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Twilight Cars The BMW M3 convertible...If you had long been celebrated as the most beautiful woman in the world, an immortal whose mere appearance was enough to send most human men to their knees, wouldn’t it be appropriate to drive one of the most legendary and sought-after automobiles ever built?
Derided as ‘ostentatious’ by Edward Cullen, would it really do his adopted sister Rosalie any justice to be seen in anything other than a cherry red BMW M3 convertible? Definitely not.
The 2009 BMW M3 is one of the most impressive pieces of German machinery on the road today. Featuring a 4.0 liter V8 engine that churns out an incredible 414 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, the M3 convertible is capable of accelerating to 60 miles per hour in less than 5 seconds – leaving most other sports cars in the dust. The M3 can be ordered with a traditional 6-speed manual transmission, but it is also sold with BMW’s new 7-speed automatic transmission which uses a dual-clutch in order to provide seamless shifting that is faster than the human hand can achieve.
Not only does the M3 provide prodigious amounts of power, but its chassis has also been seriously upgraded when compared to the standard 3-Series upon which it is based. In addition to a stiffer platform, the M3 convertible offers a suspension system that is computer controlled in order to provide the ultimate in smoothness and performance no matter what road surface a self-respecting vampire might be traveling on. Drivers can also adjust the system to optimize for either sport of comfort. The exterior of the M3 also bears significant upgrades, with an aggressive front air dam controlling the amount of air entering under the car, along with a rear spoiler to help keep the rear end firmly planted. M-logos abound, and four exhaust tips help hammer home the message that this is no typical BMW – as if the power bulge on the hood didn’t already give that away.
The 2009 BMW M3 is the first of its kind to abandon the traditional 6-cylinder engine found in all other M iterations of the 3-Series. This sparked an uproar amongst purists, who were also concerned about the heavier weight of the new sport sedan, but the sound of its powerful and high-revving power plant is music to the ears of Rosalie as she jets around Washington breaking hearts and rubbing it in with a car that most men would kill to own.
Edward was right when he said that the car attracted attention, and of course, there are certainly many more practical options than a convertible given Washington state’s rainy tendencies. However, Rosalie lives life on her own terms, and there are few other options that could match the combination of speed, power and statement that are embodied by her brilliant red BMW M3. If that means more than a few stares from the local population, then so be it – that is the cost of being so fabulous.
Rosalie looks great in her red BMW, just as good as Edward does in his silver Volvo. The Twilight saga has given us a good look at some of the most exotic cars around, and there are more articles to come in this series, Twilight Cars. Find out more about Jacob Black's Volkswagen Rabbit and the Motorcycles that Bella and Jacob rode around.