M3 CSL spy shots

[Wagner]

I'm wondering more and more if there will even be a market for the 6er with this bad-@ss around.....

Similar price range, M3 may be a hair smaller but will do everything better....why pay 5-10K more for a 650?

[M-individual]

Originally Posted by Wagner

I'm wondering more and more if there will even be a market for the 6er with this bad-@ss around.....

Similar price range, M3 may be a hair smaller but will do everything better....why pay 5-10K more for a 650?

There will certainly be a market for the 6er when the M3 CSL will be released. One can't compare the two cars at all. Two different worlds.

If the intent of the new CSL is similar to the previous one (which I'm sure it will) one will have a race car which is street legal. Everything will be performance driven whereas the 650 is a GT with performance (but nothing like the M products) and comfort.

What may happen is that the M3 CSL will steel customers from the M6 range as rumour has it that there won't be an M6 CSL. For true hard core fans the choice will be easy. No M6 but the M3 CSL.

[breytonX5]

Definitely an E92 M3 CSL prototype. You can see a few visual styling difference from "normal" M3 such as: carbon fiber roof, different (more agressive) front and rear bumper fascias, different trunk lid etc. I don't think that's just an add-on spoiler but a whole integrated deck lid (like the previous CSL). Special, light-weight 19" wheels will surface soon as well. It will be a beast of a car. Let's just hope BMW will import it over here.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by M-individual

There will certainly be a market for the 6er when the M3 CSL will be released. One can't compare the two cars at all. Two different worlds.

If the intent of the new CSL is similar to the previous one (which I'm sure it will) one will have a race car which is street legal. Everything will be performance driven whereas the 650 is a GT with performance (but nothing like the M products) and comfort.

What may happen is that the M3 CSL will steel customers from the M6 range as rumour has it that there won't be an M6 CSL. For true hard core fans the choice will be easy. No M6 but the M3 CSL.

Maybe so, but I'm not comparing it to the price bloated M6, I'm comparing the M3 to the 650 which will cost nearly the same (if not less for the M3). I was wrong about the X6 (apparently people like the Aztek in Bimmer badges ) so..maybe 650's will not see a sales drop when the M3 hits the street. Though I love my 6er, SanGuru was right..handles like a pig. So if you could get the M3 for the same money....done deal IMO.

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Maybe so, but I'm not comparing it to the price bloated M6, I'm comparing the M3 to the 650 which will cost nearly the same (if not less for the M3). I was wrong about the X6 (apparently people like the Aztek in Bimmer badges ) so..maybe 650's will not see a sales drop when the M3 hits the street. Though I love my 6er, SanGuru was right..handles like a pig. So if you could get the M3 for the same money....done deal IMO.

I see an M3 in your future very soon.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

I see an M3 in your future very soon.

Maybe sometime this year, not very soon though

[M-individual]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Maybe so, but I'm not comparing it to the price bloated M6, I'm comparing the M3 to the 650 which will cost nearly the same (if not less for the M3). I was wrong about the X6 (apparently people like the Aztek in Bimmer badges ) so..maybe 650's will not see a sales drop when the M3 hits the street. Though I love my 6er, SanGuru was right..handles like a pig. So if you could get the M3 for the same money....done deal IMO.

Leaving the M6 out of the equation I still don't see how one can compare a 650 to an M3 CSL. It is obvious to me that you would switch because you feel that for the same price you can get a car which handles much better than the 650 ... and you are right, the M3 CSL will handle much better (we all hope so), it will have much better performance, ... it will be a totally different car. That is the point I was trying to make in my reply. The only thing the 650 and the M3 CSL will have in common is the price. For the rest ... two totally different cars and the vast majority of 650 buyers won't care that they can buy an M3 CSL which handles far better than their 650 for the same price, simply because that is not what they were looking for in the first place. 650 buyers are looking for a great GT which offers an excellent mix of power, comfort and some sporty feel to it. The 650 has plenty of that to offer IMO whereas the M3 CSL will have raw excitement to offer for a very attractive price.

PS: I owned a regular 6er before I bought my M6 and although it doesn't even come close to any M product from a handling point of view, the 6er offers nice handling from a GT perspective. Try the Mercs and you will know what I'm talking about. Those are boats compared to a 650.

Anyway, good luck on the M3. I agree with LeMans ... you have the M3 CSL in the back of your mind and it will be one hell of a nice car to own if it is as good as the E46 CSL

[Boston X5 4.4]

Originally Posted by Wagner

I'm wondering more and more if there will even be a market for the 6er with this bad-@ss around.....

Similar price range, M3 may be a hair smaller but will do everything better....why pay 5-10K more for a 650?

Two totally different target audiences and age groups IMO.

[breytonX5]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

Two totally different target audiences and age groups IMO.

+1
Plus the new M3 is priced very favourably and is considerably less expensive than than the 6er.

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

Two totally different target audiences and age groups IMO.

Not sure how IMO, the cost is the same...the cost will define the age group.

Bretyton, you don't think the M3 CSL will come in around the $70+ K range?