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Rumormill: BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupe

By Horatiu Boeriu. Read Bio
September 3rd, 2011 | Featured Posts, Rumors | 35 comments

The exciting and ever speculative world of BMW news is on fire again. Some BMW forums are reporting on the next generation BMW M3 and BMW M4.

BMWBLOG has been sitting on some of these information for a while, but now it’s time to reveal what we know at the moment.

First and foremost, final decision on naming convention has yet to be made and the marketing lingo may change prior to the official launch.

Rumormill: BMW M3 Sedan and BMW M4 Coupe

Secondly, we can state with confidence that BMW will continue to offer the new M3 in three body variants: sedan, coupe and convertible. Just a few weeks ago, our sources spoke to us on the naming convention of the new M3 and M4 offerings. The M3 sedan will carry the internal code F80, while the M4 coupe takes on the F82 label.

The marketing and sales heads at BMW AG continue to debate on whether the M version of the 3 Series Sedan should be called M3, and the M version of the new 4 Series Coupe getting the M4 moniker. Similar to the 6 Series offerings, the 4 Series models will fit between the 3 and 5 Series. The new 4 Series will also allow BMW to price the vehicle slightly higher, at a premium price.

The M3 label remains a powerful brand for BMW and has been mostly associated by BMW fans with the Coupe variant. The advertising efforts around introducing an M4 badge name could be cumbersome and require early and aggressive marketing, therefore a final decision has yet to be made in Munich.

Stay tuned for more information in the near future!

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  • Alexanderkarkar

    Difficult choice, I’ve wanted a 4er for year and possibly and M4 because why not. However BMW cannot get rid of any M3 variants to make an M4 because, well, if you’re on this website than you already know why.

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  • Stickyboost

    Yea what other info r u “sitting on” an waiting for other people to post first lol. Makes so much sense why so shy lol.

    • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

      Why does it make sense?

      First, we try to stay away from highly speculative things. We will only post when the info gets more solid. And yes, we know some others things that can’t post yet since we need to confirm with second sources.

      Next time feel free to use the Bimmerboost name when posting.

      • Stickyboost

        Ok omniscient one. Defensive much lol. Checking with sources must mean checking what other sites post lol.

        • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

          :) let’s just leave it at that. No point to even debate this.

          Next week you might get exclusively plenty of info on new 3er, so come back.

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  • Adam

    I’m not all in on this one, I may be an enthusiast (there for the name dosnt matter as much as the drive) but I’m a minority when it comes to customers, so most will put alot of faith and stock in the M3 name.  Sure its a badge but thats what “regualr folk” understand is badges and image.  I feel though that creating an M4 though logical should BMW follow its renaming stratagy, would really dissacociate the coupe/convertible with the mystique of the M3 badge and the sales that go with it, just because somone buys an M3 now dosnt mean they will buy an M4 later.  I hope somone in Munich realizes that the M models are not as easy to manipulate or change as the series cars, and the hirearchy has not really changed in nearly 30 years.

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  • Guest

    My M3 will be 4 years old in 2014 so the M4 (or whatever they choose to call it) will come at just the right time. As long as its as usable, quick and reliable (big deal because I’m still not sold on BMWs turbo engines for this reason) as the current one I’m in (and the e46 I used to have) I don’t really care what they call it. 

    Taking the premium a 6 carries over a 5 and applying that to the proposed 4/3 I would not expect a properly equipped M4/3 to cost less than $80k (close to 90k for the convertible). Time to start saving.

  • http://www.facebook.com/artemiypavlov Artemiy Pavlov

    Guys, when is the new 3 series due to be shown? Is it in Frankfurt this month, or later?

    • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

      October. Not at Frankfurt Show.

  • Giom

    I would use the M4 badge for a special ‘supercar’ like nitch model and retain the M3 name for the sedan and coupe. The M4 could be based on the Three in terms of chassis, but move the engine way back to create unique sportscar shape with a long nose and short tail – but, keep the roof.

  • Giom

    I would use the M4 badge for a special ‘supercar’ like nitch model and retain the M3 name for the sedan and coupe. The M4 could be based on the Three in terms of chassis, but move the engine way back to create unique sportscar shape with a long nose and short tail – but, keep the roof.

  • Giom

    I would use the M4 badge for a special ‘supercar’ like nitch model and retain the M3 name for the sedan and coupe. The M4 could be based on the Three in terms of chassis, but move the engine way back to create unique sportscar shape with a long nose and short tail – but, keep the roof.

  • Bigk

    Progress with the times.. an M4 would take some getting use to but cool nonetheless.  

  • JG

    err.. is that really a good idea? M4 sounds to me like a size of screw.

    Now it looks like I’m after an M4 and not a “legendary M3 coupe”. pffff

    Give that up BMW, even numbers are for audis.

  • wazon

    Sounds like a rumor disconnected with reality (I hope). There is huge history behind M3 coupe and BMW marketing is too good to break up with this association. So, IMO no way that it could happen.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ted-Spahr/588340695 Ted Spahr

    I haven’t cared much for BMW’s decision’s lately, but I always held on to one hope: They wouldn’t mess with the ///M division too much. IF this goes through, and the coupe is known as the ‘M4′, I’ll have lost all hope.

  • Anonymous

    The media is pushing so hard on the no M3 sedan for 2012 as if this means BMW will go e46 and not offer an M3 sedan again.  I think it’s got more to do with the F30 coming out in 2012 so the e90 will officially be s-canned at one time.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ted-Spahr/588340695 Ted Spahr

      E30 M3 was only a coupe too… We all know how well that turned out.

