No M3 until MY '02/03...? (archive)

As I have written here before, I am one of those that have decided to skip the first 343 HP version of the M3 that was due this October, waiting for the much rumoured upgraded engine (>3.4 liters and >360 HP?) within 1-2 years. Today I went to my BMW dealer to sign an order for a 530i Touring -01 instead (upgrading my current 528i Touring -00 and keeping my M3 Coup�-97 a few more years), and he told me the following (please sit down before reading on...):

His wife works at Swedish BMW HQ, and he just learned first-hand that the M3 is now delayed until 2002 (if it was calendar year or model year he didn't know)! This may not necessarily be the case, as a lot of disinformation circulates around this car, but somehow it doesn't seem that unreasonable either. BMW have been delayed with this car for so long that the competition (Audi, MB, Porsche) is catching up or even passing by, and that's the reason I am certain BMW is already working on an engine upgrade.

If this turns out to be the case, then I'm really sorry for all those who have put down money for this car and anticipated a fall/winter delivery -- also (from an egocentric point of view) I would have preferred if BMW had delivered production cars to brave initial customers who would then sort out any initial "bugs", so that the second version was more or less perfect...

Anyway, this is just another rumour, but taking the source into account I think it should bear at least some truth to it. Now we will just have to wait and see what BMW is coming out with officially -- either first production cars will be shipping before December, or they will announce that there is a delay and the reasons for it.

///Mark (Sweden)

Follow Ups:

Very unwise to cheat initial customers... DVD Nav, SMG, 360 bhp, Less Weight, etc... Ken V. 13:54 9/10/2000 (0)

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