Will the 2014 M3 be a one year model like the 2008 e90 M3???

[mkoesel]

While that appears to be a reasonably complete list for the E90 3 Series, it is important to keep in mind that none of the exterior changes effected the E90 M3 except the rear tail lights and the deck lid which had to be changed only because the shape of the tail light housing itself changed. The reason is (which I am sure you know a aajami, but I want to mention it for others benefit), that the M3 has it's own unique bodywork which remains the same for the entire life cycle of the vehicle.

Regarding the iDrive upgrade, we must remember that it effected not just the E90/E91 but the E92/E93 as well (and, I believe other BMW model lines as well). As such it is not strictly part of the LCI improvements and in fact non-aesthetic technology upgrades like this can come at any time for any model, including mid-model year. I emphasize this point because it demonstrates that just waiting for the LCI does not guarantee you will not miss out on certain significant improvements over the life of the car.

But, yes, F80 buyers please take note now: your car's tail lights will be superseded by LED lights sometime in late 2015, and a retrofit will likely be expensive even if the shape of the tail light housing does not change this time around (which is unknown at this point).

Originally Posted by aajami

The LCI for the E90 came one year after the E90M's introduction, not the regular E90. The changes for the E90 included:

• New headlights
• New taillights
• New trunk
• New side skirts
• New hood
• New front bumper
• New rear bumper
• New generation iDrive
• New wheels

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by gee-m-w

Everyone here is a history expert and it doesn't help us see the future.

I disagree. Obviously we cannot predict what BMW will do with 100% certainty, but there are patterns that develop over time and can be a good predictor of what is coming up next.

Everyone is certainly entitled to their own beliefs however.

[F9T]

Originally Posted by aajami

F10 M5 came out in the US in July of 2012. ZCP became available for the F10M in September of 2013.

True. I was referring to Europe but I guess it makes more sense to compare US launch.

[tlp]

Originally Posted by gee-m-w

Everyone here is a history expert and it doesn't help us see the future.

It's not rational to assume that car companies will be completely predictable. Companies like Tesla are pushing the envelope and challenging every assumption. A company like BMW isn't just competing with Audi and Mercedes, and whatever those three incestuous manufacturers do makes them more similar than alike.

Making the M3 a completely different model designation is an inch in the right direction. BMW has an absurd number of models right now. It may not be possible to refresh every model in a big bang every 3-4 years. Maybe they will end up embracing a continuous improvement program where small changes are made each year or 1/2 year.

You must be new to BMW's. You can practically set your watch to LCI & ZCP when it comes to the M3/M4. It is 100% foreseeable. It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when. LCI typically coincides with the LCI deployment of the donor platform (F30/F32) and then ZCP follows suit. The engineers at Garching just wrapped up the simultaneous release of M3/M4 which happened for the first time ahead of time. The next step will be R&D for the Comp Package and then exploring technology and materials for possible GTS/CSL variants.

[gee-m-w]

No one even thought they would actually call it the M4. Or that they would start with the N54 for the motor. Or that they would give the M its own chassis code. The car looks freaking perfect. What would you all change? Is there anything about it that makes you think it would not sell well for 5 years?

The F30 series on the other hand probably needs an update. It's simply not that great in a competitive market.

Big Bang changes are stupid. Making one improvement each year or half year allows the product managers to get feedback on what people actually want. It also results in a better fleet of vehicles, because updates end up in more cars. And it creates an incentive to actually buy the car the last year it's made.

Waiting 3 years for iDrive updates is beyond stupid. They should be making major updates to it every 12 months, like any other mobile platform.

[tlp]

Originally Posted by gee-m-w

No one even thought they would actually call it the M4. Or that they would start with the N54 for the motor. Or that they would give the M its own chassis code. The car looks freaking perfect. What would you all change? Is there anything about it that makes you think it would not sell well for 5 years?

The F30 series on the other hand probably needs an update. It's simply not that great in a competitive market.

Big Bang changes are stupid. Making one improvement each year or half year allows the product managers to get feedback on what people actually want. It also results in a better fleet of vehicles, because updates end up in more cars. And it creates an incentive to actually buy the car the last year it's made.

Waiting 3 years for iDrive updates is beyond stupid. They should be making major updates to it every 12 months, like any other mobile platform.

I'm sure that it well sell well for the next 5 years. BMW is not the type of company that is going to rest on their laurels and freeze the platform for 7. The 3/4 seriese is their bread & butter. Updates, enhancements and the Life cycle update will carry and move upstream to the M3/M4 as they always have. Waiting two or three years means nothing to me. I will let all of the hype, data and growing pains work itself through first. No sense in paying MSRP for the car when you don't have to. Not too mention, I am very content with my current M3 and have spent a lot time/money dialing it in as a practical sports car and occasional track tool.

Take a step back and compare the resale values of the 1995, 2001 & 2008 M3's. These are the first gen years of M3. They typically carry a very low resale value, desirability and command entry level buyers trying to inch themselves into the car. Granted that F8XM appears to be the bomb today but I can guarantee you that folks said and felt the exact same way when the prior generations were released. The only constant is change and change is good. . I've owned a few M3's. Every one was in the middle of it's lifecycle and I enjoyed the best that the gen had to offer. In fact, I remember pushing out my build date for one week so that could get BMW Apps. That turned out to be a wise decision for me. Never regretted the decision or lamented that I could have had the car earlier.

