As I've been in the market for a new car recently I have been test driving a lot of nice
hardware, one of the best was the new BMW M3 Coupe (6 speed manual) which I had for three days.
The new M3 is not that exciting from the outside and doesn't stand out as being an “M” car in the way
that previous versions do, most people will probably think its just another 3 Series. However
those that know their cars will notice the flared wheel arches, black carbon roof, chrome wing
badges and “power dome” on the bonnet. Some don't like it but I actually prefer the slightly
understated looks of the new model.
Colour wise the car I had was the Melbourne Red which isn't a
colour I'd choose….. its ok as reds go but looked a little dull to my eye. On the coupe the
carbon fiber roof does look very nice even though its not as big a weight saving feature as BMW
would have us believe (the sedan only weighs a little more than the coupe and it doesn't have the
carbon roof).
On any colour other than black the roof really does make it clear the car is an
M3, maybe that's why white M3 Coupes are selling very well at the moment? The car I tested had
the optional 19” wheels which most buyers seem to choose, I personally prefer the standard dark
graphite double spoke 18” which are actually lighter weight (reduced unsprung weight marginally
improving the handling) and mean looking on darker coloured exteriors.
Interior - in a
word dull! The best thing I can say about the cabin is that it is functional...
To me the interior of the M3 looks almost exactly the same as any other 3 series BMW,
sure it has lots of gadgets and leather but it lacks the flair of an Audi interior. Maybe the
fact that this car had black everywhere didn't help and I would definitely choose something
different if buying one myself (more on that later)!
The best thing I can say about the cabin is
that it is functional, the seats are very comfortable and adjust in almost every way you could
want and come with electronic memory that can be changed via a press of a button or tied to the
drivers key….. eg with two keys husband and wife can open the car and find the seats
automatically set up to their liking. Rear seat space seemed very good and getting in and out was
fairly easy for a coupe. The front cabin area had plenty of storage pockets and spaces and power
connections for changing mobile phones or other devices. The M3 also comes with some extra
ambient lighting which gives you interior and exterior LED lighting from doors and cabin - a nice
little addition. The boot/trunk space is reasonable and the rear seats can fold down to allow
larger loads.
Technology - the new M3 will have you playing with settings and buttons for ages...
M cars
are usually renowned for their engineering prowess but the latest M3 models also come with their
fair share of gadgets and gizmos. The iDrive system often gets lots of complaints in other
reviews but I found it easy to navigate and frankly anyone that finds it difficult to use is
probably the same sort of person that can't programme a video recorder! iDrive comes with a big
central dash mounted display screen that covers most day to day functions with sections for
entertainment (radio, cd, iPod etc.), navigation, climate control, parking display, car settings
and bluetooth connected phones.
The stereo seemed pretty good for a car in this price bracket
although I don't know if it was the standard offering or a more costly premium option. If you
want to use an iPod or other MP3 player the central armrest has a nice storage area with power
and aux input for the stereo as standard, if you pay for the optional iPod integration kit you
get to use the iDrive system to navigate playlists/tracks etc on the main display. As I always
have my iPod on random play I'd just plug and play without bothering with the extra cost option.
The parking display gives a clear visual and audible indication of distance to objects and was
easy to use. As I never use my phone while driving I didn't play with any of the Bluetooth
functions so I'll give that section a miss. The navigation system is actually one of the better
built in versions that I've tested, it was easy to set up and the display was clear and updated
quickly, in busy areas you are also given live traffic information with the option to
automatically reroute to avoid any delays. The car settings screens allow you to change default
options such as the throttle (normal, sport or sport plus), steering feel, electronic dampers
(optional) and DCT gearbox setup (if fitted) while also allowing you to configure the “M”
steering wheel button. If you like your gadgets the new M3 will have you playing with settings
and buttons for ages and allows a huge range of setups to suit any driver and road condition…..
just the sort of configurability I like in a car.
On the road - If you can't hear the V8 under the bonnet you may as well be driving a 4 pot diesel!
