it feels even faster than the numbers can convey, answering one of the few criticisms of the ordinary car: that its chassis deserved a bigger challenge than the stock 2.0-liter blown FSI could deliver. In fact, in a three-car convoy back to the hotel at the end of the day at high speed, with the Golf the meat in an M3/GT3 sandwich.

It feels light, urgent and significantly livelier than the standard car. Its plain-Jane four-pot motor can't hold a candle to the others when it comes to sonic enjoyment, but in key areas such as the instinctive rightness of the driving position and the way the wheel sits in your hands, it crucifies the M3.

And here, the optional DSG box is a joy, leagues ahead of the R8's old-style semiautomatic for sophistication. Next year, Volkswagen will make this 227-hp engine standard in the GTI and the case for not buying one even weaker.

You Get What You Pay For
We love a giant killer because it makes great headlines and there's always pressure to deliver an upset. But there's no upset here. The Golf is dynamite, but would we buy it over an M3 if I had the money for either? Of course we wouldn't.

The Golf is not merely half as good as the M3 (which the price would suggest), but the noise, character and extra performance of that V8, the drama of the M3's silhouette in the windows of shops as you pass by, and the greater scope for naughtiness that rear-wheel drive affords on those days when you just fancy treating yourself, all mean we'd lay down the extra coin.

We'd pick it ahead of the RS4 cabrio, too. The Audi's too compromised dynamically by the loss of a roof and at $82,675, it costs $20K more than the M3 (which will be available as a convertible soon enough), which is getting close to what BMW will want for the forthcoming, stripped-for-action M3 CSL. But there is no CSL RS4; it already feels hard-core enough not to need one, and we have a suspicion that in sedan form it might be more than the M3 can cope with, at least for those who'd rather not hide their automotive light under a bushel.

So we'd take the M3 over the Audi and the Golf but stretch again for the GT3 if we didn't need the M3's practicality. It's one of the best cars any sum of money can buy and, though it can't compete with the R8 for visual appeal, it has the Audi licked for entertainment.

And so the Porsche is the car we would most want to drive through the Spanish hills a second time. Add a family and luggage, trips to the tip and holiday clutter, and the multifaceted M3 is still the car for the job.

According to the dealer, they'll release the new M3 in sedan, touring, cab and CSL versions.

Originally Posted by Autoblog
We've been waiting a long time for BMW to snap out of its haze and bring us a four-door version of the venerable M3 coupe. That time has officially come. And it turns out the leaked photo from earlier today was probably from BMW itself, as even though it wasn't included in the official batch of images released tonight, it's the same car you're looking at here.

On the outside, the M3 sedan gets plenty of work done to its front and rear fascias, leaving everything between the A-pillar and C-pillar intact from the base 3-Series sedan (sorry, no carbon fiber roof for the sedan). The front end is a complete carryover from the M3 coupe, with wide fenders, a dramatic front clip, bulging hood and vented quarter panels. Out back, a small lip spoiler sits atop the trunk, while M-specific quad pipes let Bimmer cognoscenti know that they're behind something special.

Naturally, the M3 sedan benefits from BMW's new 414 (SAE) HP 4.0L V8, allowing the 3,531-pound four-door to reach 60 MPH in 4.9 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 MPH. In a move that should make family-oriented speed freaks burst into tears, BMW will only be offering a six-speed manual version at launch. Although, according to previous reports, BMW's dual-clutch M-DCT gearbox should be available at a later date. The chassis, suspension and interior also benefit from a host of upgrades, all available to read about in the press release after the jump and view in our gallery below. Look for the M3 sedan to debut in Los Angeles next month.

[Source: BMW via Motive]

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - October 6, 2007… BMW raises the performance benchmark once again with the introduction of the 2008 M3 Sedan. Sharing the M3 Coupe's high-revving 414-horsepower V8 and balanced chassis that is designed to be "faster than its engine", the motorsports arm of the German auto maker, BMW M GmbH, is pleased to offer the most powerful, highest-performing M3 ever with four doors.

