Unfortunately the hardtop version of the 3 Series carries a substantial weight penalty, as the convertible weighs a little more than 2 tons, some 440 pounds more than the 3 Series coupe.

There are whispers going around that BMW is planning to reveal its fourth-generation M3 in concept-car guise at the Geneva motor show in March before unwrapping the production version at the Frankfurt show in September. So we thought we’d get in early and offer this exclusive peek at the new go-fast version of the 3 Series, on sale in North America in early 2008 as both coupe and convertible.

Our computer-generated images are based on the latest photographs of near-production M3 prototypes spied in Munich in recent weeks, and on information from insiders. Better than ever before, the photos reveal the menacing look of BMW’s new performance hero, set to move up in standing—and price—in line with the competition. It’s not official, but dealer sources suggest the $48,900 sticker price on today’s car will swell to almost $55,000 when the new M3 lands on these shores about a year from now.

You don’t need us to tell you the new car looks mean. Changes over the recently introduced 3 Series include a shapely front bumper incorporating three huge cooling ducts feeding air into the engine bay and to the front brakes, the latter aided by tiny splitter units similar to those on the M5. The classic kidney grille has also been reworked to improve airflow over the hood, which receives a power dome to signal the high-grade artillery beneath it.

The front fenders have been widened to house standard 18-inch wheels. The signature chrome gills are once again nestled behind the wheel arches; the one on the left side draws hot air away from the new car’s delicate in-house-developed electronics package. Farther back, there are unique mirror housings and chunky side sills. At the rear, quad tailpipes punctuate the rear bumper and, as on the M5, a venturi tunnel draws hot air away from the rear differential.

It’s under the hood, though, where the real action is concentrated. In place of the outgoing model’s 3.2-liter inline six cylinder is a new V8. As you might expect, given BMW’s typical engineering thoroughness, the new naturally aspirated unit is not simply a development of BMW’s existing 4.4-liter and 4.8-liter engines. Rather, the M3 receives a cut-down version of the M5’s V10 with a capacity close to 4.0 liters. We say “close” because our sources contend that several capacities were considered, though we hear the one that got the nod retains the same 75.2-mm stroke as the M5’s powerplant.

Shorter but wider than the outgoing third-generation’s inline six, it boasts a 90-degree cylinder bank angle with offset crankpins. Like other BMW M division engines, each cylinder receives its own throttle butterfly to allow the air to be precisely metered for razor-sharp response. Lightweight internals also ensure the M3’s new engine will rev to more than 8000 rpm and, despite its greater output, weigh little more than the decade-old engine it replaces.

With the Audi RS4 packing 420 hp from its 4.2-liter V8, the yet-to-be-unveiled Mercedes-Benz C63 said to get around 450 hp from its enormous 6.3-liter V8, and the upcoming Lexus IS-F touting 400 hp from its 5.0-liter V8, it’s clear BMW’s engine will need more than its existing 333 hp. We’ve heard 415 hp, unofficially. Torque should also increase from today’s 262 lb-ft to more than 300 lb-ft. That should be sufficient to give the new car a 0-to-60-mph acceleration time of around 5.0 seconds, some 0.2 second faster than its predecessor.

What you can be sure of is the new M3 will again receive BMW’s Sequential Manual Gearbox alongside a standard six-speed manual. In its latest guise, as seen in the M5, the SMG offers seven forward gears and a button allows the driver to alter shift aggressiveness. Purists might despise it, but BMW will retain it until its long-awaited double-clutch gearbox comes on stream.

Based around BMW’s new 3 Series coupe (which will be produced, along with the M3, at the German carmaker’s Regensburg plant), the new M3 receives a stiffer floorpan than the outgoing model. It’s also clothed in a larger body, which despite weighing more than before, is said to offer improved front-to-rear weight distribution, thanks in part to a longer wheelbase. Underpinning the new M car is a tuned version of the 3 Series coupe’s MacPherson strut (front) and multilink (rear) suspension fitted with lightweight aluminum components to keep unsprung masses low and response sharp. Given the standard car’s superb poise and balance, the M’s handling and agility should be extraordinary.

