
This wider bodyshell is not just cosmetic, but is rather essential to accommodate the wider track as well as appropriately wide tyres and wheels. Rather, all modifications versus the series model apply the strict principle of "form follows function", at the same time offering the very best in aesthetic design and cultivated style.įrom the side, the body of the BMW M3 including the wheel arches is much wider than that of the "regular" Coupé (up by 20 millimetres or 0.79" ).įurther highlights to be admired from the side are the intake "gills" and the M3 logo in the front side panels. Precisely this is where the new power unit of the BMW M3 offers all its superior features, beneath this slight bulge in the middle of the bonnet.Ī feature characteristic of the entire car in its appearance is that no single design element is for show purposes alone.


And a particular feature is that despite this lower weight, the engine compartment lid offers the same stiffness and crash safety as the steel plate lid on the "basic" Coupé.Ī further sign of distinction clearly visible on the engine compartment lid of the BMW M3 again sets the car aside from other models in the BMW 3-Series - the so-called Powerdome. Made of aluminium, the engine compartment lid is approximately 40 per cent lighter than a comparable lid made of steel plate. But thanks to the new front air dam with its integrated foglamps in elliptical design as well as large air intakes, the BMW M3 clearly stands out from all other versions of the BMW 3-Series. In its design, the third-generation BMW M3 again follows in the footsteps of the first generation, albeit without spoilers and striking, extra-wide wheel arches.

And once again, the third edition of this world-famous sports car from Munich excelled from the start through even more performance, more dynamism and even more unique design, clearly setting this special model apart from the other versions of the BMW 3-Series.įrom the very beginning, the first tests published by motor journals clearly proved that the BMW M3 is a particularly powerful sports coupé of the highest calibre, with truly unparalleled performance. The third generation of the BMW M3, this time based on the E46 model series coupé, made its debut in the year 2000.
