2014 M3 F80 Returns to Honing at the Ring

[aajami]

Originally Posted by Jblack4083

Well then it raises the question of why is it still covered up... I think it will still share the coupe's front end. Isnt the E9x - F3x / F8x transition supposedly evolutionary not revolutionary

Scott has come on record several times as saying that the F30 and F32 will look distinct from each other, more so than than E90 and E92 did. The F80 and F82 will widen this disparity between the sedan and coupe even further.

[SCOTT26]

Once the car's progress through the final development stages , you will eventually see the final look and color as we get close to final sign off.
All cars are initially Black to allow movement underneath the cover of darkness , stealth-like. Although given Winter testing conditions they have started to paint as white against the backdrop of snow.

A prototype once it leaves the FIZ is tested extensively within private BMW testing grounds in Germany and France for the first few months , before it is seen publically. Of course testing within the FIZ also continues what with the BMW wind kanal and weather condition simulators amongst other simulators and programmes.
All new prototypes , however are trucked to the internal location initially.

The camouflage becomes minimal once we get close to launch and the prototypes are the first test production models which are finished to the same standards as a customer car. However original prototypes still remain to test right towards the end before all prototypes are recycled and crushed , everything you see in scoops has a development life and then it is terminated and that includes first production prototypes.

Cars used in photography and film are , depending on the timescale are early prototypes , and again once film and photography has taken place they are crushed. As again they are the first off the line to enable film and photography to commence well ahead of initial launch. Six months is feasable to shoot , film , edit and mix sound and music and create visuals if required.

[Marioalex24]

Thanks Scott for the update.

BTW I been reading more rumors on different sites about the m3 being a V6 for sure. How close is that of being true?

[SchnellM3]

No power bump

[Jblack4083]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

It isn't really a big mystery. It is still covered up for the same reason the F10 M5 was still covered up when testing even though the F10 5 series had been out for over a year. The F80 will not use the exact same front end as the F30, it will derive from it. So, they keep it covered because they don't want to show it yet.



The coupes will continue to veer further from the sedans as they have with each successive generation. This time, BMW will apply the same formula to the M models as well, with no shared exterior parts. Just look at the 5 vs. 6 or M5 vs. M6 - that is the direction they will head with the 3/4 and M3/M4.

Understandable. Well maybe saying it will share the coupe's front end was going too far but I feel like there's going to be something different about it, even if it means the grilles are sharper or slimmer or something. I feel as though they dont look like the F30 prototypes we've seen before it was released.

Originally Posted by aajami

Scott has come on record several times as saying that the F30 and F32 will look distinct from each other, more so than than E90 and E92 did. The F80 and F82 will widen this disparity between the sedan and coupe even further.

Just because the F30 and F32 will look different doesn't mean the F30 will look exactly like the F80...

[BMWBoss]

Is it me, or does it look a little high?

[aajami]

Originally Posted by Jblack4083

Understandable. Well maybe saying it will share the coupe's front end was going too far but I feel like there's going to be something different about it, even if it means the grilles are sharper or slimmer or something. I feel as though they dont look like the F30 prototypes we've seen before it was released.




Just because the F30 and F32 will look different doesn't mean the F30 will look exactly like the F80...

Agreed, and I don't think that they will. Aside from the obvious differences with the flared fenders, I suspect that there will be some differences in the headlights and front end.

[VCMpower]

Originally Posted by Straight Dave

Thank god for the e90's.... I6 engine???

Damn "straight Dave"! Lol

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by Marioalex24

Thanks Scott for the update.

BTW I been reading more rumors on different sites about the m3 being a V6 for sure. How close is that of being true?

BMW M already knows which one it is, but we not. So both are possible, but only one will be.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by Levi

BMW M already knows which one it is, but we not. So both are possible, but only one will be.

[kueks29]

If you can believe the testimony of the photographer of this photo ...




