New E92 M3 possibly 450hp

[Dave07997S]

Dave,

Its sad there are so many restrictions on US cars that we cannot get the good cars from overseas :'(. Either way the new m3 will be a very nice car.

Steve

Actually there is very little difference between the US and Euro M3's other than some minor issues. Where I totally agree with you is when you look at Ford of Europe vs. Ford North America. Ford of Europe is one of the few entities of FMC that actually makes money.

Dave

 

[SteveEvo8]

Actually there is very little difference between the US and Euro M3's other than some minor issues. Where I totally agree with you is when you look at Ford of Europe vs. Ford North America. Ford of Europe is one of the few entities of FMC that actually makes money.

Dave

Look at other import cars though, i was just speaking in general.

Steve

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Look at other import cars though, i was just speaking in general.

Steve

While I agree, It is more a decision of the manufacturer to bring the car over. Cars that are very popular abroad, such as all performance hatchbacks, simply don't sell here. If the manufacturer thought they could make money on a car here, They have the ability to make it apply to our federal standards.

Subaru took a chance bringing the WRX to market here and opened the door for the other Japanese manufacturers to bring their premier offerings to this country. In another year or two we will have an awesome selection of sportscars from around the world.

Ashley

 

[SteveEvo8]

Ashley,

Very true, however there are companies that will not bring some cars to the US due to the "bullshit" standards they have meet. Example, Porsche they pulled the CGT from the USA because the US vehicle standards committee required them to do a crash test with that car to be compliant. This all after being in the US already for 1 year selling the CGT.

Its unfortunate that this happens to some cars. I would love to see a wider range of vehicles over here in the US.

Also the USA got watered down versions of the WRX/STI and Evo, but hey at least we got them



~Steve

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Ashley,

Very true, however there are companies that will not bring some cars to the US due to the "bullshit" standards they have meet. Example, Porsche they pulled the CGT from the USA because the US vehicle standards committee required them to do a crash test with that car to be compliant. This all after being in the US already for 1 year selling the CGT.

Its unfortunate that this happens to some cars. I would love to see a wider range of vehicles over here in the US.

Also the USA got watered down versions of the WRX/STI and Evo, but hey at least we got them

~Steve

Yea in the ultra expensive category we are kind of screwed at times.
We missed out on the Evos and STIs because of our crappy gas. I'd sell my Cobra in a second for a STI Spec C type RA-R, or a EVO MR FQ.

We will be getting the Skyline, Supra, and if Mazda makes another RX-7 we will see that too.

Ashley

 

[Ry_Trapp0]

technically we already have the skyline(its the infiniti G35 over here), but we're getting the new GT-R. sorry, that just annoys the hell out of me since they seperated the GT-R from the skyline. cant wait for the new supra and hopefully the RX-7 though, although nothing besides a big ol' american V8 can fill that small piece of me thats missing(not even the ROAR of my muffler-less tracker, LOL).

 

[SteveEvo8]

I am a big supra guy, however i think the new design is just ehhhh, and its going to be released as a lexus correct? If so thats going to be big $$$$$$.

Personally i think they should of just re-released the 98 model for a 2 year production span, offer a upgraded interior, maybe a lip kit or something and a small HP increase (obviously using the same engine as before). All of this would of made a VERY good selling car for Toyota, but thats just my opinion.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I am a big supra guy, however i think the new design is just ehhhh, and its going to be released as a lexus correct? If so thats going to be big $$$$$$.

Personally i think they should of just re-released the 98 model for a 2 year production span, offer a upgraded interior, maybe a lip kit or something and a small HP increase (obviously using the same engine as before). All of this would of made a VERY good selling car for Toyota, but thats just my opinion.

Unsure if it will be a lexus or not. I'll bet it will be in the 50K range.

The older Supras are nice, but I think the 03-04 Cobras will be a better "alternative" once more and more turbo Cobras get dialed in.

