BMW announced at the Detroit auto show that its 2008 M3 will go on sale in March with base prices beginning at $57,275 for the coupe and $54,575 for the sedan. This is the fourth generation of M3, but the first series-production M3 with a V-8 engine. The 414-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-8 is paired with a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox. There are driver-adjustable settings for engine response, steering, damping and stability (with an available steering-wheel-mounted “MDrive” button to store the preferences)
Other features include a carbon-fiber reinforced roof, which weighs about 44 pounds less than steel with a moonroof.
– Mark Maynard
