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I'm a bit disappointed by this.
Rather than engineer a new M engine for the M3, BMW gives us some reworked N55 engine. It's the same story with the M5/6 engine from the X5/6M line. BMW is really cheaping out on the R&D of these engines.
Ya, it'll produce some good power and torque, but it's nothing special in any regard. It will probably be a 3.6L TT I6 making 450HP and redline at 7k. Not impressive at all. When you're starting to charge prices near the GT-R for your car, you need to up the performance ante here; espsecially when $30k American Muscle keeps up with you on the track. The GT-R now gets 545HP from a 3.8L TT V6, and is called the Baby Veyron/Godzilla for a reason. If you're gonna cheap up on beautiful NA racing engines and high red lines, you better bring us more power instead. 450HP is barely worth noting in the performance world today.
After saying all this, I will probably end up getting myself the F80 and doing ED on it. I just worry that BMW is becoming too soft and pandering to the crowds rather than their diehard niche. You win over the crowds by winning over the niche people; that being us performance enthusiasts for M division.
Time will tell.
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