Originally offered in 1986 as a homologation special to allow BMW's entry into the German Touring Car Championship, the M3's popularity and steadily increasing sales for each iteration motivated the company to continue developing this unique combination of driving dynamics, comfort and luxury in a compact machine and offer a new version each time the underlying 3 Series was reborn. Americans were first introduced to the M3 sports sedan concept in 1988. The first M3 produced 192 hp from its 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine during its 1988-1991 model year run. A legend was born and Americans embraced the high-rpm, naturally-aspirated M concept. The next generation arrived in 1995 with a 3.0-liter (and later, 3.2-liter) 240-hp inline-six powerplant. In 1997 the first M3 Sedan joined the family and the first M3 Convertible followed shortly thereafter. The most-recent version, available as either a coupe or convertible from 2001-2006, again was offered with six-cylinder power, this time providing 333 hp from its 3.2 liters. This vehicle was BMW's first use of SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox) for the US market.

The all-new 2008 M3 Sedan and M3 Coupe that arrived in spring 2008 will feature the first V8 in a series-production BMW M3. It will also feature driver-adjustable settings for crucial dynamic controls including steering, damping and stability (and an available steering-wheel-mounted "MDrive" button to store the preferences) and a sumptuous interior that can be optimized to a driver's desires including the comprehensive entertainment/navigation system operated through BMW's latest iDrive controller.

Lightweight, efficient V8 at the heart of the BMW M3

The move to eight cylinders in the fourth generation BMW M3 provides a powerplant offering the seemingly disparate characteristics of more power, increased efficiency and reduced weight when compared with the previous six-cylinder M3 engine. Displacing 3,999 cubic centimeters (4.0 liters), the new light-alloy engine produces 414 hp at 8,300 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm with 85 percent of the maximum torque available consistently through 6,500 rpm. This power output represents a 15-percent increase over the six-cylinder from the last generation M3 and it comes with an eight-percent fuel-economy improvement when compared to its predecessor. Compression ratio is dialed in to 12.0:1 and redline is set at 8,400 rpm.

The V8-power unit within the engine compartment of the new BMW M3 Sedan boasts the company's variable double-VANOS camshaft management. Offering extremely fast and responsive valve timing, this technology reduces charge cycle losses and improves the output, torque and response of the engine, with a positive influence on fuel economy and emission management.

A separate throttle butterfly for each cylinder - eight in this instance - is a feature adapted from BMW M's racing heritage and provides immediate reaction to the gas pedal at all times. Two stepper motors operate the four throttle butterflies on each row of cylinders, giving the engine a particularly sensitive response at low speeds together with an immediate reaction whenever the driver presses down the accelerator for extra power and performance.

A volume flow-controlled, pendulum-slide cell pump supplies the engine with lubricating oil, delivering the quantity required by the engine. Wet sump oil lubrication, optimized for dynamic performance, ensures consistent oil supply to the high-rpm engine at all times, particularly in extreme braking maneuvers. The system features two oil sumps-a small oil sump in front of the front axle subframe and a large oil sump behind it.

A new, comprehensive electronic management system coordinates all engine functions with optimum efficiency and maximizes operational integration with the clutch, gearbox, steering and brakes. In addition, the engine control unit performs a wide range of on-board diagnosis functions and masterminds the ancillary engine units.

A highlight of the engine management system is the use of ion-current technology to determine engine knock as well as misfire and poor combustion events within the cylinders. Contrary to conventional methods, this monitoring and control function is performed precisely where the phenomena occurs-within the combustion chambers. The spark plug in each cylinder senses and controls the risk of knocking, at the same time monitoring the correct ignition and recognizing any misfiring. In other words, the spark plug acts as an actuator for the ignition and as a sensor monitoring the combustion process, and is therefore able to distinguish between a misfire and poor combustion. This dual function of the spark plugs facilitates the diagnostic procedures required in service and maintenance.

