Another M3 Pure Edition from BMW Australia

IT EXPERIENCED sell-out success with its first ‘Pure Edition’ M3 sports coupe, and now BMW Australia is set to offer a second bite at the cherry after it confirmed a limited production run of 50 M3 ‘Pure Edition II’ models.

Available to order from March through to July this year, the $145,000 special version M3 is $10,000 cheaper than the standard model, despite offering a suite of cosmetic upgrades.

These include the same glossy black 19-inch light alloy wheels with matching bonnet intake and dark chrome highlights on the kidney grille, side sills and exhaust tips as found on the original Pure Edition.

Where the Mark II version differs from the original is in the multitude of attention grabbing colours offered, all of which have been sourced from BMW Individual.

The Bavarian brand claims these outlandish race track-inspired hues – including Fire Orange, Dakar Yellow II, Laguna Seca, Sepang Bronze and Imola Red – represent as much as $10,000 extra value on their own.

Other unique features include ‘M Power’ stitching on the handbrake lever and M3 chequered flag inlays on the door sills.

Left: BMW Australia managing director Phil Horton. Below: The original M3 Pure and the new M5.

Unchanged is the standard M3’s 309kW and 400Nm 4.0-litre V8 engine, which is matched exclusively in the Pure II to the six-speed manual gearbox.

BMW claims a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 4.8 seconds and combined fuel use of 12.4L/100km.

Fuel savings come courtesy of brake energy regeneration technology and automatic idle-stop, as found on the standard model. The Pure also retains the normal M3’s lightweight carbon-fibre roof.

2012 marks the 40th anniversary of BMW’s M GmbH high-performance division, and the brand’s managing director of Australian operations Phil Horton said the Pure Edition II is just the first of several impending releases as part of the celebrations.

“2012 is set to be a huge year for BMW M with the release of a new M5 followed by the M6 later in the year,” he said, “as well as the introduction of the M performance vehicle range.” Mr Horton said he believes the second iteration of the Pure Edition would be as successful as the first, stating that “Australian customers love what these cars offer in terms of looks and the performance to back it up – it is not a car for shrinking violets”.

All 100 units of the first M3 Pure Editions were snapped up in what BMW Australia calls “record time” after they arrived early last year, helping the venerable sports model achieve a sales increase of almost 10 per cent in 2011.

As we’ve reported, the all-new M5 executive express is set for its local launch in early-February. Gone is the outrageous V10 from the old model, replaced with a 412kW and 680Nm turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 that helps the big car dash from 0-100km/h in just 4.4 seconds.

The M5 will be followed by an M6 in two-door coupe, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe guises, the latter probably in 2013, using a version of the same V8 powertrain.

The new M performance vehicle range, meanwhile, will offer souped-up BMW vehicles that stop short of being full-fat M cars from later this year.

It will provide the brand with a two-tier performance ladder, much like Audi’s range of sporty S models that complement its high-performance RS variants and provide a bit of M magic to models that do not have an M flagship version.

The first example, confirmed to be an X6 SUV that will most likely come with a high-performance diesel engine, should arrive in Australia in the third quarter of this year.

BMW M3 Pure Edition II pricing (before on-roads):
Pure Edition II&nbsp	$145,000