# Last year for E46 M3?



## Maverick (Jun 25, 2003)

Anyone have an idea when they will finish run of E46 M3? Also, are we expecting that E90 M3 would come out year after E90 and M4 a year after E92, provided there is a model split? Thanks :thumbup:


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

really, nobody knows.

It would seem most likely that the 2005 model year would be the last, with a skipped 2006, and the new generation showing up sometime in 2006 as a 2007 model.


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## Chris330Ci (Jan 23, 2002)

atyclb said:


> really, nobody knows.
> 
> It would seem most likely that the 2005 model year would be the last, with a skipped 2006, and the new generation showing up sometime in 2006 as a 2007 model.


I disagree. Since the coupes just got a facelift for '04, my guess is that it'll be at least another 3 years before the e90 comes out. Thus a new e90 3er sedan offered as a 2007 model. If BMW stays true to form, there will still be e46 2007 M3s being made. 2008 would be the in between year without the M3 and then finally an e90 2009 M3. I may be way off, but the e36 1999 M3 was available in conjuction with the first gen e46 1999 3er sedans...


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

Chris330Ci said:


> I disagree. Since the coupes just got a facelift for '04, my guess is that it'll be at least another 3 years before the e90 comes out. Thus a new e90 3er sedan offered as a 2007 model. If BMW stays true to form, there will still be e46 2007 M3s being made. 2008 would be the in between year without the M3 and then finally an e90 2009 M3. I may be way off, but the e36 1999 M3 was available in conjuction with the first gen e46 1999 3er sedans...


Chris, I think your way off on this one, supposedly the E90 will be around for either MY2005 or MY2006 though my best guess is the latter . . .


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## Chris330Ci (Jan 23, 2002)

AF330i said:


> Chris, I think your way off on this one, supposedly the E90 will be around for either MY2005 or MY2006 though my best guess is the latter . . .


:banghead: My model life cycle estimation was off. I was thinking coupes and not sedans. Rethinking it, I'd say MY2005 could be the first e90 sedan, MY2006 the first e90 coupes and then MY2007 the first e90 M3.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

BMW normally runs designs 7 years. So the E46 first came out in MY1999, so the last year would normally be MY2005.

The M versions normally run one extra year, then a skipped year, then the new M version. So with this, there would be an MY2006 E46 M3, no MY2007 M3, then the E90 M3 would show up in MY2008.

Except in the case of the M5, both normal and M5 version of the E39 went away at the same time, and the new M5 is supposed to be out after one skipped year. However all 5s are made at the same plant, unlike the 3s where the Ms are made at a separate plant.

Bottom line, only BMW knows, but I would not expect an E80 M3 until at least MY2007, and possibly MY2008.


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