BmwM3

BMW to release M3 Competition Pack in Geneva

Fans of performance-oriented versions of the BMW 3 Series have had plenty to celebrate lately. Recent additions to the top of the range have included the M3 GTS, while lower down we've been treated to a new, sub-M3 335i and an even more powerful 335is. Now reports indicate that a CSL-like Competition Pack is being planned for the M3 itself.

Said to incorporate a harder suspension dropped by 10mm and supplimented by new electronic dampers and new lightweight 19" alloys, the M3 Competition Pack ought to up the performance quotient. The 414-horsepower, 4-liter V8 engine will reportedly carry over unchanged, so don't expect any shavings off the stock M3's acceleration and top speed figures. But expect to see the M3 equipped with the Competition Pack to debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show at a £3,315 (~$5,340k) premium.

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Tags: bmw, bmw 3 series, bmw m3, bmw m3 competition pack, Bmw3Series, BmwM3, BmwM3CompetitionPack, competition pack, CompetitionPack, m3, m3 competition pack, M3CompetitionPack

BMW Rolls Out Hard-Core M3 GTS

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you're one of the enthusiasts who think the BMW M3 has grown too big and bloated with the current model, take heart: the Bavarian automaker's elite M division has just released the M3 GTS. Following in the path lead by such legendary derivations as the M3 CSL, the new M3 GTS is a hardcore, performance-focused version of Munich's finest sports coupe.

The award-winning engine has been enlarged from 4 liters to 4.4, and output is tipped to have jumped up to 450 horsepower. But that's only half of the power-to-weight ratio, as the M division has put the M3 GTS on a serious weight-saving scheme to cut its curb weight by some 420 lbs, thanks to a stripped-out interior devoid of frivolities like air-conditioning, satellite navigation and radio, equipping the M3 GTS with things like an emergency cut-off switch, fire extinguisher, racing buckets and mounting points for a competition-spec roll-cage and six-point racing harness. Lightweight windows, upgraded wheels, tires and suspension and a radical aerodynamics package are also part of the mix.

The car's performance is expected to increase considerably, but all that extra kit comes at a price: 115,000 euros in this case, or about $170,000 – but the M3 GTS is not expected to make it to the North American market, with deliveries beginning in Germany next May.

Gallery: BMW M3 GTS

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Tags: bmw, bmw m3, bmw m3 csl, bmw m3 gts, BmwM3, BmwM3Csl, BmwM3Gts, m3, m3 gts, M3Gts

BMW X6 Redefines the Crossover; Bangle-Butt

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It's truly a thing of beauty. The new X6, BMW's answer to consumers' burgeoning love of crossover utility vehicles (or "sport activity vehicle," as BMW bills it), dresses the part without losing the style and driving dynamics that make it a BMW. As BMW head design honcho Chris Bangle hints, it's higher off the ground but is every bit a sports car as, say, the M3.

Though it's "technically" a concept in this form, we expect to see this in production form as a 2008 model. It is also expected to be BMW's first production hybrid vehicle, upping efficiency by 20% over the gasoline-powered model.

[Via Autoblog]

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Tags: bmw, bmw m3, bmw x6, BmwM3, BmwX6, CUV, SAV, sport activity vehicle, SportActivityVehicle, SUV

The Most Anticipated Luxury Cars of 2008

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The term "luxury car" can apply to autos priced from fairly economical $20,000 options all the way up to the indulgent $400,000 range and higher. It's a large class of vehicles. And although everyone may not agree (with that many cars in the mix there's bound to be varying opinions!) this list is a fun one: Forbes has narrowed the new 2008 luxury releases into their own top 10 most anticipated. Here's their list, but as in anything with cars to really get the effect you should see it in pictures.