BMW M Models News

Following the recent reveals of the performance-focused BMW M3 sedan and M4 coupe, the German car brand has launched configurators so you can build your own, rotate it to get a look from all angles -- and then order it, if you're one of the lucky future buyers.The configurators will let you choose your car's alloy wheels, paint colour and then head into the cabin to customise the upholstery, interior trims and accent lines. Because we're a pretty restrained bunch at Carsguide, we've gone for the M3 in Yas Marina Blue body colour with M 19-inch double-spoke black wheels, Silverstone orange leather upholstery with gloss black trim and accent lines.Try the BMW M3 configuratorFor the M4 we decided on Austin Yellow paint, again the M 19-inch double-spoke black wheels (yes, we've got a bit of a thing for them), Black Merino leather with Blue Shadow trim and black chrome accent lines.Try the BMW M4 configuratorAnd in our Walter Mitty daydreams, we'll be imagining the shove from the twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engines' boosted outputs of 317kW and 550Nm (up from 309kW and 400Nm) handled by the carryover choice of the either six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch DCT auto -- both now blipping the throttle on downshifts.Then there's the claimed  0-100km/h figure of 4.1 seconds for both cars, with top speeds limited to 250km/h, or 280km/h with the optional M Driver’s Package. And the cherry on top of our heavily frosted daydreams would have to be the 'smoky burnout' mode -- although keeping that in our imagination would also keep our licences intact.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Images of the new BMW M3 and M4 have been revealed via an online BMW blog ahead of their official debut tomorrow. As you'd expect, the photos show a more aggressive treatment for the bodies, with muscular wheelarches housing big alloys, quad exhaust tips, and M badged heat extraction vents behind the front wheels.Watch the desktop version of the official BMW M3 and M4 video here.With the new BMW 4-Series already in Australian showrooms  attention will now be focusing on what we can expect in the coming BMW M3 and M4 that are set to arrive next May, BMW has alreqady comfirmed the outputs for the cars, announcing them at a technology workshop. The new M3 and M4 will deliver about 320 kilowatts of power and 'far beyond' 500 Newton-metres of torque from the latest 3.0-litre turbo in-line six-cylinder engine.The M3 gets a considerable hike over the same engine in the 4-Series 435i Carsguide tested in July, which delivers 225kW and 400Nm. But it's less of a jump over the outgoing M3's 4.0-litre V8 with 309kW and 400Nm. The M4's output is said to be 310kW, but we've also heard talk of a bigger 3.3-litre turbocharged six-cylinder that could offer 336kW. The German carmaker says that the engines are also much more efficient, achieving a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions of 'around 25 per cent'.BMW has reportedly decided on a more modest power hike in favour of a wider torque spread than the V8, also helped by a new cylinder head. In addition, the coming M3 and M4 will be lighter, with weight-saving strategies joining a carryover carbon-fibre roof to keep it tipping the scales in the target range of about 1500kg -- a drop of 100kg on the outgoing M3. More details will be revealed tomorrow, in preparation for the official unveiling at January's Detroit motor show.Watch the BMW M3 and M4 testing at the Nurburgring.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

After splitting their house into separate line-ups for the sedans and two-doors, BMW is getting ready to reveal the new M3 sedan and the M4 coupe

The M4 has already been unveiled as a motor show tease and this is the real thing, despite the underwhelming look of a 4 Series coupe body that looks like it's still waiting for the M work.It won't have the power of the C63 from Benz, but BMW is still touting more than 330 kiloWatts with sequential turbocharging.

 M fans need wonder no more; the BMW Concept M4 has just been revealed ahead of its debut at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and subsequent Frankfurt appearance.Though still a concept, the car is an almost perfect representation of BMW’s successor to the M3 Coupe, the new M4, which we’re expecting to see debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January.Full information on the Concept M4 will be released in a few hours but from these images, we can see that the design takes the already aggressive 4-Series and turns things up a notch. Pumped fenders, chunky alloy wheels and carbon fiber used on the roof and exhaust tips all scream performance, and it’s great to see that designers have retained the previous M3 Coupe’s powerdome hood.The sedan version of the car, the M3, should adopt a similarly aggressive look. It is expected to debut in production trim alongside the M4 in Detroit. Both cars should be for the US market a few months after the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January.What’s still unclear is what will be powering them. The engine is tipped to be a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six and matched to it should be an M-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box. Drive will be sent to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential. You can hear the new engine in a teaser video released by BMW M recently.www.motorauthority.com  

