2020 BMW M3 (G80) 510HP/AWD : How Will it Compare to Model 3 Performance?

[JulienW]

Looks like BMW is gunning for the Performance. The 2020 M3 (code G80) will have 480BHW to 510BHP and AWD. While too early for numbers I bet BMW is looking for low 3's or maybe in the 2s 0-60 and probably a MUST that it is faster then the Performance.

So the $64,000 (almost literally) question: Will Tesla respond with an improved Performance Model 3?

New 2020 BMW M3: choice of 480 or 510bhp, 2wd or 4wd confirmed

 

[ucmndd]

I think Tesla cares precious little about the M3 and the amount of cross-shopping between M3 and P3 is vastly overstated.

 

[focher]

I think Tesla is holding a software update that will beat whatever BMW releases ... if it releases something better.

 

[JulienW]

I think Tesla cares precious little about the M3 and the amount of cross-shopping between M3 and P3 is vastly overstated.

Really????

 

[Kilotango74]

While it is a interesting comparison the BMW will be 20k more without options so it really dosent compare. I’ve been a BMW fan for years but they are dropping the ball as far as I am concerned. Until they make an electric car with an M on the grill I am no longer interested.

 

[jontatt]

While it is a interesting comparison the BMW will be 20k more without options so it really dosent compare. I’ve been a BMW fan for years but they are dropping the ball as far as I am concerned. Until they make an electric car with an M on the grill I am no longer interested.

I agree with you 1000%

 

[Bloomj]

The 3 series died with the end of the E90 platform.

 

[Kleenerth3]

Really????
View attachment 437765

Yeah... Really!
Edmunds just took the crown "moniker" from BMW, Ultimate Driving Machine and bestowed it upon The 3.
The more people that have driven both, the more people will say the same thing. The 3 right now doesn't have any competition, not for anything even close to the same $.

 

[jjrandorin]

It will have a price in the 70s to 80s MSRP (once options are added), and I doubt it will be "high 2s" 0-60... the current competition version of the M3 is 3.8 I believe (and that would be using launch control etc). at least from a "start off the line" point of view, its hard to beat the model 3 performance with anything that is close to its price range (cue 'vette fans telling me the new vette will).

The thing is, BMWs new boss is "leaning in" on the fact that electric and ICE will have the same platform, which is the silliest mistake that they can make IMO. Tesla has proven with the model 3 that they can make a very satisfying handling car with all that battery weight down low.

Every BMW that has batteries right now tends to have them in traditional positions and thus has some sort of compromise (less trunk room, compromised interior footwell space, etc). Its very silly and short sighted for them to take this position simply to make building their cars easier for them.

Every car manufacturer that is designing electrics from the ground up will pass them in that field, and they have to know that, so BMW is betting that electric really wont matter and is only building them because they "have to".

Having been a BMW fan for 2 decades, and before my model 3 driving my wife and I only driving BMWs for the past 15 years or so, I have watched them sort of lose their way first hand as a consumer.

My wife has a 2019 X3 M40, which might be the last BMW we have... because at this point I dont see going back to ICE after that lease is over, given my model 3 experience so far, and I dont think BMW is on the right path as far as EVs go. Not sure I will be a two tesla household when this lease is up on the X3, but unless the all electric X3 is terrific, I wont have a BMW in my garage for the first time in a long time. There are a lot of BMW fans that have model 3s now.

 

[Joey_82]

It will have a price in the 70s to 80s MSRP (once options are added), and I doubt it will be "high 2s" 0-60... the current competition version of the M3 is 3.8 I believe (and that would be using launch control etc). at least from a "start off the line" point of view, its hard to beat the model 3 performance with anything that is close to its price range (cue 'vette fans telling me the new vette will).

The thing is, BMWs new boss is "leaning in" on the fact that electric and ICE will have the same platform, which is the silliest mistake that they can make IMO. Tesla has proven with the model 3 that they can make a very satisfying handling car with all that battery weight down low.

Every BMW that has batteries right now tends to have them in traditional positions and thus has some sort of compromise (less trunk room, compromised interior footwell space, etc). Its very silly and short sighted for them to take this position simply to make building their cars easier for them.

Every car manufacturer that is designing electrics from the ground up will pass them in that field, and they have to know that, so BMW is betting that electric really wont matter and is only building them because they "have to".

Having been a BMW fan for 2 decades, and before my model 3 driving my wife and I only driving BMWs for the past 15 years or so, I have watched them sort of lose their way first hand as a consumer.

My wife has a 2019 X3 M40, which might be the last BMW we have... because at this point I dont see going back to ICE after that lease is over, given my model 3 experience so far, and I dont think BMW is on the right path as far as EVs go. Not sure I will be a two tesla household when this lease is up on the X3, but unless the all electric X3 is terrific, I wont have a BMW in my garage for the first time in a long time. There are a lot of BMW fans that have model 3s now.

