The 2014 F80 M3 continues prototype testing on the road and track on and around the Nurburgring. We’ve compiled this 3 minute video featuring plenty of new sights and sounds of the F80 M3 in various settings performing different maneuvers and driving action.

With its planted ride and suspension, together with plenty of power from its turbo inline 6 cylinder, the new M3 flies around the track with little body roll and suspension travel.

To reiterate our oft repeated details on the upcoming F80 M3 / F82 M4:

The F80 M3 / F82 M4 will be powered by an inline 6 cylinder engine with multiple turbochargers, pushing approximately 450 horsepower. The engine has been rumored to be an extensively reworked and reinforced N55 6-cylinder engine with a strengthened aluminium … CONTINUED

Watch and listen as the 2014 BMW M3 (F80) slings around the famous Karussell at the Nurburgring track, sounding thunderous as it accelerates out of the hairpin turn.

Here is a summary of the most up to date facts regarding the F80 M3 / F82 M4:

Lighter than current M3
Faster than current M3
More powerful than current M3
More efficient than current M3
Powered by an inline 6 cylinder turbo engine
Offered with optional or standard manual transmission
Electric Power Steering (completely reworked for precision for M3/M4)
Tires (from prototype) - Michelin Pilot Super Sport: … CONTINUED

French auto magazine l’Argus strip away the 4 Series Gran Coupe prototype camouflage digitally to give us a preview of what the F36 4 series gran coupe may resemble once it is revealed. An M4 Gran Coupe may also be in the cards if the confirmed M6 Gran Coupe is any indication.

Some updated F82 M4 coupe renders from Jerry Alvarez. The white M4 coupe render now incorporates the M6/1M styled front bumper with air curtain vents recently spied on the F80 M3 sedan. Not reflected in the renders however, is an expected sleeker front fascia and headlights (compared to the F30 3 series). The F82 M4 coupe is also expected to feature a carbon fiber roof.

The F80 M3 / F82 M4 will not be constructed extensively from carbon fiber (CFRP) as some earlier reports had speculated. Because this next generation M3/M4 began development two years ago, it’s said to have been too early to take advantage of BMW’s CFRP developments with the later introduction of the BMW i cars/project. The first model (besides the i cars) … CONTINUED

We have recently spied the F36 4 Series Gran Coupe (4GC) out testing again and although it wears the same camouflage as before, we get a first look at the F36 against the F30 3 series sedan and the F34 3 Series GT (gran touring).

What’s clearly confirmed by the photos is the expected difference in roofline heights and shapes between the different models, which mirror the differences between the 6 series gran coupe, 5 series sedan and 5 series GT. The 4GC features the lowest and sleekest roofline, followed by the slightly taller F30 sedan, and then the GT. The 4GC will also add some centimeters in its overall length compared to the F30 sedan.

Codenamed as the F36, the 4 Series Gran Coupe will top the … CONTINUED

We’ve spied the production intent BMW i3 interior clearly for the first time. Although it’s still in unfinished pre-production form, we can see some major components and design elements that will come on the production i3 when the first are delivered in late 2013.

The dash and console loses much of the futuristic styled full touch-sensitive and buttonless interior of the i3 concept in favor of a more practical and modern-day style BMW dashboard. It does however retain an LCD instrument screen from the concept. The large navigation / iDrive screen can be seen in the upper center console, still shrouded by the cloth covering. The plastic around the steering column will of course be gone by production and the rest of the lower center console added. … CONTINUED

BMW maintains that the sometimes maligned 5-Series GT is a good seller despite the public perception, so much so that a scaled down 3-Series iteration has been under development for some time. Now it seems the development of this car is nearing the point of public release and so BMW has dropped the typical body cladding and now only covers the car up in a minimal amount of camouflage tape.

While the general shape of this car has been known to follow the 5-Series GT lines, what has not been known until now are the details. First and foremost, this car should not be confused with the upcoming 4-Series Gran Coupe. The 4-Series GC will be a ‘four door coupe’ in a similar fashion to the 6-Series … CONTINUED

Resident digital artist Jerry Alvarez has put together this speculative side render of the F82 M4 coupe.

Although not visible in these renders, you can expect the F82 M4 coupe to receive the same (or very similar) hood lip/bulge that we recently spotted for the first time on the F80 M3 sedan.

Also not reflected in the renders is an expected sleeker front fascia and headlights (compared to the F30 3 series). The F82 M4 coupe is also expected to feature a carbon fiber roof.

The F80 M3 / F82 M4 will not be constructed extensively from carbon fiber (CFRP) as some earlier reports had speculated. Because this next generation M3/M4 began development two years ago, it’s said to have been too early to take advantage of BMW’s CFRP … CONTINUED

A month ago, a new BMW prototype was spied for the first time. At the time, given its fastback shape and substantial similarities to the 3 Series GT (3GT) prototypes we’ve been spying for months, we deemed it to be a 3GT with some camouflage removed or altered. But, the prototype has been spotted again and the additional looks at the prototype have us convinced that it is indeed the F36 4 Series Gran Coupe (4GC) being tested.

Here’s a brief analysis of the clear differences between the two prototype models. The comparison photos below should also be helpful.

The hood and cowl height and hood slope of the 4GC prototype is different than the 3GT.
The shorter front bumper … CONTINUED