Bimmer Update

The 2008 BMW M3 sedan is the way to go if you’re pinching pennies, since this model starts at $54,575. Expect to pay more for the M3 coupe, which BMW says will be priced at $57,275. The most powerful production M3s to arrive stateside will be powered by a 414-horsepower V8. Those base prices are likely to swell once you add options, including the steering-wheel-mounted Mdrive, which stores your customized preferences for such things as engine response, steering, damping and stability.

The M3 coupe is noteworthy for its carbon-fiber-reinforced roof. The M3 coupe and M3 sedan hit showrooms in March.

BMW says its new 1 Series convertible, which made its world debut on Sunday in Detroit, will start at $33,875 for the 128i model and $39,875 for the 135i model. The 1 Series convertible is due to arrive in showrooms this summer. The BMW 1 Series Coupe arrives in dealerships in March.

The 128i convertible gets BMW’s 230-horsepower 3.0-liter inline-6, while the 135i gets a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that churns out 300 horses

Tags: 1 series, 2008 m3, 2008 models, BMW, car pricing