Since 1978 BMW GmbH has produced purist performance cars that tap into the demands and aspirations of customers' ultimate driving experiences. The M division takes BMW's ingredients for dynamic production cars, listens to the market and challenges its in-house designers and engineers to produce an intoxicating recipe that satisfies a growing niche of enthusiasts. Using award-winning engines and lightweight materials in construction, an M car is both challenging and relevant to both hearts and minds.
BMW M's first car was also its only ever bespoke car. The M1 mid-engine sports car used a tubular spaceframe chassis and plastic composite body to save weight - steps that were ahead of their time compared to other road cars. Fast forward three decades and there have been 23 different models of M cars in the UK. From the M1 to the Z3 M Coupé and the M5 Touring, they are all unique cars, but each with the M DNA running through them; a pure engineering philosophy enveloped in a sporting design to make for the ultimate driving machine.
The BMW M3 Saloon is true to its roots. Its dynamic statistics are impressive and the M3 is the only performance car on the market that incorporates award-winning specialist fuel-saving and emissions-reducing systems under the banner of EfficientDynamics. For example, Brake Energy Regeneration utilises the previously lost energy of an engine on overrun to re-charge the battery. This feature alone helps the BMW M3 Saloon become one of the cleanest and fuel-efficient performance cars ever.
BMW M3 Saloon UK Version
The way an M3 Saloon's power can be transferred to the road is also unique for a BMW. Customers can specify an all-new seven-speed double-clutch manual gearbox. This not only speeds up gear changes but also cuts the zero to 62mph time, improves fuel consumption figures whilst lowering emissions.
All of the BMW M3 Saloon's technology is shrouded in an aerodynamically efficient body. BMW M encapsulates the mantra 'form follows function' and the BMW M3 Saloon is a lesson in efficiency. Whilst still offering the practicality to transport a family and their luggage in comfort, every aperture or crease of the bodywork is designed to either channel air to the engine or provide downforce. Even the wing mirrors are designed to enhance the aerodynamic characteristics. At the rear a venturi smoothes exiting air flow from underneath the car, while a lip spoiler on the boot provides an additional degree of rear downforce.
The BMW M3 Saloon comes to the UK at a time when customers are increasingly keen to marry high performance with practicality. The four-door M3 is powered by an award-winning engine with a supercar power output, yet it is also the most practical M3 the marque has ever produced.
The BMW M3 Saloon went on sale in the UK on 8 March, 2008, priced from £49,415 OTR and BMW expects to sell approximately 400 in a full sales year.
Tim Abbott, Sales Director of BMW (UK) Ltd, said: "The arrival of the BMW M3 Saloon and the M3 Convertible this spring underlines the strengths of both the 3 Series and M brands. Our heartland car, with its EfficientDynamics technologies, continues to be benchmark compact executive car and the M version displays the all round versatility of the model.
"The portfolio of M has never been as diverse as it is now; by the end of 2008 there will be three M3 models on sale, two M5s, two M6s and two Z4Ms. BMW is proud to be in a market-leading position of producing cars powered by award-winning engines that are at the pinnacle of performance yet are as clean and frugal as possible. The new M3 Saloon is proof that you can have your cake and eat."
BMW M3 Saloon (manual)
Price OTR: £49,415
Power: 420 hp
Torque: 400 Nm
0 - 62mph: 4.9 s
Top Speed: 155 mph
Combined: 22.8 mpg
CO2: 295 g/km
BMW M3 Saloon (with M DCT)
Price OTR: £52,005
Power: 420 hp
Torque: 400 Nm
0 - 62mph: 4.7 s
Top Speed: 155 mph
Combined fuel consumption: 23.7 mpg
CO2: 285 g/km