Back in the day estate cars and sportiness rarely come hand in hand. But the Germans have made sure that people can have their luggage space and power at the same time.

So Audi had their take with the RS4. But how about one with a BMW badge?

Well here’s the BMW M3 Estate… with a V10. Built by Manhart Racing, the M3 packs a 5.0L V10 from an M5 mated to a 7-speed gearbox. Manhart pegs the 0-62 mph time at 4.3 seconds.

Manhart also added more tweaks and parts to the car including an LSD, a stainless steel exhaust with four tailpies. Manhart also tweaked the ECU to fit the V10’s profile. Body modifications include a new hood, a new front bumper and side skirts. The car sits atop 20-inch aluminium alloys.

Source: Autocar

While many gearheads like myself would be excited whenever we hear news about some car company dishing out yet another car with massive horsepower, quick 0-60 times, staggering top speeds, and agility to put gibbons to shame, I have to acknowledge the call of sensibility these days. So now I wonder why, BMW would even try to create a “better” version of the M3.

By what BMW is planning, the M3 CSL should be a good car, if not great. All the comforts will be thrown out in favor of lightweightedness. Airconditioning, luxury panels, the lot will be stripped out and the car will sport carbon fiber panels instead. Power will come from the same 4.0L V8 but will be boosted from 420 hp to 470. And yes, the 0-60 time will be shaved down 4.5 seconds and a can reach 185 mph.

Well, sure the M in M3 stands for their motorsport division but with sales figures dropping, should automakers focus their attention and spending to more viable efforts? The CLS is expected to debut at the Frankfurt Show later this year and would retail at around 90,000 Euros. I just wonder how the sporty car market is doing. But if similarly priced luxury cars aren’t faring well…

Source: AutoZeitung (read through Google Translate)

Remember the American Le Mans version of the BMW M3 that was showcased in the lackluster Chicago Motors Show earlier this year? Well here’s a video clip feature on it.

At least, no matter how short of a take this is, you can see it move and hear it roar. The car sports the same 4.0L V8 but tuned as the P65 motorsports version giving it a 71 hp boost (rated at 485 hp). The car is equipped with a 6-speed sequential tranny, LSD, and racing body kit. It also put on a diet of carbon fiber to bring the weight down to 2,535 lbs.

Without further ado, the BMW M3 race version.

For the past couple of days, this has been a buzz around car forums and blogs. A US BMW dealer obviously fucked things up for posting an M3 without no reserve price. The car fetched only $60,000 while th$100,000+. And just because of that, they refused to release the car to its rightful auction winner… initially.

An M3post.com member, the winner, Ken (dooma350) posted his plight online catching the attention of all the other geek gearheads creating a huge buzz over BMW’s booboo.

Anyway, in most recent developments, Ken updated everyone regarding the issue and it has finally been resolved. With the BMW dealership finally relenting to sell him the car for the final auction price – with conditions. I just hope those conditions aren’t a way to screw this guy over.

The BMW faithful would probably be eager for spring to come since the BMW M3 will be made available in the US by then. A good thing still since you can’t enjoy a . That is, of course, you have a $63,000 purse to buy one. But before we finally see M3s rolling down the streets, BMW has been (un)kind enough to show us the M3’s race version that’s designed to compete in the 2009 American Le Man Series.

The car features the M3’s 4.0L V8 tuned as the P65 motorsports version raising the horsepower from an already impressive 414 to 485. The engine is paired with a six-speed sequential racing tranny that sports a carbon-fiber clutch and LSD. And since you can’t give a car more horses without making it beefier in other aspects, BMW even tuned the chassis to give it a wider track and is fitted with race-tuned suspensions and brakes. It’s even lighter with aerodynamic carbon-fiber body pieces giving it a curb weight of 2,535 pounds.

It’s always nice to see a race version of an already good performance car. There’s definitely a wish in every M3 fan that race-tuning would filter down to consumer level. A street version, perhaps?

Source: Inside Line

Way back October, BMW unveiled the new M3. Initially, it came out as a sedan and a coupe. Both versions sported the 4.0L V8 dishing out 414 horsepower and massive 296 lb-ft of torque. BMW announced in Detroit that the sedan and the coupe wouldn’t be the only choices for the M3 as they will be unveiling the M3 Convertible in March at the Geneva Motor Show.

Pretty much the same package here save for the droptop which is enough to make this M3 more delectable than the sedan and the coupe. Since losing the roof decreases torsion, the M3 convertible features improved torsional stiffness to compensate. It also has unique suspension tuning to boot.

BMW also elaborated on the details behind the M DCT dual-clutch transmission option available for the M3 Drivelogic transmission. It gives the driver a choice between five automatic and six manual shifting options. That’s eleven in total. It boasts of quicker shifting times that shave off 0.2 seconds off of the 0-62 times of the six-speed manual M3.

Source: Automobile

In between motor shows and BMW decides to unveil another one of its new releases. After some time contenting ourselves with spy shots, we could now view (ogle at?) the new 2008 BMW M3. After being considered one of the best cars to have rolled out the BMW lines in the 1980s (specifically 1986), the M3’s back with more punch and styling.

Previously powered by a 2.3L engine with 192 horses, the new M3 finds a 4.0L V8 under its bonnet dishing out a staggering 414 horsepower and massive 296 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The power is channeled to the rear wheels. It comes in two varieties the sedan and a coupe – capable of reaching naught to sixty at 4.9 seconds and 4.8 respectively.

The M3 will be officially unveiled for viewing at the LA Auto Show next month.

Source: Car Online