Originally Posted by Scott26

When the product plan originated BMW 3er Sedan and Touring and 4er Coupe and Cabrio, the designers then set about differing these models like the C-Klasse coupe if you like is the CLK - That idea intrigued the BMW board of management because: A- it was different than the original platform vehicle, and B - because the E63 6er Coupe and cabrio were waiting in the wings.
The idea was spawn to create something individual than the platform that originated the 3er Sedan and Touring.
Hence why BMW decided to go forth with the 4er plan. Unfortunately marketing determined that this might not work but the consensus within
BMW favoured the plan to introduce the coupe as the BMW 4er . The plan was put to a vote but the results although extremely close decided to go with resorting the name back to the 3er Coupe.

I think the idea would have worked if they continued to use the 4er .

Now the name has changed but the design ideas live on the new 3er Coupe is seen as individual fromn the 3er sedan and Touring .
Why ? Because it is from the beginning of idea grabbing to be individual in design - (Even the wheel designs differ greatly taking cue from the 6er with elipsoid designs) , performance , and especially dynamics the car has been developed to be more focused as a performance car than the 3er sedan.

With the Cabrio you will have the benefit of a open top cabrio and the enclosure of a coupe - The best of both worlds.

And then you are going to have the 335i BMW's first step in turbocharged petrol engines for a long while. The Coupe will be the first car to have the turbocharged 3.0 under it's hood and then the engine will roll out to the rest of the 3er models before being placed under other BMW products.

If you saw the Autozeitung magazine pictures this is what the Coupe and Cabrio will look like. Sleeker and more individual design than the 3er Sedan.

Also remember with the upcoming E87 based Coupe and Cabrio the positioning of the new 3er Coupe and cabrio will be more clearer.
Like the upcoming X5 will make the X3 positioning more clearer.

And then this magnificent car will then form the basis of the next M3 - Which is said to be using the benchmark of the Porsche 997.
Which the E92 will be closer to than before - The M3 development team also are trying out the AM V8 as the 380 BHP car will no doubt be competition for the E92 - The engineers especially like the sound of the AM V8 and are working to emulate such a roar for the next M3.
A whole department are working on the sound.

The next M3 will expect to be fractionally more expensive than todays car however the payoff will be more power , noise, technology and of course Carbon fibre components such as the roof to offset the increase.

***

Interesting development is concerning the 3er Coupe. It appears that the licence plate will be on the bootlid after all - BMW covered the rear with a false metal panel and from a distance looks very real, to keep the spies guessing. Debate = maximum publicity.
However some models are testing a lightweight bootlid made of carbon fibre ( plate on the bumper in this case ) for a future development - presumably the M / CSL version but in reality the regular car is that red digital image you posted.

In reward for the 3er winning the scottish car of the year - BMW will preview the coupe to Scottish representitives on the eve of the ceremony. The car commences photography and film shoot on Friday in /censured/

Shooting has already taken place in Madrid and Munich.