BMW M3 rumour mill starts to turn

LIKE THAT popular Boys2Men track from back in the day, it seems we’ve come to the end of the road as far as the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are concerned. The pair might not live to see another generation, according to a new report from Japan. According to

motoring tabloid is preparing a story for an upcoming issue in which it reveals that the ‘affordable’ sports car twins will be cancelled, due to Toyota and Subaru having “deviated on their development policies”. This has yet to be officially confirmed by Toyota and Subaru, however.

While the report does contradict an earlier article from the

stating that the two companies would co-develop another generation, cancelling them would not come as a surprise to many.

For starters, sales have fallen below expectation, as the cars have failed to garner the universal admiration that the companies were hoping for.

The whole philosophy behind the GT86 and BRZ was to provide the world with back-to-basics, rear-wheeldrive sports cars that went against the modern spiral of excess, in which performance cars are becoming ever more powerful, but also heavier and more expensive.

In other words, an affordable sports car that the drifting crowd could get excited about.

As much as the pair, with their relatively skinny tyres, could provide sideways thrills all day long, almost every potential fan cried for more power. With their 147kW normally aspirated 2-litre flat-four Subaru engine, the little coupés couldn’t even hold a candle to the tamest of hot hatches. And yet they were never given a performance upgrade by the companies.

Then there’s the not-so-small matter of the new Supra arriving, with certain markets getting the option of a four-cylinder model, which could steal some thunder from the GT86.

But even if the GT86 were to disappear - and remember that right now it’s no more than a rumour - there’s a strong possibility that Toyota has other sports car tricks up its sleeve.

Toyota boss Akio Toyoda hinted at just that at the Supra’s Detroit reveal earlier this month, according to

Perhaps there is some truth to the widespread rumours that the modern-day MR2 is in the works? THE NEXT-generation BMW M3 will be offered in three distinct versions, all with different characteristics and power levels, according to a Bimmer Post forum member who has been known to make accurate predictions in the past.

The M3 range will, according to the member’s ‘inside’ source, kick off with a ‘Pure’ model that’s available exclusively with rear-wheel-drive and manual transmission. The Pure will reportedly be tuned to 327kW, slotting it - in power terms - between the current ‘base’ model (317kW) and Competition (331kW).

Next up is a middle model that the source refers to as the M3 ‘base’, and which is cranked up to 350kW and offered only with all-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox.

Topping the range, at least until the CS and GTS versions presumably arrive at a later stage, is a Competition model that’s tuned to 373kW and also offered exclusively with AWD and an autobox.

The source did however state that other combinations are possible, and that all versions will get an M differential as standard, as well as adaptive damping, while carbon ceramic brakes will be optional.

All of the above is likely to apply to the next M4 too.

Fans might have quite a wait on their hands, with the BMW source stating that production of the new M models are only due to start in 2020, and likely later in the year.

According to the next generation M3 and M4 will be powered by an “extensively revised” version of the current turbocharged straight six engine, possibly featuring water injection as per the outgoing M4 GTS.

The UK publication also reports that the new M3 will be the last M model to go without any form of hybrid electrification, with engineers keen to keep weight to a minimum.