The E36 M3 was first put into production in September 1992, and it was eventually stopped in August 1999.
Most vehicles were built in the BMW Regensburg plant in Germany, although a small number of low compression right-hand drive vehicles were put together at the BMW Rosslyn plant in South Africa. In total, 12,114 convertibles, 12,603 sedans, and 46,525 coupes were made. Production of the sedan ended in December 1997, that of the coupe in late 1998, and that of the convertible in December 1999.
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BMW’s M3 and M4 have sold well through five generations and 35 years.
The BMW M3 and, since the preceding generation, the M4, have long been among the most coveted and well-liked sports cars in the world, and the firm just released a number of intriguing photographs that give us an idea of how many have been sold over the years. Additionally, BMW has published sales projections for the upcoming 2021 M3 and M4.
In 1986, the first M3 from the E30 generation went into production. During its production, which lasted until 1991, 18,000 units were sold. The German automaker, which produced 71,000 cars over a seven-year span, found the second-generation M3 to be an even greater success.
These slides, made available by BimmerToday and Bimmerpost, show that 86,000 instances of the E46 M3, which was produced between 2000 and 2006, were sold. The fourth-generation (E92) model sold 66,000 units throughout its six-year manufacturing run, which is an interesting sales decline for BMW. The M3 sedan gave birth to the new M4 Coupe, which enabled the fifth-generation, which was also built for six years, sell a total of 111,000 cars.
The new M3 and M4 will initially be available in three variations. Initially focusing on the M3, BMW anticipates that the flagship M3 Competition model with the M xDrive all-wheel drive system will account for 60% of sales. The entry-level M3 Sedan, which is also the only one available with a six-speed manual transmission, should account for 12% of sales while the “regular” M3 Competition is predicted to account for 28% of sales. With a 41% share, the U.S. is predicted to be the largest market.
With regard to the new M4, the top-of-the-line M4 Competition Coupe with M xDrive all-wheel drive will probably account for roughly 63% of sales, well outpacing the M4 Competition Coupe with rear-wheel drive, which will likely sell only 29% of units. Only 8% of overall sales are expected to come from the demand for the entry-level M4 Coupe with a stick shift.
M3 Small Size (1995)
After the release of the E36 M3, several racing organizations in the US started to put pressure on BMW to create a homologation special model that could compete in motorsport. When BMW introduced the M3 Lightweight in 1995, they were responding to customer demands.
To reduce weight, the radio, air conditioning, leather seats, toolbox, and sunroof were all deleted. Additionally, an unique low weight carpet was utilized, and there was no under bonnet insulation. Overall, the modifications result in a weight saving of 91 kg (200 lb) compared to the regular M3.
BMW upgraded the car’s suspension with shorter springs, a new front strut bar, and a lower cross-brace in addition to decreasing weight as much as possible. 17-inch wheels and a new bodykit were also added to the vehicle.
All M3 Lightweight vehicles were painted Alpine White, and the left front and right rear corners of each vehicle were decorated with Motorsports flag decals. About 125 of these lightweight variants are thought to have been made.
Production Data Indicates Only 15% of BMW F80 M3 models have manual transmissions.
As you may already be aware, the BMW M3 stopped production for European consumers last October, leaving the BMW M4 as the only model available to enthusiasts. The WLTP restrictions were the reason the M3 was previously withdrawn from European manufacturing, so it was interesting to see the production data numbers all crunched up and get a sense of how well the car did. The figures conceal some intriguing information.
Naturally, the production statistics’ biggest answer relates to manual gearboxes. BMW M Registry reports that only 5,426 of the BMW F80 M3’s pre-LCI and LCI production units had manual gearboxes, while the other 29,251 were equipped with automatic transmissions. In North America, the ratio was over twice as high at 28%, compared to 3.54% in the rest of the globe put together. This means that roughly 15.5% of the BMW M3 vehicles sold were manuals.
In order to put things in perspective, it’s important to recognize that a trend is developing that will eventually cause manufacturers to stop offering manual transmissions in high-performance cars. For instance, according to data from the E90 M3’s manufacturing, manual transmissions were installed in 44.64 percent of all vehicles sold globally and 53.43 percent in the US and Canada, with 31% of manual transmissions being installed in the rest of the globe.
However, since the release of the F80 M3, sales have been growing at a double-digit rate. The F80 M3 was sold in a total of 34,677 units, more than three times as many as the E90 M3, which was only sold in 9,674 units globally (granted, at the time, the M3 Coupe was still in production).
