J.A. Ackley
J.A. Ackley Senior Editor
11/10/22 12:47 p.m.
feature_image

BMW celebrates half a century of its M division with the M3 Edition 50 Jahre BMW M. Only 500 will be sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The car’s based on the 2023 BMW M3 Competition xDrive Sedan and comes in five “modern formulations of iconic paint colors … one from each of the five generations.”

Cinnabar Red represents the …

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BA5
BA5 GRM+ Memberand Reader
11/10/22 1:12 p.m.

I'm going to jump on here before all the belly-achers do:

The front end is really pretty cool looking.  Is it freakin' aggressive?  Yes.  Is it subtle?  No.  But it actually looks pretty cool, and it's not quite as over the top in person.

Appreciate the old ones for looking like the old ones, and let the new ones look new.

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
11/10/22 1:42 p.m.

Since it's all subjective anyway, I say that it's "very attention getting" but for the wrong reasons.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
11/10/22 2:08 p.m.

Techno Violet for me, please and thank you.

Bonus points if the "Boardcase" is color-matched.

Duke
Duke MegaDork
11/10/22 2:58 p.m.
kb58 said:

Since it's all subjective anyway, I say that it's "very attention getting" but for the wrong reasons.

"Striking" != "Attractive"

 

J.A. Ackley
J.A. Ackley Senior Editor
11/10/22 5:00 p.m.
Colin Wood said:

Techno Violet for me, please and thank you.

Bonus points if the "Boardcase" is color-matched.

Techno Violet looks great under just the right light, with the metallic flake accentuating the color. I'm a fan of Fire Orange. That's why I test-drove that car. It's as good a reason as any.

Noddaz
Noddaz GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/10/22 5:28 p.m.

That orange is nice looking.

gutenberg918
gutenberg918 New Reader
11/10/22 6:54 p.m.

I have a 2017 M3 with a clutch and 6 speed. It may be the last street car I buy. I love my BMWs but I absolutely hate that new front grill. Until they replace it I won't buy a new one. Unless someone figures a way to create an adapter to make it look like the traditional front grill.

nocones
nocones GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/10/22 7:18 p.m.

For a forum devoted almost completely to modifying cars we sure do spend a lot of time bellyaching when OEMs make amazing platforms that just need a few modifications.  

Apparently an aftermarket front bumper is in development (because of course it is).  

I'm sure it will be eye bleedingly expensive but if you are in the new M3 market I suspect it won't be unreasonable.  

 

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter)
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UberDork
11/10/22 8:18 p.m.

It's as big and weighs as much as an E39 M5.  Cars are definitely sizing up.  

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
11/10/22 11:52 p.m.
Duke said:
kb58 said:

Since it's all subjective anyway, I say that it's "very attention getting" but for the wrong reasons.

"Striking" != "Attractive"

 

Pave The Planet - One World, One People, One Slab Of Asphalt

Correct, C-Boy!

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
11/10/22 11:55 p.m.
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

...Cars are definitely sizing up.  

All cars are and always have. Look at the early Honda Civics from the 1970-80s compared to now. They probably weigh twice as much. Look at the first-gen Datsun 240Z compared to the latest iteration. The list goes on and on.

Zindo
Zindo New Reader
11/11/22 4:28 a.m.

M color stitching on the inside looks awesome around the shifter

buzzboy
buzzboy SuperDork
11/11/22 7:37 a.m.

The wheels look great. The colors look great. Would love to see a vintage style M cloth option on the seats.

dyintorace
dyintorace GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
11/11/22 7:39 a.m.

J.A. - What do you think of the seats? They look amazing but I wonder how comfortable they actually are.

J.A. Ackley
J.A. Ackley Senior Editor
11/11/22 9:01 a.m.
dyintorace said:

J.A. - What do you think of the seats? They look amazing but I wonder how comfortable they actually are.

Great question. This type of seats are as close to a racing seat you're going to get from an automaker (with the exception of the M4 CSL - more on that later). They're stiff/hard - as they're M carbon seats - yet they didn't feel as uncomfortable as you might think they would from looking at them. At least in that aspect of stiffness/hardness.

I did have an issue with the bottom of the seat - it's too narrow for me, pinching me at my hips. I'd say if you have a waist size of 34 and under, you will probably be fine. In fact, if you're hauling the car around a track, it will pleasantly keep you in place.

Robbie (Forum Supporter)
Robbie (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/11/22 10:30 a.m.
Duke said:
kb58 said:

Since it's all subjective anyway, I say that it's "very attention getting" but for the wrong reasons.

"Striking" != "Attractive"

 

that's what she said?

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
11/11/22 11:06 a.m.

Ackkk!

At least when you are sitting in the driver's seat you can't see the front end styling.  Ironic that people gave Chris Bangle a hard time in the 2000s over the edgy styling on cars like the Z4 - they look positively great today compared to the basking shark style of the new cars.

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter)
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/11/22 11:19 a.m.

Let me see if I have this right, BMW makes the M8, which is the size of Rhode Island but as fast as a Saturn V, and costs a metric ton of money. 

They also make the M5 (the M6 is no longer) which is slighly smaller and less expensive, but also fast as all heck. 

They make the M4/M3, which is the next size down in terms of weight, speed, price, etc. 

We complain that the M3 is too big and heavy and expensive, so they come out with the M2. 

The M2 is amazing and easily the best car that BMW makes, it even has a less-ugly grille, so why are we stopping there? If we keep complianing, we might work our way down to the M1 or M.5 or M0 that is light, agile, cheap and amazing! 

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