# question about 2005 M3



## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

My lease ends in the spring of 2005. I was hoping to either buy my current car and lease a new M3 at that time or simply trade up. 

Will the M3 be available through spring and into summer 2005? I know the E90 debuts arounds then and wasn't sure how it wqill affect things.


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## Riuster (May 21, 2003)

*forget the M3*

go for the M6, porsche or like me...try for a astonmartin vantage:thumbup:


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## mike_m3 (Apr 6, 2003)

probably at least though the end of 05 MY - typically new M varients are 2 years behind the intro of the lesser 3 series cars.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Typically BMW keeps the current M3 for one model year after the introduction of the new standard 3er. Like in 99 the E36 M3 was still sold, but the E46 3er was out. 

So whenever the new 3er comes out, the E46 M3 should be available that same year. Then they will skip a year, and the new M3 will come out.

So saying the E90 comes out for MY 2005, there would be a 2005 E46M3, no 2006 M3 at all, then in MY 2007 an E90 M3. But realize that the M version may not be available until later in the model year, not first thing in Sept/Oct.

I kind of find it hard to believe that BMW would do a MY04 facelift for the E46 then can it the next year. Also BMW normally runs a model 7 years, so the E90 would be expected for MY06.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2001)

The reason there was an E36 M3 and and E46 (not M3) sold in 99 was because the E36 M3 was a coupe and the E46 was a sedan. Wehn the E46 sedan went into production the E36 M3 sedan stopped (that's why there was no E36 M3 sedan in 1999). Once the E46 coupe was ready for MY00, the E36 M3 had to stop production.

The E90 sedan is due for MY06, coupe for 07. So, if there was an E46 M3 sedan it would end its run in 05, the coupe in 06. Expect an E90 M4 in 08.


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## RChoudry (Jan 13, 2002)

great., well for me, because I'd like to pick up an e46 M3 next before they're redone.

thanks


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## Morphnoid (May 22, 2003)

> great., well for me, because I'd like to pick up an e46 M3 next before they're redone.


Yes. Get one before Chris Bangle hits the 3 series with his ugly stick.


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

Morphnoid said:


> *Yes. Get one before Chris Bangle hits the 3 series with his ugly stick. *


definately :spank:


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Bruce said:


> *The reason there was an E36 M3 and and E46 (not M3) sold in 99 was because the E36 M3 was a coupe and the E46 was a sedan. Wehn the E46 sedan went into production the E36 M3 sedan stopped (that's why there was no E36 M3 sedan in 1999). Once the E46 coupe was ready for MY00, the E36 M3 had to stop production.
> 
> The E90 sedan is due for MY06, coupe for 07. So, if there was an E46 M3 sedan it would end its run in 05, the coupe in 06. Expect an E90 M4 in 08. *


BMW did the same thing with the E30 - E36 transition. The E30 M3 production overlapped the E36 production by a year. And there wasn't the coupe/sedan thing like the E36 - E46 transition.

I don't know about the M5 production, whether it went the extra year overlap before the year off.

I had always been told that the reason was it gave less time without an M model for sale.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Morphnoid said:


> *Yes. Get one before Chris Bangle hits the 3 series with his ugly stick. *


I second that one.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2001)

Pinecone said:


> *BMW did the same thing with the E30 - E36 transition. The E30 M3 production overlapped the E36 production by a year. And there wasn't the coupe/sedan thing like the E36 - E46 transition.
> 
> I don't know about the M5 production, whether it went the extra year overlap before the year off.
> 
> I had always been told that the reason was it gave less time without an M model for sale. *


The E30 M3 was last sold in the US for MY91. I know the E30 M3 cabrio was available in the RoW for MY92, but I can't recall if there was any coupes available for 92. But, the intro could have been the same. The E36 sedan was available for MY92, coupe in 93 and cabrio in 94. So, theoretically, the last year for an E30 coupe was 92 and cabrio 93.

There wasn't any overlap in M5 production as there are different lines for coupe and sedan production as there are only sedans.

The reason I have been told for the M model lag is that the M doesn't get the chassis until the regular cars are done with production. Although I have heard that this may not be as strict now to reduce the absecnce of M models as they have better margins than regular models.


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## mwette (Sep 16, 2002)

M1?


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

mwette said:


> *M1? *


That would be an M version of the 1 series. And if true to form, the M1 version will be out 2 model years after the car comes out.

I hate to see them use the M1 designation though.

And also don't forget that most of the world gets M-Tech versions, which are not true M versions. Aero kits, upgraded suspension and interior stuff.


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## glowrider (Apr 5, 2003)

I could be wrong, but I'm 95% sure Bangle is also responsible for the E46 M3, to his credit...


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## Divexxtreme (Apr 27, 2003)

Yep. The E46 M3 was designed by Bangle.



glowrider said:


> *I could be wrong, but I'm 95% sure Bangle is also responsible for the E46 M3, to his credit... *


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