ScottC25

I know this might be heresy on here but its beginning to look like my budget might not stretch to a 5. I am in the UK and need to sort a new car in the next 8 weeks. ISUK offered a lot of advice to me before Xmas but things had to be put on hold due to job issues. Obviously BMW will eventually release a sport model of the new 3 series but does anyonew know or have any guesses as to how long they are likely to wait after the launch before they do this. Ideally I want a 525d sport but may have to compromise but dont really want to take a standard 3

Thanks for any thoughts you may have

ISUK

Scott,

You won't see a sport model 3 for at least 12 months in the UK according to my contact. There are a whole range of engine variants to be launched before BMW will introduce the sport models including the 318i, 325i and 330d that are all confirmed. I suspect there may also be a 325d. After that will come the Touring model and then the Coupe/Convertible. There is even a restricted choice of colours at launch with four metallics not being made available until the 3rd quarter of this year.

I would think the earliest you can expect to see an M sport variant would be next spring although I think even this is doubtful. The M sport models on the E60 were launched to boost overall model sales in Europe. I doubt if the 3, with its less radical styling, will need the same treatment so soon in it's life cycle to generate consumer interest. The most likely scenario is that BMW will make some form of bodykit available for the E90 as they did for the original E46. The first M sport kit for that car was a dealer fit accessory and was very different to the production M sport models bodykits.

E60Speed

Define sport model

Different countries have different sport model

Here a 5 series sport means it has sport suspension + sport seats + sport steering wheel. But a UK E60 "Sport" is really a //M sport, meaning m sport suspension + m bumpers


Now if you mean a 3 series sport with sports suspension + sport seats, they will be available at launch

If you mean a //m sports version it may take a year or so

There is a aerodynamic kit comming after a few months that adds font and rear spoilers to the normal car


So just to recap, out of the UK one gets

E60 5 Series
1) Normal
2) Sports
3) M Sports

ScottC25

[quote name='ISUK' date='Feb 17 2005, 12:53 AM']
Scott,

You won't see a sport model 3 for at least 12 months in the UK according to my contact. There are a whole range of engine variants to be launched before BMW will introduce the sport models including the 318i, 325i and 330d that are all confirmed. I suspect there may also be a 325d. After that will come the Touring model and then the Coupe/Convertible. There is even a restricted choice of colours at launch with four metallics not being made available until the 3rd quarter of this year.

I would think the earliest you can expect to see an M sport variant would be next spring although I think even this is doubtful. The M sport models on the E60 were launched to boost overall model sales in Europe. I doubt if the 3, with its less radical styling, will need the same treatment so soon in it's life cycle to generate consumer interest. The most likely scenario is that BMW will make some form of bodykit available for the E90 as they did for the original E46. The first M sport kit for that car was a dealer fit accessory and was very different to the production M sport models bodykits.

ISUK

Thanks for that, it was as I suspected. I seem to remember that bodykit on early versions of the current 3 series coupe, it was quite a bit more aggresive than the sport model currently has.

Oh well looks like I may have to get the wife a 2nd job in order to fund a 525d sport then. It just sticks in my throat a bit that it carries almost a ?3.5k premium when the sport pack on a 3 costs about an extra ?1.5k thats all

Thanks for the help

ISUK

Scott,

You might want to consider a new 320d. It has 163 bhp and will most likely be able to be tuned to close to 200bhp with a tuning box. The new 3 has sports seats like the current M3 in that they have abjustable width side bolsters. There are some tasty options for the car as well. It should have a better residual than the 525d as well if it is your own cash. I'm trading down to one for tax purposes and have loaded it with extras but got a healthy discount.

Put sports seats, sports steering wheel, sports suspension, 17" or 18" alloys, aluminium interior trim and privacy glass on one and volia..... you have effectively got a sport model. You can retrofit a bumper kit at a later date if you really feel the need to do so but I think a well spec'ed standard car is going to look good.

maylander739

Surrely it will be a while, and you won't get a discount. With the 5er in the UK, you can get a 8% discount on most models ( i know you can't really get it on the 535d, as its quite new).

ScottC25

I have considered exactly as you say. My big concern was that within 6 months the new 3 will be like the old one and morecommon than mondeos and vectras. Have driven the current 320d and didn't like it cos it still felt like a diesel whereas the 525d drove like a "real" car to me. It is likely to be a company car because looking at the figures even though I have to contribute I am still better off going the company route, so the 320 petrol would be a consideration given the low emmissions figures. doctoring the car to increase the BHP might not be a great idea if its not my car unless it can be done without being detected

ISUK

The new 320d has received very good reviews in Autocar, Car and Autoexpress with several testers saying it has similar or better mid range power than the 330i. The engine in this car will never be as smooth as the 525d as it is a 4 cylinder versus a six in the 5. As for being a common sighting the E60 isn't exactly a rare beast on our roads and there are loads of them in Glasgow and Edinburgh where you are so I wouldn't let that put you off.

The bottom line if it is going to be a company car is that in standard SE spec for both cars, a 40% rate taxpayer is nearly ?500 a year better off in the 320d. You can also add ?4005 worth of extras to the 320d SE before you hit the base price of the 525d SE. That is going to get you leather, pro nav, and either 18" alloys or Logic 7 as opposed to a 5 running on the ridiculous 16" alloys with cloth, basic aircon and standard stereo.

colejl

The E60 sport took almost 18 months to arrive after the SE. I expect the E90 to be similar, but it may depend on sales - but I'm sure that won't be a problem!

If the 335d appears I may be tempted, although I love the room in my E60.

New535

I managed to get 7% and a reasonable (if not great) trade in for my 535d