KEY POINTS:
One of the world's most desirable sports coupes has quietly slipped into the New Zealand market, without fanfare, dancing girls or the usual press knees-up.
BMW wanted to unveil its new two-door M3 at a special outing on the Taupo race track, but the crowded new-vehicle launch calendar
stymied plans for the two-day event. Instead, the company will wheel out the high-performance niche model over the next couple of months through its dealer network.
The fourth-generation M3 coupe is available in two variants, a first for the model. The so-called standard version costs $170,000 and the HP (high performance) $182,000. Both are powered by a 4-litre V8 engine delivering 309kW (420bhp) and 400Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Both also sprint from zero to 100km/h in a claimed 4.8 seconds.
But whereas the standard M3 has a governed top speed of 250km/h (155mph), the HP's engine management system has been tweaked to produce a higher governed top speed of 280km/h (172mph).
This puts the HP in go-faster Porsche territory. The HP also comes with special features, including 19-inch wheels, high-gloss paint, high-end audio system - and a free driver training package.
This is the first time BMW has used a V8 engine in an M3. Previous M3s were powered by four- and six-cylinder units.
The new engine block comes from the company's light-alloy foundry in Landshut, on the outskirts of Munich. The same foundry builds the engine blocks BMW Sauber uses in Formula One racing.
The 4-litre V8 spins through to a high-revving 8400rpm. Peak torque arrives at 3900rpm, much lower in the rev range than the previous M3. More than 85 per cent of torque is pretty much always on tap, says BMW.
It says the new M3 is 17 per cent more powerful than its six-cylinder predecessor but weighs 7 per cent less. The use of a carbon-fibre roof, aluminium bonnet and aluminium suspension components helps here.
Other lightweight engineering measures and the roll of a brake energy-regeneration system reduces fuel usage by around 8 per cent, says BMW.
The system uses a beefed-up alternator and battery to recycle previously lost energy. The alternator reduces drag on the engine by working only when the battery needs charging, thus saving fuel. A traditional alternator is always pulling power from the engine.
BMW reckons the M3 is good for town-and-around consumption of 12.4 litres/100km, or 23 mpg.
The carmaker aims to sell more than 100,000 units of the fourth-generation M3 worldwide. The first-generation M3 (1986) sold 18,000; the second-generation (1992) 72,000; the third-generation (1999) 90,000.
The M3 coupe will be joined early next year in New Zealand by a M3 sedan. The four-door is expected to cost around $160,000. -