BMW F80 M3 Hood Bulge Likely a Functional Heat Extractor Vent?

[as7920]

Originally Posted by bimmerjph

I was looking at the older pictures of the F80 and it appears that the camo would have been thick enough to hide the bulge. This makes me think that it has been there since the beginning. So even if it isn't an extractor it could still be functional.

Agreed. Looked myself and there seems to have been an extra camo lid which has simply been removed to reveal this.

There is a big gap between this 'extra' bonnet and the windscreen so maybe all the 'functional' testing of the vent has been completed?

[Bubajay]

Originally Posted by mlhj83

Not sure if anyone has noticed, but there seems to be air intakes on the edge of the bonnet. They definitely don't look like irregular panel gaps that we often see with development cars. The gaps look very accurately designed despite the camo, very much like the ones on the 458 italia.

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Great find! I am very interested to see this. It seems popular nowadays to make deep lines in the car, as seen in the California, Scion FR-S, and now this. I can't wait to see more!

[Ian///M]

I believe that the bump in the hood is to house the microphone to pick up engine noise to play back through the audio system

[hwelvaar]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

I believe that the bump in the hood is to house the microphone to pick up engine noise to play back through the audio system

LOL

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by mlhj83

Not sure if anyone has noticed, but there seems to be air intakes on the edge of the bonnet. They definitely don't look like irregular panel gaps that we often see with development cars. The gaps look very accurately designed despite the camo, very much like the ones on the 458 italia.

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Awesome find! BMW recently applied for a patent on some aero like this- and a flow through A-Pillar.

Will be real interesting to see what's going on with the underside of that hood, especially if they are using CFRP since they could make some real involved ducts! Cooling and aero are all good! There is a new MINI video about how with the Performance minded GP they were able to tune the aero to basically eliminate 90% of lift- can't imagine what M can do.

I love this whole car and it almost seems that it is stepping up to where the M5 was in terms of functional performance and the M5 is now more like the never produced M7- that's just my take.

[Uli_HH]

But such an "Functional Heat Extractor Vent" makes only really functional sence - in the case of an turboengine - if under the bonnet is an V-engine with the turbos atop of the engine, in the V.

Second thing after the recently shown exhaust design what would screaming V6 !!!

Greets Uli_HH

[zzzmmm]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

I believe that the bump in the hood is to house the microphone to pick up engine noise to play back through the audio system

I agree lmao.
i hope i can't notice it when going deep in the M5. I wonder how much money went into making the race car noises. Maybe they held a contest to see who could make the best vroom vroom noises? Would of been better if they just pumped that money into an option that had a better sound aka exhaust. Hopefully when it arrives, it sounds sick so no need to worry until my buddy says why didn't they pump lambo noises in the cockpit?

[James T. Kirk]

The power dome, functional or not, at least is an improvement.
The real question is, what the heck are they going to do with the rest of the ugly design?
.

[pkimM3r]

if the front end looks like the e46 csl....yumm...all these renders are just the current m fronts....getting too used to it.

[turbosc297]

Perhaps there will be V-mounted turbos and the "heat vent" in question may provide airflow to a TMIC instead of a FMIC... would shorten the intake plumbing by several feet per side

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by aajami

All is forgiven.

Dude, you got me with that one....

[Kayani_1]

I would love to see a Hood bulge/dome similar to the one on E92 M GT2 cars that are functional.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by switch311

well the M group is known to do nonfunctional things for looks on a lot of there cars so it wouldn't surprise me if its just for atheistics either (see the fender vents on the e46 m3)

Agree overall but the side fender vents are functional on the E46 M3 (at least one side) and non functional on the E9X M3.

[hwelvaar]

What's up with the "is this functional" debate ?

Are bad-ass rims functional ? No. They provide looks.
Are 4 tail pipes functional? No. You can do with two. They just provide looks.
Is 10 different color options functional ? No. They provide looks.
Is M3 badging on the trunk and on the doorsteps functional ? No. Looks.
Are the body shape curves on the sides functional? No. Design/looks.
Are the the curves in the front fender functional? Design/looks.

Yes, this is over-simplified, but it's to make a point.

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by Ian///M

I believe that the bump in the hood is to house the microphone to pick up engine noise to play back through the audio system

and

[chrisbmwcy]

I like the orange color on the F30!

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by hwelvaar

What's up with the "is this functional" debate ?

Are bad-ass rims functional ? No. They provide looks.
Are 4 tail pipes functional? No. You can do with two. They just provide looks.
Is 10 different color options functional ? No. They provide looks.
Is M3 badging on the trunk and on the doorsteps functional ? No. Looks.
Are the body shape curves on the sides functional? No. Design/looks.
Are the the curves in the front fender functional? Design/looks.

Yes, this is over-simplified, but it's to make a point.

Your point has some validity however, the items under discussion here are different in a key way. On many cars, and in many designs, the features in question are very functional. Thus we have the case of some bit of faking/posering. BMW takes a design element that is often or typically a FUNCTIONAL element and uses it as a purely aesthetic NON-FUNCTIONAL element. BMW M has been known traditionally to place a large emphasis on functional design. Functional design is both a philosophy and a true benefit.

Taken to the extreme the more non functional design elements in a vehicle that are based in functional ones and the more the car turns into a ricer. No one wants an M3 ricer (well at least 95% of us don't...).

[doc19]

Originally Posted by sameh

You're being sarcastic, right? Cause our M3 has at least 3 Non functional features.

Fender vents, right hood intake and right bumper intake? That is all I can think of looking at my car. I guess you could argue that the quad exhaust is purely aesthetic as well.

I can give the fender vents a pass, it is a nod to the e46... and the other two are for balance so that's fine, just as long as one side or the other is functional. Not so sure I could give a purely aesthetic hood bulge a pass though. I know on the e9x the bulge is there to fit the V8 and have enough air to circulate around the engine - they mentioned it in a BMW documentary on how the engineers from M went to powers that be and told them there needed to be a bulge to get the engine to fit/work correctly, so they added a bulge. I guess we won't know for sure what the purpose of the f8x's bulge until we get a look under the hood.

Put me in the group that thinks M cars are supposed to be low key. Part of the reason I went with the sedan is that I want people just to see another 3 series w/ nice wheels. If I wanted something flashy I would have bought a Porsche.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by doc19

I know on the e9x the bulge is there to fit the V8 and have enough air to circulate around the engine - they mentioned it in a BMW documentary on how the engineers from M went to powers that be and told them there needed to be a bulge to get the engine to fit/work correctly, so they added a bulge.

I believe I also read that the bulge served to help meet pedestrian impact safety requirements. Not at all saying it is not also for cooling but it was multipurpose.

[onefastdoc]

Originally Posted by Hoosiers

Yeah if this is a functional heat extractor it helps push me towards the turbo although I am still bitter they're leaving the high rev scene. Honestly, I feel they need more than 450hp to really satisfy me in the engine department if we're settling for a turbo. "But horsepower isn't everything" well when the other turbo cars are pushing 500 plus, M needs to at least be in the ballpark as I don't think it'll lose much weight.

Exactly. That's why I traded in my E90 M3 for a 2012 GT-R. It didn't have enough horsepower, and I didn't think the next M3 would either. I do miss the BMW build quality, fit and finish, aesthetics, and high revving engine......but the 630hp my GT-R has makes up for it.

[flinchy]

Ah so it has an evo style bonnet?

[Nang Vann]

Im sold!

Really like that render, cant wait for this beast to come out!