Not that I disagree with most of what you have written, but BMW did have some excellent ideas with the i3 (I've driven one for 3 years prior to getting a Model 3). Of course, they designed it from the ground up to be electric, and as a result I find that it is more similar to a Tesla than any other EVs are (flat battery along the bottom, rear motor + RWD, frunk and trunk space (albeit small as it's not a large vehicle).

But I get your point. The i3 has so much potential, its been available for 5-6 years and they still have yet to really use some of that design to push more BEVs forward. Sad really.

 

[SageBrush]

So the $64,000 (almost literally) question

That might be the base BMW price but I very much doubt it will be the price you pay to compete with the Model 3 P

 

[ucmndd]

Really????

Yes really. I think Tesla has zero interest in going tit for tat on performance specs with BMW. I don’t expect them to do really anything in response.

As I mentioned, I think the cross-shopping pool between these two cars is incredibly small.

 

[skrtskrt]

I don't think they are going to unlock luda or make the 3 faster until they can get their S and X sales up lol

 

[SageBrush]

The internet says that the upcoming BMW will compete with this Mercedes

Depending on the body style, the 4.0L V8 delivers 469 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque or 503 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The C 63 models can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in as fast as 3.8 seconds in the C 63 S Coupe. The C 63 Cabriolet has the slowest 0-60MPH acceleration time of 4.1 seconds.

Arithmetic says it will compete with the Model 3 P when it reaches ~ 600 HP

 

[jjrandorin]

Not that I disagree with most of what you have written, but BMW did have some excellent ideas with the i3 (I've driven one for 3 years prior to getting a Model 3). Of course, they designed it from the ground up to be electric, and as a result I find that it is more similar to a Tesla than any other EVs are (flat battery along the bottom, rear motor + RWD, frunk and trunk space (albeit small as it's not a large vehicle).

But I get your point. The i3 has so much potential, its been available for 5-6 years and they still have yet to really use some of that design to push more BEVs forward. Sad really.

The i3 looks are polarizing though. I never test drove one because I couldnt get past the looks... same reason I never tried a leaf, or volt, or bolt, or prius, or some of these other hybrids. I had a BMW Active hybrid 5 on a 3 year lease, and that car got a whopping 3-4 MPG more than the gas version, had a smaller trunk without passthrough, and felt super heavy to drive. It was my wifes though, and she loved the luxury cruiser feel of it, but I hated it.

Back then, I wondered why electric cars had to look like econoboxes, or silly kiddy spaceships (which is what the i3 looked like to me), or cost over 100k (tesla). When they released the Model 3 Performance, My lease was ending on my 435 and I was choosing between the model 3 P and a M3.

I agree with @ucmndd that the cross shopping pool is small, but I know it DOES exist. The price I paid for my model 3P was right around what I would have paid for the M3 I was eyeing, which was one with a free individual grey color. Had a list price of 82 something but I was going to be able to get it in the 73-74 ish range. My Model 3 P was 71.5 before rebates (I got 11k in rebates and incentives for it though when you add them all up).

Anyway, this was for a daily driver, and I took a leap and got the model 3P and am thrilled I did, for the use of daily driving. I would love to see what a performance EV from BMW would do, if it was designed from the ground up to be an EV. A BMW iM3 or something. Not holding my breath for it though.


EDIT: also, im not sure where on TMC this thread should go, but im not convinced it should be in the Model 3 section. its a general discussion of a competing brands car. Mods should consider moving it to an appropriate place.. as much as I still enjoy discussing things BMW lol.

 

[Lhshockey24]

The current version M5 does 0-60 in 3.2s with the competition package, launch control, slick tires, and warm weather — maybe.

Source: spending a day at the BMW M Performance school in Thermal, CA.

THAT sealed the deal on the Model 3 Performance for me. Spending the day driving the top end M2, M3, and M5 I found them boring, slow, and loud. The ceramic brakes though I still long for, but otherwise they weren’t even close.

 

[Lifeinabox]

The 3 series died with the end of the E90 platform.

Nah, try the E36.

 

[Urbancowboy]

Nah, try the E36.

As a prior owner of two e36 M3s, I agree with you. Those were fantastic cars.

The e39 M5 is another of my all time favorite BMW designs.

 

[Bloomj]

Nah, try the E36.

I said with the end of the e90 series...e90 and earlier 3 series cars were excellent. The first F series is where things went off the rails. Now you have to go to Porsche to find the feel of an “ultimate driving machine”.

As a prior owner of two e36 M3s, I agree with you. Those were fantastic cars.

The e39 M5 is another of my all time favorite BMW designs.

Agreed. I had an E39 M5 and loved it. Now replaced by the closest modern copy I could find, an SS with the manual transmission.

 

[focher]

Tesla’s own data says the 3/4 Series is one of the top trade-ins. It’s definitely one of the top cross-shopped models.