Totally awesome BMW M3 in Spain_The beast has been tamed!
The location for this international launch and test drive was the popular European holiday destination of Marbella on the southern coast of Spain. Even more impressive was the extended test drive on the Ascari race track some 100 kilometers away from the sunny coastline where the real world traits of this engineering animal was treated to some very harsh and real world driving tests by 7 of the most experienced motoring hacks from Malaysia.
BMW AG and the ‘M’ press office had structured our drive over a series of open highways and also some scenic country roads passing some of the best countryside in Europe for the first leg/day of our test drive. The following day was a true track day special with on track instructions and the ability to take full advantage of the new precision engineering and advanced electronics employed in this sensational car that has clearly been designed not for just sports minded drivers but also for serious track drivers.
M3 Physical Features
BMW ‘M’ designers are sending a clear signal with this new M3 that they are targeting for huge sales in the North American market. Muscle car looks starting with the bulging fenders and the very pronounced and most obvious bonnet bulge. This latest M3 is not unique in its looks and the sense of occasion is minimal in photographs. It turns heads in the flesh and it has got a boot full of charisma in person. It's got a look that people either love or lust at first meeting and I could conclude that there is much more lust than love with this new M3 for us. It is very muscular looking, with a muscle car bonnet bulge that had all the motoring press remarking at first glance, huge fender flares in the front and back over all wheels, which make the car look like it has so much power that it can't be contained in one simple light weight coupe shell. I must not forget to mention the new side view mirrors (that look like a yacht sail in full force) that will have copies being installed in most older Bimmers and other makes in coming months.
M3 Interior Features
Inside the new M3 there is little drama to get ones ‘goolies’ boiling. Set almost alike to the previously tested and now available for sale here in Malaysia 335i coupe there are a few indications of its true sporting pedigree. With the door open you see the mandatory M3 kick doorplates. Then there is the chunky, slightly overweight ‘M’ steering wheel that we have all grown to love. Behind it is the speed and engine running instruments with the ‘M’ logo proudly sitting in the middle of a new designed cluster that at first glance looks just like the one on the 335i coupe but after a second look you will notice the new rim indicators, the higher speed limit and best of all the tachometer that allows you to rev the nuts of this all new V8 to a howling 8,400 revolutions before being limited. One disappointing feature is the rather thin and simple looking manual gear lever, which looks like it was borrowed from the classic E30 M3. They should have used a nice chunky gear lever with a larger palm top (NOTE: this M3 is sold only with a 6-speed manual gearbox and there is no fancy paddle shift or electronic automatic gearbox for now). Firm torso hugging electric seats allows for a good driving position and with the rear accommodation adequate for a couple of teens or a fragile adult only.
M3 Driving Impressions
This new M3 is a sensuous engaging sports car, not a visceral animalistic one like the E46 M3. You just need to stroke the accelerator pedal lightly and it responds to you with a mild F1 engine note. After five minutes on the open road along the coast road of Marbella, we knew it would be difficult to write this review without using the word smooth and livable about 10 times. It's the ultimate smooth delivering performance sports car. You can live with it easily in city traffic nudging past admitting glances and when the horns come out at night you can take it for a midnight booty race along the open highway or even keep up with a super bike on the twisty coastal roads. The 48-valve inline V8- engine is its opening act, crooning its way into your heart, and the six-speed gearbox is virtually idiot-proof and best of all smooth, light and precise in its gate delivery at all six gears. Combined with a rather light clutch, driving this manual beast in town traffic at creeping speeds is easy as running a docile sedan. There is no clunking, grating and mashing noises when you move up and down the range and in also in reverse. The clutch feels light and un-intimidating. The fairer sex and less enthusiastic drivers will appreciate this and it is obvious that ‘M’ engineers are targeting a wider easier to please audience with the new M3. Meanwhile, the handling and brakes are typically (if not universally) BMW: almost flawlessly bringing the M3 to a full stop with no drama.
This new M3 comes with so many weight saving features (like the carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic roof that reduces the overall weight by some 5 kilos) that it seems impossible for the product and engineering boys from ‘M’ to have a M3 CSL in the future. It is lighter than the E46 CSL and with a equal 50-50% weight distribution between the front and rear it gives this M3 neutral handling with an impressive ‘planted’ feel when you encounter corners and quick switchbacks. It almost inspires you to feel like your are riding on rails until you encounter a hard quick turn that requires you to power up in 2nd gear and the rear leaves you for a partial second before electronics kick in to keep your desired heading. Power from the F1 inspired new V8 engine (which is built in the very same factory as the F1 engines in Landshut north of Munich) is very impressive and leaves little to explain with the given manufacturers figures. 400Nm of torque and 420bhp in a car weighing just 1655kg sets the tone for a car that will keep up with most super cars effortlessly and shock some others when overtaking.