Ashley

 

[SteveEvo8]

Personally, it would be a hard choice to decide between the 03/04 cobras and a 97-98 supra. Since i have been on this forum i have gained a lot of respect for the cobras, but at the same time i do love the supra. In respect to performance, i'd be happy with either one.

Steve

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Personally, it would be a hard choice to decide between the 03/04 cobras and a 97-98 supra. Since i have been on this forum i have gained a lot of respect for the cobras, but at the same time i do love the supra. In respect to performance, i'd be happy with either one.

Steve

Yes they are pretty equal in terms of performance and handling. The Supra has a better interior, and the Cobra is alot cheaper to mod.

 

[bluestreak89]

why are there so many M3 threads in the GT500 section?

 

[Nathan'sTsi]

The m3 won't get that much power. There has to be a good bit of difference in perofrmance from the 100k M6. That is the way bmw has always worked.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

The m3 won't get that much power. There has to be a good bit of difference in perofrmance from the 100k M6. That is the way bmw has always worked.

If it dosen't it will get smoked by mustangs, evos, stis and corvettes. I'm sure they dont want that. The 335 had 300 HP. If it is much slower than 450, it will get beaten by modded 335s.

 

[HOLLYWDHOMICIDE]

Ashley since your already up this morning talking about BMW's in the SHELBY Forums, I guess you will be going to the CUP today......Mark

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Ashley since your already up this morning talking about BMW's in the SHELBY Forums, I guess you will be going to the CUP today......Mark

Yes. Mike, Steve, and I will be there about 9.

 

[Nathan'sTsi]

If it dosen't it will get smoked by mustangs, evos, stis and corvettes. I'm sure they dont want that. The 335 had 300 HP. If it is much slower than 450, it will get beaten by modded 335s.

Do you really think they are concerned with that? An M3 buyer isn't a potential mustang, evo, or sti buyer. I am sure some will end up with vetts but they only have 400hp as well. The M3s always have less power than the vetts and are always slower. They will not have the M3 close to the M6. At 400-415hp it is still a big leap over a 335, not to mention all of the other advantages the M would have.
I read a few years ago when they were contemplatring an M7 that the idea was canned when they realized it would be too expensive to make it faster than an M5. That is just the way BMW works.

 

[snakecharmer]

Holy cow, if 450 is true, that's gonna be sweet and much better than the 400 or so I think everyone was expecting.

I love my E46, so this one ought to be sweet indeed.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Do you really think they are concerned with that?

Absolutely. you can get a GTO with 400 HP now. It is a much different market than it was in 01 when the E46 came out. I would expect it to be at least 425 hp, even to keep ahead of the modded 335 coupe. The car is going to be near $60K. That is going to put it squarely in the price range of many cars, that will be faster, and alot of cheaper alternatives (such as the Shelby) that will be faster.


M3 owners that are buying the car for the driving experience ARE potential STI and EVO buyers. If they are just buying the car for the status (as most do here in So Cal, then no, they would not be in that market.

 

[chuckstang]

bmw has never been about all out performance
It is a status symbol for 99% of its buyers, but its funny because anyone with real money buys a Merc

 

[JETSOLVER]

bmw has never been about all out performance

Hence the M series cars,long considered the measuring stick for any car that has pretensions of being serious at any price point. As a matter of fact the M3 was benchmark for the SVT Cobra program in all respects. And for bluestreak89, the fact that the market for this car is priced right in the middle of some pretty serious drivers cars. I don't give a well produced bit of flatulance for the Shelby business, but I do want a balanced performance car. And I don't feel particularly loyal to Ford anymore.(wish it wasn't so, but thats the way things have worked out)
The best car at the best price with the best driving attributes gets the money. That may be the legacy of this car, that Ford allowed it to compete against some other cars that in the past would NEVER be cross shopped against Mustang. The market and available product has advanced a lot in the last 5 years, and we have lots of choices in the near future. Not like when Ford created SVT and were the only game in town. Perhaps just another in a long series of bad decisions in the recent past.