And the increased performance with better economy comes from the lightweight engine. At 445 pounds, it is seven percent or 33 pounds lighter than the previous model's Inline-6.

Lightweight components do not stop with the alloy engine block. The crankcase is made of a special aluminum-silicon alloy eliminating the need for cylinder liners. Despite the need to resist high combustion pressures and engine speeds-this is the "fastest" production engine ever produced by BMW as it can reach 8,400 rpm-the engineers managed to keep the compact and rigid crankshaft weight down to 44 pounds.

Manual transmission, twin-disc clutch and Variable M Differential Lock

Power from the BMW M3 Sedan's V8 is transmitted to the rear wheels through a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox. The performance parameters of the M3 dictated heat management as a key design factor for both the transmission and clutch. The transmission features integrated temperature-dependent oil cooling management, while internal ventilation maximizes heat dissipation for the twin-disc clutch.

The new final drive comes with a Variable M Differential Lock generating up to 100 percent locking action with fully variable action whenever required, ensuring optimum traction on all road surfaces.

Engineering a chassis which is "faster than the engine"

Providing sure-footed responsive handling for a high-performance, powerful and luxurious sedan, while keeping mass under control, presented numerous challenges for the BMW M3's engineers. The result is a new, aluminum chassis developed specifically for this model. The design begins with placing components in such a way as to create a 50/50 front/rear weight balance.

Virtually all of the front-end components are aluminum, including the front struts, swivel bearings, central subframe and an additional thrust panel below the engine serving to maximize lateral stiffness of the entire front section.

From the rear axle subframe through the transverse arms and track arms, on to the wheel mounts re-configured in their kinematics and stiffness and even the mounting points for the longitudinal arms are now even lighter, all the way to the aluminum dampers. Virtually every detail on the five-arm rear axle made of aluminum is new for this model. These weight-reduction measures and materials help reduce weight by approximately 5.5 pounds when compared to the previous M3.

Both the front and rear axles feature hollow anti-roll bars optimized for their function and weight. Incorporating two additional longitudinal reinforcement bars, axle kinematics are perfectly tailored to the overall character of the car. The result, in terms of both stability and weight, conforms to the balanced performance concept of the BMW M3 Sedan. Compound brake system

A suitably stout braking system for a car with this much performance was specifically developed for the new M3. Featuring large compound disc brakes and electronic anti-lock, stopping power for the new BMW M3 is strong, precise and consistent. The internally-vented, cross-drilled cast iron discs measure14.2 inches in diameter at the front and 13.8 inches in the rear. They are connected to a floating aluminum hub by cast-in stainless-steel pins. This configuration reduces the thermal loads on the discs, thus increasing their performance and service life. An electrically-driven pump provides the system's vacuum power.

Service - and safety - is enhanced thanks to an ongoing wear indicator which, through a dash display, allows the driver to monitor the condition of the brake linings. Brake service can thus be administered when necessary without guesswork.

Standard M-style light-alloy spoked wheels measure 18 x 8.5 inches with 245/40 low-profile tires at the front and 18 x 9.5 with 265/40 tires at the rear, can be supplemented by optional 19-inch versions in comparable widths and design.

Servotronic steering with two manually adjustable control maps

Rear-wheel drive keeps the rack-and-pinion steering of the BMW M3 Sedan free of drive forces. A further enhancement is hydraulic Servotronic power assistance controlling steering forces as a function of road speed. There is also a choice of two different control maps activated through normal and sport modes with a console-mounted button.

In Sport mode the BMW M3 provides direct and immediate response with a relatively high steering effort. In the Normal mode, power assistance is comfort-oriented and requires less steering effort.

Latest-generation of Dynamic Stability Control

The electronic Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) monitors driving conditions and intervenes through the application of brakes and reduced engine power to stabilize the BMW M3 and help avoid major over- or under-steer situations.