It won’t lack grip: Those flared wheel arches house standard 18-inch wheels and tires on the prototypes we’ve spied up to now. Buyers will be able to option the car with larger 19-inch rubber, says an insider involved in the car’s development, which has included BMW’s usual 10,000 kilometers at the Nürburgring.

A further element of the new M3’s dynamic makeup is BMW’s electronically controlled M-differential, so expect lurid oversteer to continue to be served up to those who want it. Like the larger M5, however, BMW has decided against equipping the new M3 with its variable-rate Active Steer system.

The BMW 3-series is without question one of our favorite cars, reigning on our yearly 10Best Cars list for the past 16 years. The current and much-praised, fifth-generation E90 version is no doubt the best, and is among the most rewarding cars to drive at any price. For 2008, and to no one’s surprise, BMW is adding a convertible version, just as the company has for the past 20 years.

But, this is BMW’s first foray into the expanding, hardtop-convertible parade. Other notable features are a much-improved, rapid-shifting six-speed automatic; special reflective leather to keep the seats cool (up to 30 degrees cooler than conventional leather) when the top is down; and, of course, the spectacular 300-hp twin-turbo inline-six that was introduced in last year’s 335i coupe. In the U.S., the convertible will be offered as the aforementioned 300-hp 335i—the model we got an early drive in—as well as a 230-hp 328i when it goes on-sale at the end of March. Pricing isn’t yet finalized, but the convertible premium will likely not change much from the outgoing model’s, so expect to pay about $7000 more than comparable coupes; roughly $43,000 for the 328i and $48,000 for the 335i.

Changes from convertible to coupe in 23 seconds


Hardtop convertibles offer numerous advantages over their soft-top competitors, including coupe-like quietness and excellent visibility when the top is up. BMW reports that the rear side windows have grown 30 percent in the new 3-series convertible, while overall visibility is up 38 percent. To our eyes, visibility out of the convertible is essentially equivalent to that of the coupe.

Looks-wise, you probably won’t spot the new convertible by its 3-series-coupe-like front-end, but rather from the rear, where the coupe’s flowing roofline is replaced by a distinct line where the convertible’s roof meets the trunk.

BMW’s new top is a three-piece unit and, at the push of a center-console button or the key fob, stacks the front panel on top of the center panel, then the rear panel on top of both of those before disappearing into the trunk in 22 seconds. It takes a second longer to reverse the process, which is about seven seconds quicker than its closest competitor, the Volvo C70.

The downside of folding hardtops is that they’re heavy and that the top can hog most of the trunk space when down. In the 3-series’ case, the top itself adds 300 pounds, while the extra chassis reinforcements pack on another 150, so expect a 335i convertible to weigh about 4000 pounds. To BMW’s credit, however, the convertible retains a 50-50 weight distribution and is claimed to have 50-percent stiffer torsional rigidity than the previous 3-series convertible. From the driver’s seat, we can tell you that the new 3-series is among the stiffest in its class, with almost no perceptible quivers felt through either the seat or steering wheel.

The convertible’s 12-cubic-foot trunk is actually one cube larger than the coupe’s, but shrinks to 7 with the top down; still leaving usable space beneath the panels. That also compares favorably with the Volvo C70’s 13 cubic feet top-up and 6 top-down. However, the Volvo has a nifty loading feature that electronically motors the roof panels out of the way for easier access to the trunk space with the top down. On the BMW, that feature is optional (part of the $500 Comfort Access, which also includes keyless unlocking/locking and starting) and doesn’t work as well as there’s no button (instead you must click the key fob twice), and even then doesn’t make loading as easy as the Volvo does. However, the 3-series has a folding rear seat and a 16-inch-wide trunk pass through to accommodate the must-have set of golf clubs under the folded roof.

But how does it drive?
Has chopping the roof and adding weight spoiled the 3-series? Most definitely not. If anything, it’s just a touch less-edgy than the stiffer and lighter 335i coupe and sedan, but the convertible still dances up a twisty mountain road in a way that will satisfy the enthusiast.

The surprisingly linear, 300-hp 3.0-liter direct-injection twin-turbo six barks with a satisfactory, very un-turbo-like snarl and is the least compromised turbo engine we’ve ever driven. Naturally it doesn’t feel quite as strong as in the coupe; BMW predicts the convertible’s 0-to-60-mph times will be 0.2-second slower than comparable coupe’s. We blasted to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds in a 335i manual coupe, so that would put a manual 335i convertible at 5.1 seconds, and an automatic at 5.3. Still not exactly what you’d call slow.



