Subject: <e46> Sydney newspaper article on M3

Just read this article from a Sydney Australia newspaper. It claims that the E46 M3 will arrive in late '99 and have a 3.4L

275kw engine. I don't know the exact conversion but that should put it at about 350 HP!!! Is this correct?

Friday, July 24, 1998

The future of the 3 Series: Munich takes four tacks

      The next generation of the big-selling BMW will form a quartet to cater for basic, sporty, stylish and practical tastes. Georg
      Kacher reports.

      Despite growing waiting lists for its new 3 Series in Europe, BMW will stick with its original schedule, introducing a new coupe
      version next April along with the high performance M3.

      Fresh air fans will have to wait until 2000, however, for the next generation BMW cabriolet. Despite criticism in the motoring
      media about high prices and unexciting styling, the new 3 Series is a sell-out in Europe. Instead of shutting down for the
      northern summer holidays, BMW kept its assembly lines running at full speed.

      The 3 Series sedan arrives here in late September with the coupe and M-car likely in late 1999.

      Immediate success for the 3 Series, BMW's biggest-selling model, has boosted the chances of approval for a lightweight
      re-incarnation of the 2002. This late-'60s cult machine has provided much of the DNA for successive 3 Series models. BMW
      insiders are confident the 02 will see the light of day in late 2001.

      Meanwhile, work continues on other 3 Series variants with a wagon ("touring" in Munich-speak) arriving midway through next
      year. The largely unloved Compact gets a major refit at Sydney Olympics time. To keep weight down, BMW reportedly will fit
      the next M3 with thinner glass, doors and lids made of high-strength steel, aluminium suspension and miniaturised auxiliary
      equipment.

      Visually, the M3 remains something of a wolf in sheep's clothing. Styled along the same lines as the new M5, it gets revised
      front and rear bumpers, bigger air intakes, twin tail-pipes, fat tyres on 17-inch wheels, integrated driving lights and subtle sill
      extensions. Engine modifications will raise the capacity and power output to 3.4 litres and about 275 kW.

      The next M3 will have a six-speed manual gearbox or an improved sequential transmission. In the future, gear changes will be
      triggered by depressing a paddle or switch on the steering wheel, and the automatic mode will be significantly smoother as well
      as more responsive.

      Initially a coupe, the M3 from early 2001 will come as a convertible. The four-door is tipped to bite the dust, but we may
      eventually see an M3 touring.

      The third edition of the 3 Series touring gets a bigger cargo deck, a more practical luggage compartment cover, roof rails and
      an optional self-levelling rear suspension. Even more than its predecessor, this is a proper sports wagon aimed at active and
      affluent customers, with a trio of engines putting out appropriately higher power.

      The beautiful 3 Series convertible is a tough act to follow, but BMW intends to do just that with the third generation, due in
      2000. Derived from the coupe, it has a slightly bigger boot, a little more rear leg room and a much more rigid body structure.

      Ride comfort is bound to improve, the re-engineered folding top is said to be significantly quieter, and there will be major
      improvements in passive safety. New state-of-the-art direct-injection petrol engines are in the pipeline, as are a new type of
      fuel-saving variable-valve timing and a continuously variable automatic transmission.

      The news on the proposed 2002 replacement is encouraging. A project engineer reckons that imminent, more stringent
      emission and fuel economy standards make efficient engines and lightweight structures more important than ever. "I believe that
      we can build a car," he said, "that meets these standards, that is fun to drive and that recaptures the spirit of the classic 02. But
      I'm not so sure yet whether we can price it to sell the required 80,000 units per year."

      Perhaps the most interesting model out of this lot is the new Compact. Originally, BMW had planned to facelift the current car
      one last time this September, but at the eleventh hour the management decided against it. Instead, the money will be spent on
      an extensive revision of the new car for model year 2001.

      Unlike today's Compact - basically a short-tail, three-door, down-specced 3 Series derivative - its replacement is all set to get
      its own sheet metal and distinctive looks.

      Dubbed E46/5, the next base BMW combines the attractive shape of a coupe with the practicality of a hatch. The dashboard
      this time will be derived from the sedan, but the Compact gets a bespoke cabin trim and uprated equipment including headbags
      (ITS - inflatable tubular structure) as well as a leather-rimmed steering wheel.

      The previous model used the running gear of the old 3 Series, while the new car shares its chassis with the current 318i/328i.

      The longer wheelbase, the wider track and four disc brakes provide better active safety.

      THREES ... A CROWD

      Likely ETAs are:

September, 3 Series sedan;

Mid-1999, "touring" wagon;

Late 1999, coupe and M3;

Mid-2000, all-new convertible;

Late 2000, second edition of the Compact;

Early 2001, M3 convertible, reincarnation of lightweight 2002.