Keep this video on repeat as those growls you hear are the sweet sounds of the new straight-six engine developed for the latest generation of the BMW M3 and the all-new M4 (basically a new M3 Coupe). Also shown in the video is a small sliver of the new M3’s power dome hood, whose yellow hue is likely to be the car’s hero color.BMW is set to preview either its new M3 or M4 (or perhaps both) in concept form at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance later this week and will follow up with the production versions at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January. The cars are likely to hit the market early next spring, as 2014 models.The M3 will get the F30 3-Series’ body and the M4 will get the F32 4-Series’s svelte coupe shape. However, both cars will have common internals. The highlight will be the raspy engine you hear in the video above, which to these ears sounds a bit like the 3.2-litre straight-six last used in the E46 M3.The engine is believed to be a 3.0-litre unit codenamed the S55. That makes it sound very much like a high-performance derivative of the N55 found in the latest 335i and 435i models, which makes sense as the BMW M Division is no longer building standalone engines.A pair of turbochargers and tuning of the heads should get performance to the levels demanded by an M car. We’re expecting a power figure somewhere between 300 and 335 kW.www.motorauthority.com  

Much has been made of the significance of the two-door M3's name change to M4. But both M3 and M4 will live on in the 2014 model year, despite the nomenclatural bifurcation.The real test, of course, will be how the new M4 drives. If it's lighting lap times on fire and stunning stoplight racers, the name will be a technicality.Fortunately, we may not have long to wait now. In an interview with Motor Trend, BMW M Performance Automobiles's managing director Friedrich Nitschke has confirmed both the M3 sedan and M4 coupe will be at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.So what can we expect next January? The 2014 BMW M4 is expected to focus on performance through lightness, shaving weight from the standard 4-Series wherever possible. Add to that a turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine cranking out something north of 310kW and you have the start of a good recipe.The same engine is expected in the 2014 M3 sedan, and most of the rest of the performance equipment should be shared between the two, though adjustments to account for tuning differences will be made. Among the other performance-enhancers expected for the M3/M4 duo is an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, lower and stiffer suspension, wider wheels and tires, upgraded brakes, and a range of aerodynamic changes to the exterior. For more details, see our 2014 BMW M3 spy shots.www.motorauthority.com  

Looking rather resplendent in its bright orange paintwork, this final performance two-door marks the end of a truly wonderful era. Why is this the last coupe? Because the brand will apply the M moniker to the upcoming 4-Series coupe going forward. M4 certainly doesn't have the same ring to it, but we will all get used to it in time. It will likely still be one of the best driver's cars on the road, and remain a performance target for other manufacturers. Still, it's a bit sad that we can't speak about the latest M3 coupe anymore. That's been a favorite bit of news to look forward to over the last few decades, and each iteration provided something new and special for the next generation of enthusiasts who were lucky enough to afford the highly capable machines. From E30 through E92, the generations of the BMW M3 coupe still find fans of all ages. Will these folks covet the M4 in the same way? Most likely... but we still prefer the old badge, and we wouldn't be surprised if a few 3 badges wind up on the tails of the 4. Kicking it older school with some new school tech is a way to celebrate the future while remembering the past. www.motorauthority.com  

... and this M4 proves it. It is being tested at the Nurburgring just as official pictures of the regular 4 Series coupe go public, and Carparazzi sources say it will continue with a six-cylinder engine, but wearing up to three turbochargers for maximum go. Here later this year.

It's gone through quite a few evolutions across its varied generations, and each version finds a large crowd of enthusiasts that claim their favorite is the best version. Be it E30, E36, E46, and so on, each one has something to offer for anyone with a love of cars and driving enjoyment or merely anyone with a pulse. One of the greatest M3 models ever produced, however, is undoubtedly the 2003 M3 CSL. Already a powerful performer, BMW took the E46 a few steps further when it introduced the CSL variant. The goal with this car was to reduce weight in order to push performance. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer was used throughout the body, the seats were swapped out for lighter-weight units, and the sound deadening was removed. The brakes were upgraded, as was the suspension, transmission, and even the engine. The result was a BMW M3 that could lap the Nürburgring in under eight minutes, and then be driven home and parked lovingly in your garage. That is, if you could scoop up one of these ultra-rare beasts. Just under 1,400 examples were produced with approximately zero officially sold here in North America. Of course, a few slipped through the borders, and seeing one in the flesh is a wild treat. A flock of BMW M3 CSL owners recently came together to celebrate the vehicles 10th birthday. In fact, 50 lucky CSL owners banded together to hang out and share their love of a fabulous machine. BMW put it on video, and it's worth a watch just for a few looks at the M3 CSL. www.motorauthority.com