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      08-30-2019, 10:40 AM   #3
mkoesel
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Drives: No BMW for now
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Unfortunately, he didn't elaborate any more on the situation with the RWD/MT M3. Although some have interpreted the vehicle described by this quote:

Quote:
It will have 480hp in the standard version
To be the same vehicle described just after that by this quote:

Quote:
But we will also do rear-wheel drive cars, purer ones too and a manual stick shift.
I am still not convinced that those two statements actually refer to the same car. I understand that yngulgyn's latest interpretation is that they do appear to be the same M3 model, but I have to remain a bit skeptical. I just don't know that, from a marketing perspective, they will eliminate what would have been the base (non-Competition) 480hp AWD/AT M3.

Consider that, in many countries, the MT will not be available - there is simply no demand. That means that, in those places, there would be no base M3 model at all. I'm sure that BMW would be happy to not have to worry about a base model, but having that model in the lineup is what motivates people to jump up to the Competition model. It's a strategy that has worked so well for the M3 that they now use it across the entire M range today, including SUVs. So, it seems unlikely they would elect not to continue with that formula for the new M3 (and M4, presumably).
Appreciate 3