This new M3 also comes equipped with the very latest in suspension technology using lightweight materials and state of the art electronics. Using the iDrive system you can choose two different versions of steering feel. ‘Sport’ mode returns a tight in your palm feel that gives enthusiastic driver’s better steering feedback on fast switchbacks with full race like wrist action. Back in the city you can revert to ‘Normal’ mode and get a lighter almost docile like steering feel for lighter easier parking and maneuvering.
There is an ‘EDC’ (Electronic Damper Control) button on the left of the gearlever with three stage settings. This allows for city, highway and track enjoyment. What the system does is to react accordingly to the needs of the driver by switching from comfort to cruising to track-style active driving when needed all at a touch of a button. We tried the system and almost immediately we could feel the suspension (damper) working to suit our needs and providing us with a rewarding drive as we tackled high speed corners first on the hill top roads and later when we tackled the Ascari race track with enthusiasm of a horny teen let loose in a girls dormitory. Running on light weight forged 18inch alloys wrapped with purpose designed Michelin 245/40 tyres in front and 265/40 tyres in the rear we were surprised with the lack of grip these tyres provided as we felt the M3 letting itself lose for a millisecond in tight corners as we powered into them. It was obvious after a few tight hairpins and a quick ‘S’ curve that the only downside to the M3’s handling at the limit were probably the new tyres (these were not run-flats).
M3 Concluding Statement
We suppose a price of about RM700k (no price indication at press time) or so will buy you this new M3 in Malaysia when it arrives sometime in early 2008 or possibly sooner. Meanwhile you will have to put your order in early as we come to find out that most authorized dealers in country have sold out their allocation for the coming year and this was done without even having a docket price or a test car for buyers to salivate over. Using just pictures and a specification sheet, buyers are parting with huge deposits to get their new M3 ASAP in their driveway for some rip-roaring fun. Is it the best bet in the segment? We have had the opportunity of driving the Audi RS4 last year in Italy and now some 10 months later this M3. After a lot of deliberation internally among all our alter egos we have to say that the Audi RS4 seems a smidgen better with more muscle and aggression. But for those of you reading this I suppose all this above means nothing if your heart is set on the new M3. I know if I had the available funds I would also opt for the M3 as its just makes better sense since we have yet to see a RS4 delivered here in Malaysia. Or not?
BMW M3 V8 Specifications
Engine: 3999 V8
Gearbox: 6-speed manual SG
Max power: 420 hp @ 8300 rpm
Max torque: 400 Nm @ 3900 rpm
Top Speed: 250 km/h (obviously limited)
0-100 km/h: 4.8 secs
Price Malaysia: Price on application
The location for this international launch and test drive was the popular European holiday destination of Marbella on the southern coast of Spain. Even more impressive was the extended test drive on the Ascari race track some 100 kilometers away from the sunny coastline where the real world traits of this engineering animal was treated to some very harsh and real world driving tests by 7 of the most experienced motoring hacks from Malaysia.
BMW AG and the ‘M’ press office had structured our drive over a series of open highways and also some scenic country roads passing some of the best countryside in Europe for the first leg/day of our test drive. The following day was a true track day special with on track instructions and the ability to take full advantage of the new precision engineering and advanced electronics employed in this sensational car that has clearly been designed not for just sports minded drivers but also for serious track drivers.
M3 Physical Features
BMW ‘M’ designers are sending a clear signal with this new M3 that they are targeting for huge sales in the North American market. Muscle car looks starting with the bulging fenders and the very pronounced and most obvious bonnet bulge. This latest M3 is not unique in its looks and the sense of occasion is minimal in photographs. It turns heads in the flesh and it has got a boot full of charisma in person. It's got a look that people either love or lust at first meeting and I could conclude that there is much more lust than love with this new M3 for us. It is very muscular looking, with a muscle car bonnet bulge that had all the motoring press remarking at first glance, huge fender flares in the front and back over all wheels, which make the car look like it has so much power that it can't be contained in one simple light weight coupe shell. I must not forget to mention the new side view mirrors (that look like a yacht sail in full force) that will have copies being installed in most older Bimmers and other makes in coming months.
M3 Interior Features
Inside the new M3 there is little drama to get ones ‘goolies’ boiling. Set almost alike to the previously tested and now available for sale here in Malaysia 335i coupe there are a few indications of its true sporting pedigree. With the door open you see the mandatory M3 kick doorplates. Then there is the chunky, slightly overweight ‘M’ steering wheel that we have all grown to love. Behind it is the speed and engine running instruments with the ‘M’ logo proudly sitting in the middle of a new designed cluster that at first glance looks just like the one on the 335i coupe but after a second look you will notice the new rim indicators, the higher speed limit and best of all the tachometer that allows you to rev the nuts of this all new V8 to a howling 8,400 revolutions before being limited. One disappointing feature is the rather thin and simple looking manual gear lever, which looks like it was borrowed from the classic E30 M3. They should have used a nice chunky gear lever with a larger palm top (NOTE: this M3 is sold only with a 6-speed manual gearbox and there is no fancy paddle shift or electronic automatic gearbox for now). Firm torso hugging electric seats allows for a good driving position and with the rear accommodation adequate for a couple of teens or a fragile adult only.