  • Mose121

    I would hope a company that has one of the strongs brand identities in the world would understand the importance of brand recogntion.  That goes for model names as well, and the M3 should be what it is, and M3.  Before the new board took control in the mid 2000′s, I wouldn’t have even considered the possibility of a M3 being called anything but an M3.  Since the new board took over and stipped away whatever little control the engineers had they’ve completely lost track of what a BMW is, who BMW is, and now apparently what a BMW should even be named.  They used to have a limited model range that was composed of the best products in their respective segments, and they were all ultimate driving machines catered to a particular clientel.  Now we have an bloated model line up so we can potentially sell a car to any type of client anywhere in the world.  They’ve gone from being the best premium sports car brand to a brand that is just like everyone else in the luxury segment.  It’s not about being the best to them anymore, it’s about the bottom line.  Yes, they are making more money than ever but they are also destroying the brand in the process.  Instead of letting the enginners build a car and leaving it up to the board as to how they sell it, they now build the car so it will sell to the masses and the enginneers are told with an iron fist, “this is what you will build”.   

    • Giom

      You obviously believe in your own opinion, but you’re writing as if you think your opinion is fact. To state that BMW doesn’t know what they’re doing while you do… that’s just very small.

      As I’ve said many times before, BMW isn’t about pleasing a handfull of fans, it’s about building a future for the brand - and, the car as we don’t know it. You can’t afford to be narrow minded in these times – let alone looking at the past.

      What you’re suggesting, is that BMW should have done what Jaguar did in the eighties (almost exactly what you’re saying)… how did that work out for them? Today they’re in foreign hands. BMW won the Sustainablility Index again – seventh year in a row… how would you like to argue that one away? Please!

      • Mose121

        Ahh right, because companies like Porsche that only have 5 models and make around the same annual profit as BMW does can’t survive.  

        2010 earnings:

        BMW sells 17 different models and they earned $3.887 billion euro
        Porsche makes 5 different models and they earned $3.060 billion euro
        Audi (shitbox VW’s that they are) makes 16 different models and they earned $2.59 billion euro

        It’s better to produce the best product in your segment that sells at a higher price and profit margin than it is to whore your brand out to the masses in order to appease the people who don’t really care about your product other than the name that’s on it.  In the long run it will bite them worse when they figure out people no longer buy their product for what it is, they only buy it because of what it’s named.  Eventually it will catch up to them.  Quality is severly lacking in BMW’s over the past 5-6 years, which even BMW acknowleges internally.  I feel like I’m watching them make the same mistakes that Benz made in the mid-late 90′s that tore their brand apart and they don’t even care about it.  There’s only one brand that’s still making ultimate driving machines and that’s Porsche.  Exotics aside obviously.

        • http://twitter.com/GiangcK Truong Giang

          At least, BMW is still an independent manufacturer, which Porsche has no longer been. And what do you think Porsche’s situation would have been had they only sold 911 – their core model, their brand recognition? It’s the Cayenne that earns money for Porsche. When it was introduced, the reaction was just like yours with new BMW line up at the moment.

          • Mose121

            Yes, I’m still thankful that BMW owns BMW and I’m still a fan of the brand.  I actually own have three of them in the garage, a 1995 M3 track car, a 2006 X5 4.8iS, and a 2010 135i M sport with Dinan stage 2 software.  I’ve also onwed a 1999 328i sport and 1 of 371 1995 318ti club sports ever made.  Like I said, I’m still a fan.  However, I am no longer a “super fan” and I’m finding that my loyalty to the company is starting to waver with the direction of the re-branding over the past several years.  Believe me, I want to hang on but they are making it very tough for the long time BMW client to do so.  They just don’t have the balls to build a real BMW model lineup anymore. 

            You’re right, I think something like 70% of Porsche’s profits come from the Cayenne.  The company was in a downward spiral and the Cayenne literally saved the brand from financial disaster.  However,  Porsche has hold on to the reigns regardless of what some VW big wig tries to do to rip them away.  They don’t make 17 different models just because they can, they make 5 models and still make almost the same amount of profit as BMW.  Every Porsche drives like a Porsche, they are all great to drive.  The Boxster and Cayman are a blast to throw around, the Panamera is a rocketship with room for 4, the Cayenne is arguably the best performance SUV out there, and the 911 is arguably the best sports car on the planet.  They are the best of the best from base model to super car.  They had the balls to build the Carrera GT, BMW has been pissing in the wind for years talking about a M1 halo car, but they don’t have the balls to build it.  They could obviously afford to build it, but instead they build a hybrid 7/X6.   Believe it or not they lose almost $25,000 on every H7 and almost $40,000 on every HX6 they sell.  Now tell me that makes since from a buisness standpoint?  Those are two cars that should have never been anything but a design excercise to develop new technology.  There was never a good reason to bring them to market.  The only time I’ve ever even seen either one of them is at a special BMW event.  That’s just one of many poor decisions they have made lately. 

        • http://twitter.com/GiangcK Truong Giang

          At least, BMW is still an independent manufacturer, which Porsche has no longer been. And what do you think Porsche’s situation would have been had they only sold 911 – their core model, their brand recognition? It’s the Cayenne that earns money for Porsche. When it was introduced, the reaction was just like yours with new BMW line up at the moment.

        • Porkchop4life

          5 different models with at least 3 different variants for each look how many 911′s there are..

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  • Corey

    Changing the name of an icon like that would be a terrible idea.

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