Keep or sell!?!?!

[BlingBling]

Good Decision. The second you have made in recent times. The first beingot buy a RS4.

[Jarv]

OT a bit I know, but this might be of interest to you lucky guys who have your names down for a new M3.

I came back from Barcelona today after a few days driving the new Cooper S in the official press launch. I remembered reading this thread before I went so I asked a BMW representative whether they had any updates as to when the first deliveries of the M3 were going to come through. The answer was September 07. Obviously, this isn't an official response and may well be wrong, but thought you might like to know anyway.

Jarv

[kam100]

Yeah on a Bmw forum i keep my eye on, someone posted the below:
The rumour machine is definitely starting anyway..

"Some E92/E90 M3 news.

Talked to the senior sales rep today while picking up the new facelifted X3 3.0sd (210kW/580Nm twin-turbodiesel - nice - SAV, not nice.) for a test drive and track (traffic today, track and photo-session tomorrow with a professional photographer.)

Geneva: Many BMW sales reps already have airline tickets and hotel reservations for it (the guy I was talking to, included.) E92 M3 will be released there unless the world ends is what he said. Also, production of the E92 M3 model at one of the biggest BMW plants in Bavaria is scheduled to begin in March. Lots of BMW's test E92 M3's are driving around germany without any cover tape at all any more. (That's where all the photos are coming from.) E92 will be the release & demo version, Sedan will follow later, as there is not much interest in M3 sedans in Europe. I guess all this means that demo and test drive cars will be available very soon, he told me to get ready to rip one apart (stress test) on a track here this coming spring 2007. Can't wait. BMW doesn't have it on their ordering system yet (naturally) and March is when their official channels will release the information about it and add it to the order system. Customer deliveries in Europe expected in Summer 2007. He was very definite about this, since the factory will start rolling the cars out in March. The time between the start of production and delivery is usually around 3-4 months. If the car is built on the same continent (European BMWs for Europe closer to 3 months, US BMW's X5 and Z4 for US, closer to 3 months).

When asked, he said that United States will probably get it later because they need to comply with emissions testing and other time consuming crap in the US, and very likely there will be minor modifications on the US version here and there, like for most M cars. At least one of these differences is, that there will be a vents in the rear silencers that open up at about 4500rpm to let out even more brutal engine sounds in the Euro version (just like on the Z4 M's) and that is not allowed in the US so the silencers and related parts will have to be re-engineered for the US versions. But at least the wait won't be as bad as with the M6, which was released at the exact same time in Europe as the M5, but only made it's way into the US way over a year later, much, much later than the M5.

There should also be some new BMW concepts unveiled, one of them may be related to the hydrogen power project, don't know which since the 760h has already been fully released and introduced. Anyway, BMW always keeps the number of car releases down per each show to focus attention on the cars that they do release. And since it's the 20th anniversary year of the first M3 (1986), there will be special events, podcasts, M3 history and other marketing propaganda widely available on the world wide web, car magazines and other media when the new M3 is officially released. It'll be the 4th generation M3 (E30, E36, E46 being the 3 priors.)

This is what I got from the sales rep today. "

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread ... 040&page=2

[Jezzer]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

[LegalEagle]

Audi GB told me that they'll sell around 1000-1200 cabs, avants, saloons this year, similar number next year but production due to stop summer '07.

[Gareth]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

there are more avants here than there are saloons....Audi UK seem to have got the balance (and timing) wrong here for the UK market

[PetrolDave]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

The history of RS models in the UK is that they have always been Avants, and that's what the market expects - Audi UK didn't apply enough pressure to get the Avant first here.

[Gareth]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

The history of RS models in the UK is that they have always been Avants, and that's what the market expects - Audi UK didn't apply enough pressure to get the Avant first here.

could well be the case.

[simple1]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

To date there are 320 saloons, 107 cabs and 78 avants as far as I can tell, With next weeks production run, that will increase

[Jezzer]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

To date there are 320 saloons, 107 cabs and 78 avants as far as I can tell, With next weeks production run, that will increase

How do you know these figures? Gareth seems to think there are more avants, does anyone really know?

[dhali]

there seems to be a trend of not keeping the car very long. was this the same case when the B5 RS4 first came about aswell?

[PetrolDave]

there seems to be a trend of not keeping the car very long. was this the same case when the B5 RS4 first came about aswell?

There was so much hype before the RS4 was launched that it was inevitable that some would be bought by people who just wanted to be seen in the latest "it" car, and once it no longer has that status they'll sell it. Others would buy it because they thought they could sell at a premium price. All those buyers are now moving on ...

Real enthusiasts who understand and love what the RS sub-brand is all about, and how the B7 RS4 is one of the best examples there is of that, will keep them for a long time.

Preparing flameproof overalls ...

[Gareth]

Anyone know how many B7 RS4 Avants are in the UK at the momemt. I think the avants will hold up better than the saloons and cabs, that's why i bought one. Anyone else agree on that one.

To date there are 320 saloons, 107 cabs and 78 avants as far as I can tell, With next weeks production run, that will increase

Can I ask where those numbers are from please ?

[simple1]

Top of my hat............

[kam100]

there seems to be a trend of not keeping the car very long. was this the same case when the B5 RS4 first came about aswell?

There was so much hype before the RS4 was launched that it was inevitable that some would be bought by people who just wanted to be seen in the latest "it" car, and once it no longer has that status they'll sell it. Others would buy it because they thought they could sell at a premium price. All those buyers are now moving on ...

Real enthusiasts who understand and love what the RS sub-brand is all about, and how the B7 RS4 is one of the best examples there is of that, will keep them for a long time.

Preparing flameproof overalls ...

Completely agree.. im one who likes to have the latest 'it' car, and hence am moving mine on now.. however i feel im doing someone else a favour as well, as i think the guy im selling to will truely appreciate what the rs4 is about, and will look after it like it should be.. and also drive it like it should be!