BMW builds last ever M3 Coupe

[88m3]

It had to be orange. Of all the colours this BMW M3 Coupe could have been, orange feels the most correct. This is because BMW has announced production of the ‘E92' M3 Coupe is over, and that car in picture number 1 above is the very, last, one.

A moment of silence then, for the end of a modern performance hero. It's the car, don't forget, that prompted Jeremy to don his finest Bluetooth earpiece and announce that the V8 M3 Coupe was in fact, "a masterpiece".

And what a V8. A lot of adenoids burst when BMW first launched the new M3 in 2007, because gone was the old 3.2-litre straight-six - a shrieking masterstroke of combustion - and in came a 4.0-litre V8. A V8? In an M3? Yes. And it worked rather well.

It produced 420bhp and 295lb ft of torque, could hit 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds (4.6 with the double-clutch auto ‘box) and was good for a limited top speed of 155mph. It also won the 3.0-litre to 4.0-litre class of the International Engine of the Year Awards five times in a row, and when provoked, made a sound good enough to make parts of your anatomy fizz.

It wasn't perfect - that 1,655kg kerbweight meant the M3 had officially become a podgy old thing - but it handled like a hooligan, and that gets a big TG Thumbs Up.

A few special edition coupes appeared during its six-year run: the bombastic 4.4-litre, 450bhp GTS (also quite orange), with its track-orientation and monster rear wing; the M3 DTM Champion Edition, with a limited run of 54 models (one for each of BMW's DTM race victories) and the lovely BMW M3 GT2 Art Car created by Jeff Koons.

Sad to see it go? Over 40,000 Coupes were built, but it's the last of the line for the ‘M3' badge on the two-door, because the next one will be called the ‘M4', after the new 4-Series Coupe. Which means the long history the E30, E36 and E46 generation coupes have built is now at an end.

Have a click through the gallery and tell us which was your favourite version of the M3 Coupe (and you can't all say ‘E30'). Then, let us know what you'd like to see from the next M4. Super lightweight body, buzzy, turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot with rear-wheel-drive and no power assistance... wishful thinking?

Vijay Pattni



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BMW builds last ever M3 Coupe - BBC Top Gear

Very sad, it's more than a name, it's motorsport history.

 

[unit321]

Well, that's for the E92. Doesn't mean the M group won't be creating an M3 for the next 3-series.

 

[posterchild336]

Well, that's for the E92. Doesn't mean the M group won't be creating an M3 for the next 3-series.

it will be a 4 door if they do though...because the coupe version will be a M4. I am honestly kinda disappointed in the direction BMW took with the e90/92/93 M3's they went off track...hope the next one is a better car

 

[unit321]

BMW also didn't think ahead. I don't know why they named their smaller car the 1-series. They can't label an M group 1-series as an M1 because the M1 from the 80s was a sports car.

 

[posterchild336]

BMW also didn't think ahead. I don't know why they named their smaller car the 1-series. They can't label an M group 1-series as an M1 because the M1 from the 80s was a sports car.

back in the 70's I am sure they never thought there would be a day where cars were segmented so much where they would have to a class of "very small" cars...

 

[unit321]

back in the 70's I am sure they never thought there would be a day where cars were segmented so much where they would have to a class of "very small" cars...

The 2002 is smaller than the 1-series.
The 3-series has grown in dimension by a lot. It's bigger than an old 5-series.

Length of E12 5-series, 4600 mm
Width of E12 5-series, 1690 mm

Length of E28 5-series, 4620 mm
Width of E28 5-series, 1700 mm

Length of F30 3-series, 4624 mm
Width of F30 3-series, 1811 mm

 

[posterchild336]

The 2002 is smaller than the 1-series.
The 3-series has grown in dimension by a lot. It's bigger than an old 5-series.

Length of E12 5-series, 4600 mm
Width of E12 5-series, 1690 mm

Length of E28 5-series, 4620 mm
Width of E28 5-series, 1700 mm

Length of F30 3-series, 4624 mm
Width of F30 3-series, 1811 mm

I am not only talking about size itself, i am talking about segmented in model numbers from 1 to 8. Also, when talking about a class or market, a person being a 1 compared to a f30 is looking for a more compact car. e28/e12 are also 5 series in which there was no market for a 1serier back then...every car company has to fight for there spot in every class hence etc etc..you know exactly what I meant

the 1 was introduced to appeal to a market that wants a smaller car than a 3, 5 etc.. just like the 2 series is for people that want in between that 1 and 3

 

[unit321]

I am not only talking about size itself, i am talking about segmented in model numbers from 1 to 8. Also, when talking about a class or market, a person being a 1 compared to a f30 is looking for a more compact car. e28/e12 are also 5 series in which there was no market for a 1serier back then...every car company has to fight for there spot in every class hence etc etc..you know exactly what I meant

the 1 was introduced to appeal to a market that wants a smaller car than a 3, 5 etc.. just like the 2 series is for people that want in between that 1 and 3

Oh yeah. BMW went gonzo. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, X, Z4
The 6 should be a 5 and the 4 should be a 3. They just have too many series models now.

 

[posterchild336]

Oh yeah. BMW went gonzo. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, X, Z4
The 6 should be a 5 and the 4 should be a 3. They just have too many series models now.

yup and you forgot to mention z, 8 series and now the 2 about to be released, and then the i coming out shortly...so they have every number out there now...at the same time they have been making record profits year after year and margin widening between competition so I guess they wont complain

 

[CDoty]

as a former bigtime fan of BMW, this sickens me. they've gone in the complete opposite direction they should be going, and are now making cars based on competing with lexus, mercedes and audi. They used to make cars solely to compete with Porsche! where has the spirit of competing with someone who is a company that simply makes sports cars gone? its almost like BMW has thrown in the towel, saying they give up on making sports cars.

 

[88m3]

yup and you forgot to mention z, 8 series and now the 2 about to be released, and then the i coming out shortly...so they have every number out there now...at the same time they have been making record profits year after year and margin widening between competition so I guess they wont complain

Really haven't followed cars the last two years. What is the deal with the 2 Series?

as a former bigtime fan of BMW, this sickens me. they've gone in the complete opposite direction they should be going, and are now making cars based on competing with lexus, mercedes and audi. They used to make cars solely to compete with Porsche! where has the spirit of competing with someone who is a company that simply makes sports cars gone? its almost like BMW has thrown in the towel, saying they give up on making sports cars.

I couldn't agree more, very sad.

 

[posterchild336]

Really haven't followed cars the last two years. What is the deal with the 2 Series?

here is a good site for you

2-Series | BIMMERPOST | BMW Forum, BMW News and BMW Blog


I couldn't agree more, very sad.

 

[posterchild336]

Really haven't followed cars the last two years. What is the deal with the 2 Series?



I couldn't agree more, very sad.

here is a good site for you

2-Series | BIMMERPOST | BMW Forum, BMW News and BMW Blog

 

[88m3]

here is a good site for you

2-Series | BIMMERPOST | BMW Forum, BMW News and BMW Blog

thanks! yeah I have them all just too buried to read them, I opened my Audi forum yesterday for the first time in 8 months, sigh.

The four series looks like a 6!


The 335 is a rather large car as well, the coupe is nearly as long as my B8 A4.


Pretty excited for the M235, the first year they'll probably be unable to track down by the sounds of it.

I'm playing with the idea of picking a 135 up right now.
Do you know if there are any years to avoid, issues besides the hpfp?

 

[BlvdBrawler]

e36 M3 in that purple color was my favorite.

Next car will be either a BMW M4, or an AUDI S7, but that's at least 5 years down the road.