New BMW M3 convertible – first pics

As expected, BMW engineers have added approximately 205kg more to the M3 convertible to strengthen the body

Click here for more pictures of the new BMW M3 convertible

BMW has pulled the covers off the hotly anticipated M3 convertible.

And for the first time in the model’s history, the drop-top Beemer will get an automatic three-piece folding metal roof which opens in 22 seconds.

As with every generation of M3 since the birth of the original in 1986, the engine is at the heart of the driving experience.

Nestling under the bulging bonnet will be the M Division’s raucous new 420bhp 4-litre V8 engine, propelling the new BMW M3 convertible from 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds when fitted with a manual box.

Opt for the automatic double-clutch gearbox and the 0-62mph time drops to 5.1 seconds.

As expected, BMW engineers have added approximately 205kg more to the M3 convertible to strengthen the body and ensure it maintains the coupe’s driving dynamics, taking the weight to an estimated 1850kg.

All the usual M refinements are fitted to the convertible, including MDrive, which allows the driver to individually adjust the engine, suspension and traction control, and Electronic Damper Control (EDC), offering up different settings for the dampers to suit changes in road conditions.

This is the fourth BMW M3 convertible the company has released, building on more than twenty years of the M3.

And the Munich-based company is wooing the crowds at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show with the launch of the exciting new BMW X6, which boasts four-wheel-drive grip and agility coupled to coupe-like looks and roadcar handling.

The new BMW M3 convertible goes on sale in May 2008 and costs £54,655 - £5,000 more than the coupe and saloon versions. The optional M DCT automatic gearbox will be priced at £2,590.

Click here for more pictures of the new BMW M3 convertible