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2008 BMW M3 - Design 

M3 designers avoided the impulse of many of their colleagues, opting not to sketch a sport variant festooned with garish wings, exaggerated body kits and countless tacky vents. Instead, they created a top-notch 3 Series characterized by a muscular yet sophisticated presence. Weighing in at about 3,700 pounds, the M3 uses subtle touches to distinguish itself from the mainstream 3 Series, including a power-domed aluminum hood with vents, slightly flared fenders, limited M3 badging, quad chrome exhaust tips, and aerodynamic exterior mirror housings. A carbon fiber roof is standard on the M3 coupe, while both body styles feature redesigned fascias, a honeycomb lower grille insert, large air intakes on the lower edges of the front bumper, a rear diffuser, and small vents just behind the front wheel wells. Other touches include a small rear lip spoiler, adaptive brake lights that tie intensity to brake pedal pressure, and 18- or 19-inch alloys rolling on aggressive performance tires. Buyers can choose from seven colors: Alpine White, Jet Black, Sparkling Graphite Metallic, Melbourne Red Metallic, Jerez Black Metallic, Interlagos Blue Metallic, and Silverstone Metallic.

Complementing the varied exterior hues are five interior colors: Anthracite and Black, Silver, Fox Red, Black, and Bamboo Beige. Also found inside the M3 are unique sill plates, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a push-button ignition, and a split rear seatback on coupe models (available on the sedan as part of the Cold Weather Package). Requisite M nomenclature finds its way to the front head restraints, the tachometer, the steering wheel, and atop the shift knob. Otherwise, the M3’s interior mirrors that of other 3 Series models with a curvaceous dash and available iDrive that continues to make simple tasks more complicated than necessary.