In addition to engine controls and the ABS, other systems integrated in the DSC are Automatic Stability Control (ASC), which prevents the wheels from spinning on surfaces with reduced traction; the Start-Off Assistant, which prevents the car from rolling back when setting off on a grade, as well as Cornering Brake Control (CBC), which prevents the car from spinning or swerving out of control when applying the brakes in a bend.

The latest version of DSC includes additional functions for even greater driving safety. Whenever the driver is likely to apply the brakes in full within the next few seconds, the system builds up pressure in the hydraulic brake circuit and pre-loads the brake pads to ensure an immediate response. The Dry Braking feature removes water film from the discs in wet conditions, thus reducing the chance of water interfering with the braking process.

Electronic Damper Control recognizing the driver's style of motoring

The optional Electronic Damper Control (EDC) allows the driver to tailor the vehicle's chassis dynamics to his or her preference through one of three modes: Sport, Normal and Comfort. The response of all dynamic driving systems is carefully tailored to the power and performance of the new BMW M3, with electronic intervention of the various systems naturally taking the dynamics of the car into account. Indeed, the driver even has the option to individually configure specific parameters, thus adjusting the response of the car to his personal preferences.

MDrive personalizes the driving characteristics of the new BMW M3

The new M3 provides several standard and optional driver-controlled systems to tailor the driving characteristics to a driver's personal preferences. The driver can choose, with conveniently located buttons:

• DSC on or off (for a very competent, performance-oriented driver)
• EDC in Sport, Normal or Comfort modes
• Servotronic in Sport or Comfort modes
• Throttle response either direct/sporting or comfort oriented

A push of the MDrive button on the steering wheel can instantaneously activate the above driver-selectable configurations, turning the new BMW M3 into his or her personalized Ultimate Driving Machine. The settings are stored through menus shown on the dash-mounted screen and controlled by the iDrive (located in the center console). Storing one's overall preferences under the MDrive allows the driver to modify any of the adjustable settings, yet return to his or her optimum with a simple press of the MDrive button. This feature requires the Navigation/iDrive option.

Athletic, sporting stance separates new BMW M3 Sedan from the pack

Front to back, the design of the new BMW M3 Sedan evokes a purposeful, sporting message. The front end, though clearly a BMW based on the double-kidney shaped grill, flat headlight units with standard Xenon headlamps, boasts three large air intakes below the grill. Since the structure and configuration is determined to primarily feed air into the engine compartment, the BMW M3 Sedan, like BMW M cars in general, intentionally forgoes fog lamps featured on 3 Series models.

The "face" of the new BMW M3 also includes a power dome in the middle of the aluminum hood which, though longer than that of the 3 Series Sedan, blends harmoniously with the overall design.

The two front side panels boast a special sign of distinction characteristic of a BMW M Car and referred to by the designers as "gills," which incorporate the tri-color (blue/purple/red M3) logo. Rear-view mirrors developed for the new BMW M3 fulfill an important aerodynamic function helping reduce air resistance. Further down the side-line, the pronounced side-sills, give the BMW M3 a light and sporting look.

The new BMW M3 Sedan looks muscular from behind, its design taking up the particular look of the car's front end. A discreet lip spoiler on the trunklid optimizes the car's streamlining and reduces lift on the rear axle. In its contours, the split diffuser beneath the rear bumper takes up the shape of the air intakes at the front of the car as the air guide and the dual tailpipes move towards the centerline of the car, visually contracting the rear end at the lower center point. A further feature is the circular shape of the four straight tailpipes in typical BMW M style.

The four metallic paints reserved for BMW M cars (Melbourne Red, Jerez Black, Interlagos Blue and Silverstone) highlight the body, contours and proportions of the four-door with particular intensity. In addition to these unique hues, the BMW M3 is available in Alpine White, Jet Black, or Sparkling Graphite Metallic.

