BMW BLOG

I was reading the other day the first review on the BMW M3 Sedan version and I decided to share it with you. The review was written by the guys at edmunds.com and it covers the basic aspects of this fine M3.

Less than a month after the 2008 BMW M3 Coupe made its public debut at the Frankfurt auto show, BMW has set about extending the family with the official introduction of the new 2008 BMW M3 Sedan. This is only the second time in the M3’s illustrious 21-year history that it has been offered with four doors. Planned to go on sale in North America in the spring of 2008, BMW’s new performance sedan uses the same mechanical layout as the coupe.

The centerpiece of this car remains the high-strung, 414-horsepower 4.0-liter V8 based on the engine layout of the 5.0-liter V10 in the M5. But the sedan adds everyday practicality in the form of rear doors, enough rear-seat headroom for adults and a larger trunk.

A Return Appearance

The last time BMW offered an M3 sedan came with the second-generation M3 back in 1994. It proved especially popular among U.S. car buyers, but the third-generation M3 did not morph into a sedan, owing to what engineers at BMW M division describe as fundamental structural differences in the front-end architecture between the E46 sedan and coupe.

By reviving the sedan, BMW hopes to create a high-performance four-door model to match up against rivals like the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG along with upcoming competitors like the Lexus IS-F and the third-generation Audi RS4. Set to follow the sedan is a cabriolet version of the M3; although this car isn’t likely to appear until the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, with U.S. sales set to begin late in 2008.

The Look of Speed

What really sets the 2008 BMW M3 Sedan apart from the lesser 3 Series sedan is unique front-end styling that adopts the curvy headlamps and grille from the 3 Series coupe. It is a look that will remain unique to the M3 sedan, BMW says, providing it with a sleeker, sportier identity.

The aggressively styled front fascia is complemented by pronounced wheel arches, a power dome for the hood, heavily stylized ducts inset into the frontquarter panels, chunkier rocker sills underneath the doors, a subtle trunk spoiler, a deeper rear bumper with an aero diffuser, and the quad tailpipe treatment that has become the signature of M division cars.

Four special M division colors have been reserved for the M3 sedan: Interlagos Blue, Jerez Black, Melbourne Red and Silverstone.

Full report