Furthermore, 14,969 of the total units were cars equipped with the Competition Package, suggesting that it is extremely popular. Given that it wasn’t offered right away, the Competition model is a very popular one. It’s interesting to see that Black Sapphire (6,111 units) was the most popular color, followed by Alpine White (4,950 units) and Mineral Grey Metallic (4,576 units). Only 9 cars were built in Pyrite Brown Metallic paint, making it the rarest color.
Amount of BMW E92 M3 production
More than 40,000 of the departing M3 Coupe’s units have been sold since it first went into production in 2007. Nearly 16,000 convertibles and an additional 10,000 sedans were delivered. Production of the M3 Convertible will continue through September.
As the majority of you are aware, the M3 name will now only apply to the sedan; the coupe and convertible body types will now be referred to as the M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible, respectively. A twin-turbo, six-cylinder 3.0-liter engine with the trio is anticipated to have an output of around 450 bhp (335 kW) and 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) of torque. The vehicle should reach a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h) and complete the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 4.2 seconds.
The new M3 will debut in early 2014, and the M4 Coupe and Convertible should follow a few months later.
For BMW, what does M3 stand for?
One response: Chuang. BMW M GmbH, originally BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a division of BMW AG and a producer of supercars. The initial purpose of BMW M, which stands for “motorsport,” was to support BMW’s racing program, which was extremely successful in the 1960s and 1970s.
How numerous are BMW M3 GTRs?
When the BMW E46 M3 failed to qualify for the 2000 Florida 12 Hours of Sebring, BMW realized it needed to go larger and better. The M3’s already potent 6-cylinder engine couldn’t keep up because it was designed as a road-going vehicle and lacked the boost necessary to thrive in Florida. At this point, BMW submitted a vehicle that had previously been race-tuned. The revised M3’s powertrain received several significant improvements, while other elements that broke daily driving norms were removed.
Porsche had to argue that BMW was pushing things too far and making the competition unfair because the car was too powerful. This is when the Automobil Club de l’Ouest (A.C.O. ), which also oversees the Le Mans 24 Hours, decided to order 1,000 road-going BMW M3 GTRs to be rebuilt with an additional 100 pounds of weight and 20% larger air restrictors.
The M3 GTR is still one of the rarest BMWs ever produced, and just 10 were produced as a result of the new regulations making it impossible to complete the car within the 12-month production cycle.
Why was the BMW M3 retired?
BMW will discontinue manufacturing the F80-generation M3 sports sedan in August because it won’t meet Europe’s stricter emissions regulations.
According to a brand representative, the sport sedan, which has a turbocharged straight-six engine that generates 431 horsepower, will require a new particulate filter in order to comply with the new Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
The rehomologation procedure that would follow such a change would preclude the upgraded M3 from being on sale before to the October debut of the next-generation 3-series. As a result, BMW decided not to retain the vehicle in production for a longer period of time like it did with its predecessors, but rather to discontinue it early and with the rest of the 3-series lineup.
The M4’s two-door counterpart, the M3, won’t fall under this scenario because it and its 4-series siblings will continue to be sold into the next year. The M4 will be taken off the market “for a couple of months” while it is rehomologated, but it will return to showrooms with its WLTP-certified filter, the spokesman said.
The filter will lower the vehicle’s nitrogen oxide output to below the WLTP maximum level while maintaining performance, according to the spokeswoman. The modified M4 won’t undergo any other modifications, so its claimed 4.3-second sprint from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour will stand.
The M4’s popularity will have played a role in the decision to keep it. The upcoming 2020 M3 is scheduled to go on sale with an engine that will produce 462 horsepower, 21 horsepower more than the M3 Competition Pack of today.
Currently, the F80 M3 costs Rs 1.48 crore (on-road, Delhi) and competes with vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG C 63.
Which BMW M3 is the cheapest?
- It should come as no surprise that the cheapest BMW M vehicle on Autotrader is an automatic E36 M3.
- Another popular option for motorists looking for a real M3 on a budget is the E46 M3.
- For for $12,500, you can get a luxury sport car with 500 horsepower.
Why is the BMW M3 a hit?
The M3 is renowned for its excellent handling. Everyone is aware that it chews up corners, and when it comes to handling, it truly outperforms the competition. It has always driven like a true sports car, which is not surprising considering how much better a driver’s car the basic 3-series is than the competition.
The handling of the M3 is a major factor in its status as one of the best German automobiles of the previous ten years. Drivers feel comfortable pushing it to the limit over curves because it feels precise.