The most powerful production car to ever bear the 3-Series name will arrive in Canada this fall.BMW Canada will import the 2001 M3 to this country late this year and it will be the same powerful unit that Europe will get.
So fast will it be, in fact, that it might be quicker from 0 to 100 km/h (in 5.2 seconds) than the mighty M5 super-sedan that recently went on sale.
Power will come from a 3.2-litre inline-6 that produces 343 horsepower at 7900 rpm and 269 pound-feet of torque at 4900 rpm and sends it to the rear wheels through a Getrag 6-speed manual transmission. The new model has also been given a variable differential that is meant to improve grip under acceleration and cornering.
BMW will use MacPherson struts up front and a Z-beam setup in the back, with specially-honed springs, dampers and anti-roll bars adding more control. To bring the whole thing closer to the ground and a better centre of gravity, the car is lower by more than 10 mm than the production coupe.
There is talk of a stripped down version for Europe and maybe the US (as in no air conditioning and other amenties that add weight), but if it does happen it's unlikely to make it to Canada. So the 2001 M3 will arrive with a major sticker price.
To help it launch the M3, BMW Canada has added an ever-evolving section devoted to the high-performance coupe to its www.bmw.ca website.