BMW explains progress of G80 M3 dynamic development
The everlasting development of the G80 BMW continues. Last time we checked in with a camouflaged version of the super sedan we expected to debut either last year at Frankfurt or this year in Geneva, powertrain certification was the only holdup from production. Otherwise, BMW M overlord Markus Flasch said the four-door and its M4 coupe brother are ready to do the assembly line dance. Fitting, then, that BMW has released a video of the test engineers refining the M3's suspension and driving dynamics systems at the Nürburgring and on gnarled country roads in the German countryside.
There are no jaw-droppers in the video, but there are plenty of shots of the sedan from all angles. Starting BMW's Test Center at the 'Ring, the engineer responsible for driving development runs the M3 through and around the venues used to hone performance of the steering, damper tuning, and dynamic stability control. The vid ends with a hard lap around the circuit, with an engineer in the shotgun seat providing track notes about car setup and response in various sections, so anyone headed for a lap of The Green Hell might want to take their own notes.
As for the shape of the sedan itself, every angle compels us to believe the sixth-generation M3 is going to be beefy.
The car's reveal comes sometime this year, but it feels like we have a few months left to go. The checklist of features and capabilities so far includes a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine redlining at 7,500 rpm or thereabouts, the mill generating something between 473 and 503 horsepower, a slightly less powerful rear-wheel drive powertrain offering a manual transmission, an all-the-beans powertrain with M xDrive all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, a trim with an advanced aero package, interior components like the instrument cluster borrowed from the M8, and according to Car and Driver, a starting MSRP estimated at $68,000, rising to around $99,500 for the M3 CS.
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