Interior design oriented an active driving experience with luxury

The interior of the BMW M3 has always been a place designed for performance driving, but without compromising the comfort of the driver and the passengers. The new BMW M3 Sedan continues this tradition with the latest innovations. The five seats are surrounded by powerful contours and flowing lines highlighting in particular the concave and convex surfaces. The horizontal lines dominating the area around the dashboard as well as the harmonious surfaces of the side linings give the interior a dynamic note.

The cockpit control area tapers out between the front seats into a newly designed center console which discreetly "swings" towards the driver. Finished in black leather, the console harmoniously continues the instrument surrounds and the control area in terms of both color and shape, comprising three function switches (Power, DSC, and optional EDC) for activating and deactivating the electronic driving programs on the side facing the driver.

Apart from the clear design and optimum ergonomic arrangement of all controls and instruments, the choice of colors inside the new BMW M3 Sedan helps the driver concentrate on driving. Regardless of the upholstery and trim color, the footwells, parcel shelf, headliner, A-pillar trim and the upper part of the instrument panel are all finished in Anthracite. This uniform, dark color scheme around the windshield helps the driver focus on driving.

There is no question as to the heritage of the vehicle upon opening the door of the new BMW M3 thanks to the M car logo in the door sills. The unique nature of the vehicle carries to the dash where the dual circular instruments typical of BMW - the speedometer and fuel gauge as well as the tachometer and oil temperature display - are in specific M style. A feature typical of BMW M cars is the variable warning zone on the tachometer that informs the driver of the recommended engine speed depending on the engine oil temperature. The borderline between the yellow pre-warning zone and the red warning zone moves up as a function of increasing oil temperature to the maximum limit of 8,400 rpm. The digital displays presenting the time, the outside temperature and odometer, as well as the various warning lights, are positioned between the two circular instruments.

The M3's leather steering wheel, with its thumb contours resting firmly in the driver's hands, provides an optimum grip for precise movement of the steering wheel. The spokes within the steering wheel incorporate the remote control buttons for the audio system and mobile phone, as well as the optional MDrive button. An additional auxiliary button may be programmed through the optional BMW iDrive system.

As an option, both the front seats are available with backrest-width adjustment, while the rear seats may be equipped with folding seatbacks which provides the 15.8 cubic foot luggage compartment even greater capacity.

A premium AM/FM/single-disc CD audio system comes standard with an auxiliary input jack. Individual entertainment options include SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio and a USB-enabled port for control of an Apple iPod or iPhone media player. These three options can be bundled together in the Technology Package, should one choose to have them all together.

For vehicles equipped with Navigation, the comprehensive information and entertainment systems are controlled by the refined BMW iDrive. Selecting the Navigation/iDrive option also brings the performance-oriented, steering-wheel-spoke-mounted Mdrive button.

Safety begins with the body structure and continues inside

Occupant safety begins with the design of the new BMW M3's body structure. Together with defined deformation zones, the use of high-strength steel ensures smooth and direct transmission of forces in a collision and optimum absorption of loads acting on the car. The space available for deformation is also used to avoid any damage to the passenger cell and keep damage to the body itself to a minimum, even in a severe collision.

The electronic restraint systems are tailored to the ultra-strong structure of the body. Six airbags as well as the belt latch tensioners and belt force limiters are activated by the car's central safety electronics as a function of the type and severity of a collision. Sensors located in the center of the car within the B-pillars and in the doors "tell" the safety electronics which component will offer the occupants optimum protection, with the "proper" restraint systems being activated in the event of a collision.

The driver and front passenger are protected by frontal and side airbags housed in the seat backrests. These four airbags are activated in two stages, depending on the severity of the impact. Through its size alone, the curtain head airbag protects the car's occupants on both the front and the outer rear seats. And the risk of leg injury in a head-on collision, finally, is reduced on the driver's side by defined deformation of the footrest.

