BMW has been beavering away at the M series for 2009 – the M3, the M5 and the M6. We dug out a little information on what will probably be the best-selling M car in India, the M3.
All versions of the BMW M3 are powered by a 4-litre V8 delivering 420bhp at 8300 rpm. As an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox, all versions of the BMW M3 are optionally available with the M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic. It has 
seven gears and shifts without interruption of traction. The M DKG Drivelogic also returns better fuel efficiency. The four-door BMW M3 will also feature divided rear lights with the brand-typical L-shaped contour. The two light clusters for the taillights and the indicator lights will feature LED technology.
The new rear end design is rounded off by modifications to the bumper and rear lid. The list of interior refinements includes a newly-conceived fresh air grille located in the centre of the cockpit, a newly designed storage area under the armrest on the centre console and a pearlescent chrome light switch cluster. The new start/stop button, also in pearlescent chrome, and the rotary controls for the air conditioning sporting the same design are featured in the BMW M3, Coupe and the Convertible as well. Likewise, from the autumn,
all variants of the BMW M3 will be equipped with crash-active headrests that reduce the risk of cervical injury in the event of a rear end collision. The choice of exterior colours available for the BMW M3 will also be widened as from the autumn. The colour space grey metallic is now also available for the BMW M3 Saloon. Le Mans blue metallic is new in the range of colours offered for all variants.
From the autumn of 2008, BMW will be the first car manufacturer worldwide to offer unrestricted access to the internet as an option. The function of the controller is similar to a conventional computer mouse. Internet pages can be displayed on the screen and enlargement of visible screen areas for highlighting details is possible as well. For safety reasons, the displaying of internet pages on the screen – similar to the TV function available for BMW M models – is only possible when the vehicle is stationary.
In the event of the car key being left inside a locked boot or when the driver is not sure whether he or she locked the vehicle when in a hurry, all he or she has to do in future is call the BMW Call Center. After confirmed identification, a BMW Call Center employee can then lock or unlock the car by remote control.
The accessory range will include a new snap-in adaptor for the full integration of the latest smartphones into the vehicle and an optional compatible USB board will be available for the BMW M3. Using the upgrade option of linking the music player to the mobile phone, it will be possible to utilise both the communication and entertainment functions of the respective mobile phone and to control them via the iDrive control system. Telephone numbers and music titles stored in the smartphone are displayed on the vehicle’s control monitor. The driver has permanent access to both the telephone and the MP3 functions of the external device. Furthermore, the power supply to the smartphone and reception via the car aerial are guaranteed. The new interface is suitable for the integration of the Apple iPhone, the Sony Ericsson K850i and the Nokia 6500c cell phones.
