BMW to produce 4 door M3 GTS - E90 lightweight M3

another car us U.S. people don't get, i'm sure they'll sell out fast

Originally Posted by Yukohama

another car us U.S. people don't get, i'm sure they'll sell out fast

This just doesn't even make much sense to me. Was there some big outcry for a 4 door GTS?

I don't understand, they still have pre-lci being produced?

Originally Posted by Sticky

This just doesn't even make much sense to me. Was there some big outcry for a 4 door GTS?

I bet it's more like a general outcry for more GTS from those who couldn't get their hands on them. I know before the facelift the E90 was lighter and stiffer than the E92, not sure if the facelifted E90 is any different but maybe that's part of the reasoning?

Originally Posted by dOpEdUpM3

I don't understand, they still have pre-lci being produced?

Dont think that's the actual model.

maybe they just wanted to make another special edition and sell it for a high profit

Originally Posted by Remonster

I bet it's more like a general outcry for more GTS from those who couldn't get their hands on them. I know before the facelift the E90 was lighter and stiffer than the E92, not sure if the facelifted E90 is any different but maybe that's part of the reasoning?

They should just produce more E92 GTS cars. This is an answer to a question nobody asked.

Originally Posted by dOpEdUpM3

I don't understand, they still have pre-lci being produced?

It is just a mule.

my gut says this rumor is not true

I would totally take one.

As far as the front end is concerned, the M3s never got a facelift. Look at the E46s, they had the 99-00 front end until the end of production..even though they got updated tailights, interior etc. Its just something they do I guess.

Originally Posted by Remonster

... I know before the facelift the E90 was lighter and stiffer than the E92, not sure if the facelifted E90 is any different but maybe that's part of the reasoning?

This is a myth. The E36 sedan was stiffer than the E36 coupe, yes. But the same is not true of the E90/E92. So says someone from BMW a couple of years ago. Sorry, I cannot find the post right now, but I believe it was the head of the M division talking to the public who said this. Also, the M3's never got all of the facelift that the other 3 series did.

Whether or not BMW makes an E90 GTS M3, I really doubt we'll ever get a chance at one in the US. But, we'll see. It seems everyone considered the E90 to be very much heavier than the E92. In fact, it was only by a few pounds and this was only if they were fully optioned. It is likely that there are M3 sedans out there that are lighter than some coupes. So a lightweight M3 sedan makes sense to me. I just wish they started all the M3s this way: light. Sigh.


Cheers.

Originally Posted by black bnr32

my gut says this rumor is not true

I feel the same way but it would be a colossal mistake from a major German publication.

Originally Posted by ersin

This is a myth. The E36 sedan was stiffer than the E36 coupe, yes. But the same is not true of the E90/E92. So says someone from BMW a couple of years ago. Sorry, I cannot find the post right now, but I believe it was the head of the M division talking to the public who said this. Also, the M3's never got all of the facelift that the other 3 series did.

Whether or not BMW makes an E90 GTS M3, I really doubt we'll ever get a chance at one in the US. But, we'll see. It seems everyone considered the E90 to be very much heavier than the E92. In fact, it was only by a few pounds and this was only if they were fully optioned. It is likely that there are M3 sedans out there that are lighter than some coupes. So a lightweight M3 sedan makes sense to me. I just wish they started all the M3s this way: light. Sigh.


Cheers.

Actually it isn't a myth, I've seen a list of the torsional rigidity of a bunch of cars (from Bimmers to the Veyron) and I remember there being a significant difference between the sedan, coupe and convertible though the E90 and E92 are much closer with the E93 being way less stiff. All three of them are way stiffer than the competition, though and a humongous step beyond the E46 generation which was, itself, a huge step up from the E36 generation.

Also, you can see the weights of E90 vs E92 on BMW's website, the sedan is now 20lbs heavier but the pre-LCI was ~50-100 lighter than the LCI.

These aren't huge differences and you'd likely never notice, I was just thinking out loud trying to explain how BMW might market such a car. At the end of the day, I agree with Sticky they should have just made more coupes but I guess variety never hurt anyone.

Originally Posted by Remonster

Actually it isn't a myth, I've seen a list of the torsional rigidity of a bunch of cars (from Bimmers to the Veyron) and I remember there being a significant difference between the sedan, coupe and convertible though the E90 and E92 are much closer with the E93 being way less stiff. All three of them are way stiffer than the competition, though and a humongous step beyond the E46 generation which was, itself, a huge step up from the E36 generation.

Also, you can see the weights of E90 vs E92 on BMW's website, the sedan is now 20lbs heavier but the pre-LCI was ~50-100 lighter than the LCI.

These aren't huge differences and you'd likely never notice, I was just thinking out loud trying to explain how BMW might market such a car. At the end of the day, I agree with Sticky they should have just made more coupes but I guess variety never hurt anyone.

No, the sedan is not stiffer than the coupe for the E90/E92 M3. I'd like to see the numbers, if you can track then down.

The LCI and pre-LCI weights are exactly the same -- the pre LCI coupe was not 50-100 lbs lighter; just 20 lbs. So close that it really comes down to options. Some M3 sedans are lighter than some coupes. I've never seen any numbers so I'll really like to see the respective weights with no options, no driver, no luggage and no gas. I suspect that these weights may be further apart since the coupe is available with a CF roof.

I agree with Sticky too: they should have made more coupe GTS M3s. However, they really should have sold them here in the US. They only made 30 GTS coupes (if I'm not mistaken). If this sedan GTS rumor is true, I wonder how many they'll make this time.

Ok, this is my area of interest, fitting my philosophy that if your car isn't mid-engine then it oughtta have 4 doors, but that if one MUST drive a grocery getter - which is how i view front-engined vehicles with or without rear seats - then one should get the fastest, best-handling one possible to wear that "my other car is a McLaren F1" sticker, to wit: An M3 sedan is the finest grocery getter made by humans which also happens to trounce some supercars, and a GTS sedan would be the finest of the fine. Ie: the finest compromise between peoplemover and mindblower.

If i had the money i'd go to Europe for one in a heartbeat. It would simply be THE car to have, in my book. But i'd rather have a TS'd e36 with a McLaren chaser .

Just my .02.

Originally Posted by Sorena

man E90 chassis is stronger than E92 , numbers are posted in another thread here , not sure where.
i think E90 torsional rigidity of E90 is rated 5000 NM more than E92's.

Would like the exact figures.

Originally Posted by Sorena

i can't remember where it was posted ,i thought you would know it better.

I don't ever remember seeing those figures...

Pretty good looking.