Also, go visit the F10M5 boards. There is a thread that a dealer in PA has two new 2013 M5's that are 17k off MSRP. One is Monte Carlo Blue and the other is Singapore Grey. Both are nice easy to sell colors. Folks are speculating that the introduction of the Competition Package in 2014 is the primary reason why the cars aren't moving.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by gee-m-w

No one even thought they would actually call it the M4. Or that they would start with the N54 for the motor.

This is patently false. Many people predicted these things. It was not hard to guess at all given the 4 Series branding coming and given the S63 M V8 being based on the N63 Series V8.

The car looks freaking perfect. What would you all change? Is there anything about it that makes you think it would not sell well for 5 years?

Car companies evolve products as they age. This is fact. And it happens regardless of whether enthusiasts think the product needs changing or not. It is a marketing strategy not a matter of the product's merits.

Big Bang changes are stupid. Making one improvement each year or half year allows the product managers to get feedback on what people actually want.

...

Waiting 3 years for iDrive updates is beyond stupid. They should be making major updates to it every 12 months, like any other mobile platform.

Please refrain from mouthing off, especially when you lack proper perspective and knowledge. Changing an automobile is not like changing a cell phone. It's a much more complex system and more is at stake when things go wrong. Automakers must plan product updates years in advance of their release.

[Suave]

Originally Posted by Raikkonen

While I agree with all of you, as an early adopter of a 2006 330i, I was very disappointed when BMW announced their twin-turbo six after a single model year. This coming AFTER I had just made a personal, $50k investment.

My only point is that some people may want to enjoy having a current car for three calendar years, as opposed to one model year, especially after having made a $75k investment.

Keep in mind, we can always dissect exactly what the scenario was when these cars were released, but now, 5-6 years later, if I were in the market for an e90 M3, I would look only at 2009 and later model years. The same being true for an e46 M3; I would buy the latest year and best model available.

The same holds true for a 2006 330i or 2007 335i. If I were in the market today, I don't even think I would consider the 330i, especially if prices are the same.

For people who sell their cars several years after purchasing them, factors such as these are very important.

YES!! Look at my profile pic! I was a victim of the one year 06 model and took a big hit on depreciation. I was livid about the quick change. Now I am in for a f82 early next year and things like no LED lights just kill me to understand. So I will have awesome full LED in front and old school lights in the back for 75k. I will make the dealer commit to swap them out as part of sale!

[hwelvaar]

Originally Posted by gee-m-w

No one even thought they would actually call it the M4. Or that they would start with the N54

They started with the N55, not N54.

[Raikkonen]

Originally Posted by Suave

YES!! Look at my profile pic! I was a victim of the one year 06 model and took a big hit on depreciation. I was livid about the quick change. Now I am in for a f82 early next year and things like no LED lights just kill me to understand. So I will have awesome full LED in front and old school lights in the back for 75k. I will make the dealer commit to swap them out as part of sale!

I'm right there with you! It's amazing how important things like led tails/turn signals can be...

I have to say though, the ULTIMATE screw job was performed by Audi when the new A4 was introduced for 2009. It had standard bulb tail lights for ONE MODEL YEAR (!) befor they went to full led tails for 2010...the threads on Audi forums are off of the charts for the update conversion to the 2010 tails!!!

I'm aware of the fact that I sound ridiculous, but I'm willing to wait for the lci, especially if the cosmetic upgrades are readily apparent to someone like myself. I guess it's my $70k + after all, but to each their own. I was just curious to see what everyone else thought.

[signes]

Originally Posted by tlp

Take a step back and compare the resale values of the 1995, 2001 & 2008 M3's. These are the first gen years of M3. They typically carry a very low resale value, desirability and command entry level buyers trying to inch themselves into the car.

I would actually like to see data on these model years and compare to other years at the same point in the car's life. I.e. price of an 08 M3 in 2013 (~5 years old) against a comparable 2012 for example in 2017 when it is 5 years old with comparable mileage/options/condition. I would be surprised if they differed that much.

[lux]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

This is patently false. Many people predicted these things. It was not hard to guess at all given the 4 Series branding coming and given the S63 M V8 being based on the N63 Series V8.



Car companies evolve products as they age. This is fact. And it happens regardless of whether enthusiasts think the product needs changing or not. It is a marketing strategy not a matter of the product's merits.

Please refrain from mouthing off, especially when you lack proper perspective and knowledge. Changing an automobile is not like changing a cell phone. It's a much more complex system and more is at stake when things go wrong. Automakers must plan product updates years in advance of their release.

Gee-m-w does have a point. The consumer electronic market has spoiled potential BMW customers. We expect spectacular upgrades at least every 12 months or sooner---think smart phones, laptops, TVs etc... So why should BMW be surprised if their customers expect the same from their cars? Yes it is complicated and expensive for a car manufacturer to do yearly updates but that is where the technology market is moving.

Korean car makers have proven they are more nimble than their Japanese/American counterparts. They listen carefully to their customers and institute rapid changes. This is one of the reasons they were able to grow market share during the recession.