While enthusiasts will probably prefer the standard six-speed manual transmission, opt for the new ZF six-speed automatic and the engine’s boosted nature is concealed even more, to a point that it’s basically indiscernible. BMW claims this new transmission shifts up to 40-percent quicker than other automatics, and even though it’s a conventional automatic with a torque converter its shift times are approaching those of automated manuals, such as BMW’s SMG. To us, this new automatic is up there with the Jaguar XK’s tranny as among the best; both of which are far better than the clunky SMG. And who wouldn’t want satisfying, right-now shifts without the bumbling between gears that happens with SMG? Wide-open-throttle upshifts happen with a reassuring kick approaching that of automated manuals.

As far as the 3-series’ convertibleness is concerned, we did over a hundred miles with the top down, optional wind blocker in place, and windows up. If there’s any degradation to structural rigidity with the top down, it’s minimal, and even at 80 to 85 mph the cabin is reasonably quiet. Perhaps better, we were able to stay warm with outside temperatures in the low- to mid-40s.

Other 3-series traits remain: Terrifically comfortable seats, with optional power bolster adjustment (you must try these); properly weighted and responsive steering that’s among the best; and a ride-handling balance its competitors would kill for.

The 3-series sedan, coupe, and now, convertible. You really can’t go wrong no matter which one you choose. We’ll take a deep breath as we await the 400-hp, V-8–powered M3. How much better can the 3-series get?

WINDING ROAD’s inside sources confirm that BMW’s M Group is considering retaining a soft top design for the forthcoming M3 convertible, which would eschew the E92 platform’s latest folding hard top design on the 335i and 330i convertibles.

As BMW launched their new 3-series convertible in Arizona last week (we were there for the launch–look for our test drive in next month’s WINDING ROAD), questions continued to crop up concerning the top’s weight disadvantage. BMW loads extra pounds on the excellent 3-series coupe chassis by moving to Edscha’s folding top design, which is beautiful and quiet by any measure. But, 440 pounds is 440 pounds is 440 pounds.


For the more discriminating M Group within BMW, saving weight will be one of their top priorities. Some keen observers would probably suggest that BMW should instead drop their V-8 engine idea if they really wanted to save weight, but we digress. With the V-8 engine on the way for both the M3 coupe and convertible, weight savings will be especially important. Right now the company is working to develop a special soft top which would withstand the M3’s high speeds while retaining high levels of interior quietness.

Another option on the table at the moment, according to our source, would be to keep the folding hard top concept, but with carbon fiber panels and carbon fiber arm extensions. This would be costly, for sure, but it would achieve a higher level of interior noise reduction without much weight.

The BMW 3 Series Coupe and Convertible ranges both have a new flagship model. The M Sport specification level is now the most dynamic and sporting incarnation currently available for the recently launched Coupe and Convertible ranges.

Offered on all engine variants, M Sport cars come with a raft of additional equipment as standard compared to an SE model. An M Aerodynamic body styling package gives the cars a distinct, sporting look, while Sport suspension with a stiffer, and 15mm lower, set-up provides a more focused ride. All models come with 18-inch M star-spoke light alloy wheels as standard with a differently styled 19-inch M Double-spoke light alloy wheel as an option. High-gloss Shadow line exterior finishes to the window surrounds is also a standard feature.

Inside, all M Sport models feature Sports seats upholstered in Blue Shadow cloth Alcantara, Individual anthracite headlining, M designation doorsill finishers and a short-shift M gearlever with a perforated leather gaiter and handbrake lever. A Brushed Aluminum interior trim and M leather steering wheel complete the package.

M Sport models are traditionally a popular choice for BMW buyers. On six-cylinder-engined 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models they account for more than three-quarters of all sales. The introduction of this latest generation of sports model is expected to maintain this ratio.

M Sport model cars are only available in a choice of four metallic colors (Titanium Silver, Black Sapphire, Le Mans Blue, Sparkling Graphite) and two non-metallic colors (Alpine White, Crimson Red).