M3 Touring v Audi RS4

There is next to no discount on the M3 Touring. £2,000 or £3,000 if you are lucky. The Touring also has a higher interest rate on finance than the M3 and M4. 

It is anecdotal, but it would appear that more than a few people have cancelled their M3 Touring orders. It does illustrate how dependent such cars have been on relatively cheap finance for years. The M Touring is one of those cars that internet forums demand, but in-reality demand is lower than the fanfare of such a model. America generally doesn’t do estates, and neither does China. America is the biggest market for M, China can’t be far behind. So economically I’m not sure it works for BMW.

Clunes is right. There are loads of X3M’s about, and significantly cheaper than the M3 Touring. By having a Touring you’re accepting a compromise. If you want a practical 4WD machine with an S58 motor…

BMW tend to be conservative with the power and torque they publish. B58 and S58-engined stuff punch above their weight. Carwow did a drag race between an M340i with ‘only’ 374 hp and RS4 with 450 hp and the RS4 needs a couple of goes to beat the M340i. For an M Performance model that should be more comparable with an S4 it was impressive.

8 series prices are very low already when compared to the price new. There are lots of two to 3 year old 840i and 840D coupes on modest miles around the £38K/£40K mark and some Grand Coupes just a bit more than that. That is less than half price and most still have manufacturer warranty!

When you look at the spec of that car (incl B&W sound) and compare it's price to what you could buy new and there really isn't any competition. The only issue for some might be the size of the car but at that price depreciation should at least fall in to the manageable bracket.

The m3 according to the reviews is a very different beast to an rs4,and how much was the rs4 performance which is closer ? A 3 series for 100k is mad but so are hot hatches for 75k . A new m3 or a used rs6 is a dilemma for that sort of money.I dont think the x3m factors into anything as the ride is so crap (according to the owners on PH) .I also don't get putting bucket seats into an estate car ,they look great but they diminish it's usability which is just crazy.
Dealers were only getting a few cars each so I expect the values will hold up short term and then drop like a stone.

CAR mag tested the M3 Touring in the current issue.
Got to say it doesn't really sound like it fared too well against the Jag F Pace SVR, although naturally they come down on the side of the M3.

There's also a comment about the new RS4 not being ready for the test yet - presume there's a new, or significantly updated, one approaching.

I saw an 8 series at the weekend and, having not seen one for a while, was taken aback at how low it is comapred to length, the proportions aren't right there plus there's a lot of visual bulk low down.

They need to, the finance situation must be serious for car makers - especially given the BS prices they try to sell everything for now.

We were looking at a mortgage for a buy to let flat recently, A mortgage that cost £250 2 years ago is now £600. If that is remotely reflected in car loans and finance deals, how the hell are supposedly "squeezed" people going to afford nigh on £100k for a mere 3 series?? I imagine car OEM's will do all they can to massage the numbers, putting money into the finance but not reducing the prices if they have to choose one or the other. But I've read articles suggesting interest rates could be much as they are now (or certainly a lot closer to now, than 2 years ago) for a decade or more. At a time when we are being forced into much more expensive EV's, with ICE cars artificially raised in new prices by the fines OEM's pay for selling them now, thats not going to be good for anyone.

If buyers are not willing to pay such high prices or indeed the cost of finance due to the inflated list prices which previously low interest rates fueled, then prices will either have to drop or sales numbers reduced but with higher margins. Neither is ideal for car manufacturers who have built a business based on sales growth. Current interest rates probably should remain at their current rates and arguably should have been where they are for the last few years. The comedown we're experiencing from the heady days of 0.1% BOE rates is going to be painful as more and more middle class mortgage holders come off their fixed deals. Finding an extra £500 a month for the bank is going to seriously dent a lot of people's new car funds.

A very good point!