M3 Driving Impressions
This new M3 is a sensuous engaging sports car, not a visceral animalistic one like the E46 M3. You just need to stroke the accelerator pedal lightly and it responds to you with a mild F1 engine note. After five minutes on the open road along the coast road of Marbella, we knew it would be difficult to write this review without using the word smooth and livable about 10 times. It's the ultimate smooth delivering performance sports car. You can live with it easily in city traffic nudging past admitting glances and when the horns come out at night you can take it for a midnight booty race along the open highway or even keep up with a super bike on the twisty coastal roads. The 48-valve inline V8- engine is its opening act, crooning its way into your heart, and the six-speed gearbox is virtually idiot-proof and best of all smooth, light and precise in its gate delivery at all six gears. Combined with a rather light clutch, driving this manual beast in town traffic at creeping speeds is easy as running a docile sedan. There is no clunking, grating and mashing noises when you move up and down the range and in also in reverse. The clutch feels light and un-intimidating. The fairer sex and less enthusiastic drivers will appreciate this and it is obvious that ‘M’ engineers are targeting a wider easier to please audience with the new M3. Meanwhile, the handling and brakes are typically (if not universally) BMW: almost flawlessly bringing the M3 to a full stop with no drama.
This new M3 comes with so many weight saving features (like the carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic roof that reduces the overall weight by some 5 kilos) that it seems impossible for the product and engineering boys from ‘M’ to have a M3 CSL in the future. It is lighter than the E46 CSL and with a equal 50-50% weight distribution between the front and rear it gives this M3 neutral handling with an impressive ‘planted’ feel when you encounter corners and quick switchbacks. It almost inspires you to feel like your are riding on rails until you encounter a hard quick turn that requires you to power up in 2nd gear and the rear leaves you for a partial second before electronics kick in to keep your desired heading. Power from the F1 inspired new V8 engine (which is built in the very same factory as the F1 engines in Landshut north of Munich) is very impressive and leaves little to explain with the given manufacturers figures. 400Nm of torque and 420bhp in a car weighing just 1655kg sets the tone for a car that will keep up with most super cars effortlessly and shock some others when overtaking.
This new M3 also comes equipped with the very latest in suspension technology using lightweight materials and state of the art electronics. Using the iDrive system you can choose two different versions of steering feel. ‘Sport’ mode returns a tight in your palm feel that gives enthusiastic driver’s better steering feedback on fast switchbacks with full race like wrist action. Back in the city you can revert to ‘Normal’ mode and get a lighter almost docile like steering feel for lighter easier parking and maneuvering.
There is an ‘EDC’ (Electronic Damper Control) button on the left of the gearlever with three stage settings. This allows for city, highway and track enjoyment. What the system does is to react accordingly to the needs of the driver by switching from comfort to cruising to track-style active driving when needed all at a touch of a button. We tried the system and almost immediately we could feel the suspension (damper) working to suit our needs and providing us with a rewarding drive as we tackled high speed corners first on the hill top roads and later when we tackled the Ascari race track with enthusiasm of a horny teen let loose in a girls dormitory. Running on light weight forged 18inch alloys wrapped with purpose designed Michelin 245/40 tyres in front and 265/40 tyres in the rear we were surprised with the lack of grip these tyres provided as we felt the M3 letting itself lose for a millisecond in tight corners as we powered into them. It was obvious after a few tight hairpins and a quick ‘S’ curve that the only downside to the M3’s handling at the limit were probably the new tyres (these were not run-flats).
M3 Concluding Statement
We suppose a price of about RM700k (no price indication at press time) or so will buy you this new M3 in Malaysia when it arrives sometime in early 2008 or possibly sooner. Meanwhile you will have to put your order in early as we come to find out that most authorized dealers in country have sold out their allocation for the coming year and this was done without even having a docket price or a test car for buyers to salivate over. Using just pictures and a specification sheet, buyers are parting with huge deposits to get their new M3 ASAP in their driveway for some rip-roaring fun. Is it the best bet in the segment? We have had the opportunity of driving the Audi RS4 last year in Italy and now some 10 months later this M3. After a lot of deliberation internally among all our alter egos we have to say that the Audi RS4 seems a smidgen better with more muscle and aggression. But for those of you reading this I suppose all this above means nothing if your heart is set on the new M3. I know if I had the available funds I would also opt for the M3 as its just makes better sense since we have yet to see a RS4 delivered here in Malaysia. Or not?
BMW M3 V8 Specifications
Engine: 3999 V8
Gearbox: 6-speed manual SG
Max power: 420 hp @ 8300 rpm
Max torque: 400 Nm @ 3900 rpm
Top Speed: 250 km/h (obviously limited)
0-100 km/h: 4.8 secs
Price Malaysia: Price on application
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