BMW indirectly confirms the arrival of the new M3/M4 models over the next few months by announcing that they are wrapping up the production of the current version. Often referred to by its manufacturing code (E92/E93), the 4th gen BMW M3 is now consigned to the history books. But its glorious racing career continues.

The E90 series M3 was the first and last of its kind to use a V8 engine. It was a big, drastic change for the fans of the nimble M saloon when they found out that their beloved brand of automobile has become a hotrod, but the car was so damn fine in every aspect that everybody quickly got over the fact that it has totally ignored the traditions of its predecessors.

The E90 M3 was a revolutionary car, but nowhere near as revolutionary as the car that is coming to replace it. First of all, what you know as the M3 – the hotted-up two-door 3-Series – will no longer be called the M3. That name will be given to the four-door sedan version of the car. The Coupe will be called the M4, which somehow doesn’t sound as cool as M3.

What’s more, the new model marks BMW’s return to six cylinders, only this time they have added a couple of turbochargers to the mix. So while it certainly will make the power – estimated 450 horsepower – nobody’s sure yet about the responsiveness and the feel of the thing.  The new car will also be lighter, all in the name of saving fuel.

Anyhow, the M3 E90 was a cracking car that will be missed greatly. It has over 40,000 production units on the roads today, and while the last Coupe version recently rolled off the production line, the Convertible will soldier on till September.

Meanwhile the racing versions of the car will continue to win titles in DTM, ALMS and other forms of racing.