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Spy Shot: 2007 BMW 3-Series Convertible

SL65

SL65

Ambitious but rubbish!
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
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9,326
Location
Sydney, Australia
Car(s)
1998 Subaru Legacy 2.5L
! Its a hardtop !

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BMW is preparing a number of new 3-series variants for launch within the next two years.

The most discussed newcomer is the 3-Series convertible, because talk was about the car having either a canvas or a steel top.

Here now are the latest prototype shots of the 3-Series convertible showing, that the next 3-Series Cabriolet will get a retractable steel roof plus different front end styling to make it look sportier.

The prototype?s roof is clearly visible. It has three parts which will fold into the boot when operated. The front and rear end of the convertible prototype are still under some disguise, but we have added this photo (seen below) from our files showing another prototype of the Coupe version revealing the new front end . While the Coupe is set to launch at the next Geneva Motor Show in March 2006, the convertible variant is only due a year later in 2007.

Power for the Coupe Convertible comes from a variety of six-cylinder engines ranging from 2.2 litre 180 HP to 3.0 litre 258 HP. The top of the line M3 will get a V8 4.0 litre engine delivering around 400 HP. Furthermore, three diesels will be available with performance ranging from 163 HP to 272 HP.
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Looks slightly sportier from the front. All that matters is if they have tried to fix the complicated rear design.

Personally, I'v always been a fan of the current 3'ers fabric top but I will wait a reserve judgment a little longer on the topic of the hardtop roof.

The 3.0L V6 sounds saucy. That would be my engine of choice realistically speaking. The diesels are an absolute no-no for me.
 
v6?????/??

i dont think bmw will ever make a v6! the engine that this car will have will be the n52 3.0l inline-6 for both the 325i and the 330i...

but anyways, i digress.

i like the idea of the folding hardtop, however i think it adds too much wieght and complexity.
 
M5Rangerover said:
v6?????/??

i dont think bmw will ever make a v6! the engine that this car will have will be the n52 3.0l inline-6 for both the 325i and the 330i...

but anyways, i digress.

i like the idea of the folding hardtop, however i think it adds too much wieght and complexity.
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Ahhh yes, Bimmers inline-6, not V6 :oops:
Is the current M3's engine just a tuned version of the normal 3.0L??
 
Bottom pic looks very arse-heavy, like most of these folding roof coupes. Doesn't look so big in the other pics though, so maybe BMW have managed to package it all nicely. Looks a very very neat job on the folding hardtop itself - though I'll wait to see how nice those joins look on a lighter coloured car.
 
They should bring back the old BAUR convertibles. I'm not much of a fan of the four seater convertibles. The proportions are slightly odd when the roof is down. And as Jeremy once said, you do look like Hitler when sitting in the back.
 
SL65AMG~V12~604BHP!!!!!!! said:
M5Rangerover said:
v6?????/??

i dont think bmw will ever make a v6! the engine that this car will have will be the n52 3.0l inline-6 for both the 325i and the 330i...

but anyways, i digress.

i like the idea of the folding hardtop, however i think it adds too much wieght and complexity.
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Ahhh yes, Bimmers inline-6, not V6 :oops:
Is the current M3's engine just a tuned version of the normal 3.0L??
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3.2l?
 
BMW should thank Mercedes-Benz now or when they release this conv as M-Benz PIONEERED the folding hardtop. ;)

Just had to remind you guys. Mercedes-Benz = :thumbsup:
 
eh, no the current e46 M3 has an s54, which is a 3.2l inline-6, and although it may seem similar to the mainstream 3.0 m54, it is very different.

"The S54 shares its format with other BMW inline 6-cylinder engines. Virtually all of its engineering details, however, are unique and oriented to the very highest level of performance. Given that other current BMW ?sixes? have an aluminum block with cast-iron cylinder liners, it may be surprising that the S54 M3 engine has a cast-iron block. Why?

Compactness is the primary reason. An inline six is longer than a V-6, and BMW nurtures the inline layout because of its superior smoothness and sound. An aluminum block?s cylinder liners take up space; with liners it would not have been possible to achieve the engine?s 3.2-liter displacement without lengthening the block. The second reason is strength. Given that this engine develops a fully 333 hp from 3.2 liters ? significantly over 100 hp per liter ? its internal stresses are immense.

The S54 engine has stepless Double VANOS , which varies valve timing on the intake and exhaust camshafts. Though Double VANOS is employed in current 3, 5, X5 and Z4 Series 6-cylinder engines, in the M3 engine, it varies timing over a wider range and contributes in a major way to the engine?s stratospheric power output. Intake timing is varied by 60?, exhaust by 46?, vs. 40? and 25?, respectively. As in all BMW engines where it is employed, VANOS is hydraulically actuated in response to electronic controls."


As for the folding hardtop... did mercedes benz actually engineer that, I thought an independant manufacturer was and still is responsible for its design and construction.
 
the front looks much cleaner, i really like how it looks now.
 
But the original SLK had a hardtop engineered by Karmann, which supply most tops for convertibles.
 
Wonder why they didn't have the same front styling on the other 3-series.
Looks 10 times better now. :thumbsup:
 
Until this, the only choice for a four-seater folding hard top was the Volvo C70 -- and that's not even out yet.

I bet the new Merc CL will have a folding hard top, and the next generation of A4 cabrio, and the next generation 6-series convertible, and so on.

The only 2+2 cabrio that couldn't take a hard top is the 911, I think. And that's just because the engine goes back there.
 
Man, I used to love that car... It was the first thing I drove that had close to 200 hp... E36 back then, when I just got my license...

And now a Hardtop?? Dunno...

Weird, that they will put the 3 litre biturbo in...

Buba
 
of course a hard top

the times of having a blanket above your head are over i hope


i don't understand why people have problems with those hard tops? i always taught of those canvas roofs on a luxury car as being uber stupid
 
^ The problem I have with the folding hardtops is that most of the cars with them end up with huge, out-of-proportion arses to accomodate the folded roof.
 
Buba said:
Man, I used to love that car... It was the first thing I drove that had close to 200 hp... E36 back then, when I just got my license...

And now a Hardtop?? Dunno...

Weird, that they will put the 3 litre biturbo in...

Buba
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Biturbo you say?? Nobody ever told me anything about a biturbo.

Is that the way the new M3's will be powered or is this biturbo off another engine? I can't think of a biturbo BMW, lol I must know or else I won't sleep well tonight!!
bone said:
of course a hard top

the times of having a blanket above your head are over i hope


i don't understand why people have problems with those hard tops? i always taught of those canvas roofs on a luxury car as being uber stupid
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I can't speak for why Buba doesn't like the hardtop but I personally think that a hardtop just doesn't suit this type of body shape and size.

Take a CLK for example, a large size convertible like that wouldn't look good without its fantastic canvas top. I'm used to seeing hardtops on the small and nifty stuff like SLK's and cute little French cars...but not a 3-Series which will eventually be M badge.
 
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