...then comes one pipe rather from the top down the middle between the engine block and firewall and then bends away to the rear ...

[BMW86]

This will be the best M3 yet but I hope it has a lot more than 450hp stock. Otherwise it will have a hard time against the current C63 V8.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Jblack4083

Understandable. Well maybe saying it will share the coupe's front end was going too far but I feel like there's going to be something different about it, even if it means the grilles are sharper or slimmer or something. I feel as though they dont look like the F30 prototypes we've seen before it was released.

Very possible. However, I would expect them to use as many of the parts from the F30 front end design as they can. Obviously the bumper will have more aggressive styling with larger air inlets. I imagine the head lights will carry over. It is possible they could do a different grill, but I don't think they will stray from the integrated look for headlight-to-grill transition as that appears to be a key distinctive design element for this generation of cars.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Marioalex24

Thanks Scott for the update.

BTW I been reading more rumors on different sites about the m3 being a V6 for sure. How close is that of being true?

That is actually very close to being true. It is only off by, perhaps, one letter:

"BTW I been reading more rumors on different sites about the m3 being a I6 for sure."

[Dino355]

Am I the only one that thinks it looks like a normal F30 with quad pipes?

Nothing in these pictures has me excited about this car whatsoever.

I'll reserve judgement until some pictures of the finished article surface

[BMW269]

Originally Posted by kueks29

If you can believe the testimony of the photographer of this photo ...




...then comes one pipe rather from the top down the middle between the engine block and firewall and then bends away to the rear ...

I see no V6. But is it really an M3 F80?

328i F30:





I don't believe the testimony of the photgrapher. This is a 328i F30. So V6 is always yet possible. The most obvious thing is that is it not an M diff.

[Red Bread]

Let me get this straight, we're supposed to believe that BMW builds their first V6 and puts a single sided exhaust on a V6 with two or three turbos on it? For the first time ever, a six cylinder M car actually warrants two exhaust paths and they just use one? I agree with Levi, those are pics of a bog stock 328i.

[kueks29]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

I agree with Levi, those are pics of a bog stock 328i.

Since it is the right place!

Thank you very much, so I did the alleged M3 pictures posted here once.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Let me get this straight, we're supposed to believe that BMW builds their first V6 and puts a single sided exhaust on a V6 with two or three turbos on it?

Actually, if you look at kueks past posts, he is pretty adamant that the M3 will be powered by an I6. The twist though, according to him, it is an all new I6 not based on the N55. In fact, he seems to implies that it wouldn't even be based on the long standing BMW I6 architecure which uses 91mm bore centers, but instead use a larger bore center to allow for more displacement (3.3L according to him). I and others (such as Levi and Uli) have already weighed in with our opinions of this possibility so I won't rehash here. But suffice to say I am extremely skeptical and do not consider it very likely.

At any rate, yeah, that picture is quite clearly a standard F30 328i.

[kueks29]

STOP!

Before any important things to be misinterpreted:
I was at the M GmbH in Garching early March and there was clearly stated:
-I6 with more than 3 liters

But I've also made ​​very clear that I do not the people at the M-GmbH trust from the wallpaper to the wall!
Because someone else in the series told me with a wink that it's a 3.0-liter V6 will be ...

If you ask five people are currently there, you get 10 different answers!
So I would at the present time not a cent on betting I6 or V6!

The picture is definitely a sit-328i even if the photographer is massive and continues to deny claims that it would be the new M3!
He even wanted to put his genitals in the fire. But I've already advised him to an appointment at the urologist, who must then provide the wounds!

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by kueks29

STOP!

Before any important things to be misinterpreted:

Ok...

He even wanted to put his genitals in the fire. But I've already advised him to an appointment at the urologist, who must then provide the wounds!

Speaking of misinterpreted... I am now completely baffled and a little disturbed.

[kueks29]

Hello individual
As I said, I would not bet a cent at present! Neither the I6, still on the V6!