[SoCali E36]

http://www.luxist.com/2010/04/15/bmw...-face-the-axe/





If you've been eying that BMW M3 sedan on the dealer lot on your commute home from work, we've got some news for you. First of all, it may be sitting there for a while already. Secondly, it may be your last chance.


According to reports, BMW hasn't been able to sell the four-door M3 as fast as expected (or as the car can travel down the road, for that matter). Although North American buyers clamored for the opportunity to buy the M3 sedan in the last generation, their wallets haven't been speaking as loudly as their mouths. As a result, sales have been lagging, and BMW is reportedly not going to renew its production for the next-generation model.


That means that when the current M3 - with its high-revving V8 engine - is replaced by the new twin-turbo six, it'll only be available as a coupe or convertible. Which is a bit of a shame, but not as big a shame as its prospective buyers evidently feel.

[scollins]

Well, that has been somewhat "SOP" for BMW anyway...
E30 - 2 door only
E36 - 2 door and 4 door
E46 - 2 door only
E90/92 - 2 door and 4 door

[ptack]

Less profit on the M3 4-doors. If you want an M sedan, open up your wallet a lot more for an M5.

[kyleb350]

Maybe we'll be seeing the F32 sooner than expected?

I'd buy an e90 if it wasn't for the e92's sexiness

[KingOfJericho]

I would love to know the sales numbers for the M3 sedan compared to something like the M Coupe. It's strange how they're fine with a low volume car like the Z3 and Z3 M Coupes but would axe the M3 sedan. I actually prefer it to the coupe.

[orientblue3]

I got an e-mail from BMW offering $2,500 off all M3's so I wonder if they are hoping that will help move some of those sedans. You almost never see any promotions on M cars.

[Sidh135i]

Sorry this is OT but the new M3s are going to have a twin-turbo 6? Any more info on this?

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by ptack

Less profit on the M3 4-doors. If you want an M sedan, open up your wallet a lot more for an M5.

It's not just a question of money. The difference in cost between a well-equipped M3 sedan and an M5 is not huge given the stature of the M5 (~$70k vs. $95-100k). The two are only comparable in the sense that they both have 4 doors.

The M5 is a big, burly sedan with ridiculous amounts of power - great for straight-line blasts, but it has far too much weight to be a true canyon carver or track car, and it's quite large in terms of its dimensions.

The M3 sedan on the other hand is essentially a 4-door that handles like a coupe. It's more nimble and has better handling in the twisties, and it is more versatile in city driving and parking (heck it's shorter than the coupe!)

It's too bad that the sedan will go away - it delivers all the versatility of a family car, with none of the compromises!

[pmeloche]

Originally Posted by tvrfan

no M3 sedan because they build better M´s than this and ripped all the money of for that......... the X6 M / X5 M xD

I don't understand your post. Are you saying that the M3 Sedan is not a good car and the X5M/X6M are superior?

[Nawaaz]

Well, I'm happy to know that my M3 Sedan will become more rare.

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

I would love to know the sales numbers for the M3 sedan compared to something like the M Coupe. It's strange how they're fine with a low volume car like the Z3 and Z3 M Coupes but would axe the M3 sedan. I actually prefer it to the coupe.

Part of why they were okay with making the Z4 M Coupe was that they were using excess capacity from the wind-down of E46 M3 sales; with the new M3 models announced for 2007, not many people were buying the old M3 so the unsold S54s were available to put in another car.

Personally, the E90 M3 is the one I'd consider most of that generation of M3s - a black 6-spd would suit me fine.