BMW Ultimate ServiceTM: Providing owners with incredible value and peace of mind

The BMW 1 Series Convertible will feature BMW Ultimate ServiceTM, a suite of services that includes the BMW Maintenance Program (formerly called Full Maintenance), Roadside Assistance and the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. BMW AssistTM with TeleService is part of the optional Premium Package or can be ordered separately as a stand-along option.

BMW Ultimate ServiceTM includes:

The BMW Maintenance Program is the only no-cost maintenance program in the industry that covers wear and tear items like brake pads and rotors for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. BMW owners pay nothing for all scheduled inspections, oil changes, brake pads, wiper blade inserts and other wear-and-tear items.

BMW Roadside Assistance is one of the industry's most comprehensive plans available. Not only is it no-charge for the first four years, but there is no mileage limit. BMW drivers enjoy the assurance of on-the-road help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, anywhere in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. This includes everything from flat tire changes, emergency gasoline and lock-out assistance, to towing, alternative transportation and even trip-interruption benefits. This service also includes valuable trip routing advice.

BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty: All 2008 BMW passenger vehicles are covered by BMW's excellent Limited Warranty, which includes:

• New-vehicle warranty - four-year/50,000-mile coverage of the vehicle.
• Rust-perforation warranty - 12-year/unlimited-mileage coverage.

BMW AssistTM provides the driver with services that enhance on-the-road security and convenience, for added peace of mind. It is a part of the optional Premium package and can also be ordered separately as a stand-alone option. BMW is the only vehicle manufacturer that offers this service for four years at no additional cost. Most other manufacturers cover only the first year of service.

The in-vehicle equipment for BMW AssistTM includes GPS technology and hands-free communication functions accessed via buttons in the overhead or center console. Vehicle occupants may request emergency or other services simply by pressing a button; the BMW AssistTM system then transmits the location and vehicle information to the BMW AssistTM response center. A response specialist will then speak with the occupants to coordinate dispatch, notify emergency contacts on file, and link BMW Roadside Assistance or emergency services as needed and requested. A severe accident automatically activates the BMW AssistTM call as well. The BMW AssistTM Safety Plan also includes Remote Door Unlock and Stolen Vehicle Recovery services, which can save the owner time and money.

TeleService automatically notifies the BMW center when a vehicle will need service. This feature allows the Service Advisor to proactively set up a customer appointment and have the needed parts ready.

BMW AssistTM subscribers can also enroll in the BMW AssistTM Convenience Plan (available at an additional cost of $199 per year) to avail themselves to many BMW AssistTM Concierge services, from travel planning to dining reservations, shopping assistance and event tickets, as well as receive directions, and traffic and weather information. A selected destination and its phone number can be sent directly to the on-board navigation system and Bluetooth®-linked mobile phone, after a push of the new Concierge button. The Convenience Plan also includes Critical Calling, a new service that connects the driver in case their mobile phone is not in the vehicle or its battery is discharged. After pushing the SOS button, a BMW AssistTM response specialist will link the driver to his requested party for up to five minutes and for up to four events per year.

As before, the BMW AssistTM system includes Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity with hands-free phonebook access and dialing by name or number via the steering wheel controls. Use of this feature requires a customer-provided compatible Bluetooth® mobile phone.

Performance with a conscience

BMW strives to produce its motor vehicles and other products with the utmost attention to environmental compatibility and protection. Integrated into the design and development of BMW automobiles are such criteria as resource efficiency and emission control in production; environmentally responsible selection of materials; recyclability during production and within the vehicle; elimination of CFCs and hazardous materials in production; and continuing research into environmentally friendly automotive power sources. Tangible results of these efforts include the recycling of bumper cladding into other vehicle components; water-based paint color coats and powder clear coats; near-future availability of hydrogen-powered models; and various design and engineering elements that help make BMWs easier to dismantle at the end of their service life.

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.