New BMW M3 spied in disguise testing
INDUSTRY NEWS/ Iconic German sports sedan will reportedly offer all-wheel drive like the new M5
The new-generation BMW 3 Series will be launched in SA in March, but spy pictures and details are already emerging about the upcoming M3 version.
It seems the M3 and its M4 coupe cousin will be sold in three variants with different outputs and drivetrains: Pure, Base, and an xDrive model with allwheel drive.
If rumours are to be believed, the rear-wheel Pure will put out about 343kW from its 3.0l twin turbo straight-six engine and offering a manual gearbox.
The upper-model rearwheel-drive Base and xDrive will get the same engine with power tweaked to about 358kW, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The current M4 the M3 is no longer sold in SA makes 317kW standard, 331kW in Competition Pack form, and 338kW in top-of-the-range CS guise. The xDrive would be the first M3-M4 to offer four-wheel drive, and it’s expected to be a similar system as the new M5, with the ability to toggle between rear- and all-wheel drive. The engine, dubbed S58, will be equipped with water injection to cool the high combustion temperatures.
Styling-wise, spy shots of a disguised M3 being tested in Europe reveal a lower stance, wider fenders and the customary four exhaust tips. The grille looks to be large, though it’s unlikely to be as supersized as the contentious one on the recently restyled 7 Series.
Apart from the four-door M3 sedan and two-door M4 coupe, there will also be a four-door M4 Gran Coupe.
BMW isn’t revealing a launch date yet but it’s likely to be later in 2019, possibly at the Paris Motor Show in October.