E92 BMW 3 Series coupe: bagged at last

Newswheel staff :: 18 April 2006 :: Filed under Coupe, BMW, BMW 3 Series, Europe & UK, US

[Click on an image to view]

Elusive 3 Series coupe finally caught undisguised

Just another 3 Series fleet wagon? Or the most desirable sensible-money motor on the market? Whatever you think of BMW’s compact coupe, don’t bet against the new model being as manically popular as the last. So, get used to the car revealed in these new pictures. It’ll be patrolling city centres in packs, soon enough…

Known internally at BMW headquarters as the E92, the new coupe doesn’t deviate dramatically from the recently launched E90 four-door. However, a dash of additional rake to the windscreen pillars and a lower roofline delivers a much sleeker overall result than the rather upright saloon. And of course, the coupe gets its own set of completely unique tail lamp clusters, addressing arguably the weakest aspect of the four-door’s design.

The fine detail tech specs for the E92 coupe aren’t yet known. But as these pictures of a twin tail-pipe 335i variant captured by one of the 3 Series freaks over at e90post.com confirm, BMW’s new twin-turbo 306bhp straight-six mill will make an appearance. As for launch dates, BMW has kept us guessing, having already turned down opportunities to lift the lid at the Geneva and NYC auto shows. But we’d be surprised if official pictures aren’t circulating some time this summer.

Meanwhile, back at the M Power ranch, BMW continues to prep the upcoming V8-powered M3, expected to hit showrooms in late 2007 or early ‘08. Several mules have been caught testing in recent months, but these images (again, courtesy of e90post.com) in particular demonstrate just  how aggressively the car’s wheel arch flares and all round stance are shaping up. Yum, and indeed, yum.

Linkage:
E90post.com