Spied: 2014 F80 M3 Sedan Gets Power Dome (Hood Bulge)!

[jaehshim]

3 series has been the ONLY BMW lineup i loved all along, and especially the M3 sedans since E36s.
Turbo M is still not in my formula, although this will be a tank with all the torques.
Keeping my E90 M3 forever. I should start saving for a 991 turbo...like in 10 yrs lol

[RickyRaz]

YESSSS! This is gonna look so mean!

[antzcrashing]

word!

[Tunisie-G]

///My next car

[nick3753]

Originally Posted by aajami

Maybe, but I doubt it. The F80 has been testing for months and months without a hood bulge. I have a hard time believing that the physical shape of the engine has changed (through the addition of ITBs, for example), where it mounts to on the frame has moved, or that a different, larger engine is under the hood in order to warrant the change in the hood's sheet metal all of a sudden.

For what it's worth, the e9x test mules did not have a power dome if I recall correctly. Regardless I'm sure its probably for looks this time around.

[eMvy]

Originally Posted by ///MPower

Oh god here come the 'purists' who will look down on what will probably once again be a class leading car just because something on it might only be for aesthetics. You think every last cosmetic element on your E90 has nothing but a functional reason?

Do you also look down on any F30 3 series with the M Sport package because that is a purely cosmetic package now.

+1

I wanted to comment but I don't need to anymore.

[GOLFFRR]

now we are getting somewhere

[Chico]

what an awesome car. I'm definitely getting this beast.

[eMvy]

Keep in mind that rumors of a v6 where very real because it provides more room for FI plumbing, engine placement, etc. It looks like an I6 is going to happen and the need for a bulge may be very real.

If not, who the hell cares, it adds a lot of character to the car and that's something that can't be argued.

[ATX78703]

let the striptease begin...

[Cuz5150]

Yes!!! Power dome

[Nang Vann]

loving the bulge in the hood!

[tyler9595]

Is this car REALLY going to take another 18 months to get to the U.S? My lease is up in February! Hurry the hell up, BMW!!

[1sckride]

I think I'm getting a bulge

[Mangler]

maybe they redesigned the air box for more airflow rather than put that horrible layout from the N54 on it. Surely the F80 engine could not breath through that setup.

T

[norMcal]

Originally Posted by aajami

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I think the hood bulge fits the car's sporty character, makes it look more aggressive than without, and offers some additional sheet metal differences from its F30 sibling. On the other, I'm a firm believer in form following function wherever possible, and unless BMW shoved a new engine under that bonnet over the weekend, it looks like the hood bulge is purely aesthetic, which is a bit... sad.

That goes hand in hand with having the engine sound amplified through the stereo (M5)

[aajami]

Originally Posted by Sauber F1

That goes hand in hand with having the engine sound amplified through the stereo (M5)

Luckily, I don't have any mixed feelings about that "feature"

[aajami]

Originally Posted by nick3753

For what it's worth, the e9x test mules did not have a power dome if I recall correctly. Regardless I'm sure its probably for looks this time around.

Yeah, they did. The S65's plenum doesn't clear the non-M E9X hood:

[///M1]

Question is: "Is this a faux bulge, or actually has some real application/service".

Not a big fan is it's there purely for cosmetic purposes, leave the wannabe items for the aftermarket.

[Remonster]

Originally Posted by mhabs

No one seems to complain about the side gills even though they have no real function (besides blinkers) but now truly define the M cars..why can't the same be said for the power dome? If anything makes perfect sense in having BMW want potential customers to believe that the M heritage is alive and well in the looks department even though it is absent in the lack of normally-aspirated heritage in the engine department.

The side gills vent hot air out of the engine bay.

On a similar note, the hood bulge will probably help with cooling so I'd be glad to have it. On the E9x M3, the V8 engine fits fine without the hood bulge, but it's there to allow more air to flow over the top of the engine to keep it cool so it's possible that they tested the car without a bulge and are now testing it with one to see how much of a difference it makes but who knows.

I could be wrong about the V8 fitting under the E9x hood, but I remember reading that the bulge was mainly for airflow over the engine.

[tlp]

Looks like a e90 M3 had a one night stand with the F10 M5 or its just a LCI mk II e90 M3. Not impressed or moved at this stage.

[Harold Wood]

That dome looks like a vent to me