The M3 starts up with a small blast of revs and then settles into a slightly
rough sounding idle. The 414bhp V8 sounds quite tame when cruising at low speeds and has less
character than the V8 in the Audi RS4. At normal driving speeds the noises coming from the engine
and exhaust are not that obvious in the cabin - in fact I was a little disappointed as I prefer a
bit more volume. If you can't hear the V8 under the bonnet you may as well be driving a 4 pot
diesel!
The M3 has a “dynamic” rev counter which from cold shows a lower rev limit on the dial. As the engine warms up the orange (warning) and red (danger) rev bands move up the dial until the
8400rpm redline is available. The big difference that I noticed between the M3 and RS4 is the way
the BMW engine revs - a prod of the throttle pedal results in instant acceleration almost anywhere
in the wide rev range and the willingness to rev up to the redline is massively impressive, the
RS4 responsiveness is lazy by comparison. I drove the car entirely in Sport Plus mode which gives
the sharpest throttle response, some may find this mode too jerky but it was fine for me. The
electronic damper control system (EDC) is not something I would pay extra for, mainly because the
three different modes didn't feel that different to me. In the default setting the ride felt firm
while the sportiest setting felt slightly more firm. Basically I'd want a soft setting for
cruising, a normal firm setting for day to day driving and a very firm setting for balls to the
walls spirited driving…. For me the optional (and not cheap) EDC didn't offer that so I wouldn't
bother with it as the M Divisions standard suspension setup is probably good enough for me.
...the car allowed the tail to slip round in a nice large controlled slide before powering up the road with the driver grinning from ear to ear!
Of particular note is the well judged traction/stability control systems in the M3. With DSC
turned on, most wheel spin and lateral slip is quietly and unobtrusively cut back, while in the “M
Dynamic” mode a large degree of tyre slip and tail sliding is allowed, before the system just as
smoothly reigns in the control. On one sharp corner that I know well the car allowed the tail to
slip round in a nice large controlled slide before powering up the road with the driver grinning
from ear to ear! From a standing start my Performance Box measuring gear showed 0-62mph in 4.9sec
(0.1sec slower than BMWs figures) with an impressively quick 30-70mph time of 3.7sec (the Aston
Martin DB9 I reviewed recently did the same in 4.2sec). Handling wise the coupe hides its size
and weight extremely well with a very sharp turn in, minimal body roll (EDC may have been helping
here?) and good feel through the steering wheel, everything seemed to flow together in a way that
gives the driver the confidence to push as hard as most would dare. The gearbox was ok but not
what I would describe great….. The throw between gears is fairly long and overall I felt the
transmission was not as good as I'd hoped. The brakes on the other hand felt very very good! The
pedal responded progressively with speed being shed rapidly due to the huge composite brake discs
and wide profile grippy tyres….. no complaints there!
The last thing to say on the driving
experience is that while the sound at normal speeds is disappointing the M3 delivers when you
start to push harder and harder. Once you pass 4000rpm with a wide open throttle the engine and
exhaust notes combine and build in volume offering a thrilling hard edged sound. By the time you
near the rev limit and slot in the next gear, the sound is hard to describe! Compared to the RS4s old
school throbbing V8 soundtrack, the M3 is far more high tech/racecar/industrial in its sound.
Would I buy one?
Yes. In fact I have… As much as I liked the coupe I actually ended up
ordering the new M3 Convertible (due for delivery Sept 2008). It's not as quick as the coupe and
it won't handle as well, but with the roof down the sound of the V8 will be even better! I have
always preferred a manual gearbox but the new BMW dual clutch M-DCT system was tempting enough
for me to take a risk and order one. A full review will follow once the car arrives later in
the year.
Great job on the review, it was a great piece of work with every detail i can
think of. I hope you enjoy your M3 and wish you the best of luck in September.
The video was good, especially with the engine sound at redline. I have to agree
with you i dont like the red. Oh, and what color is your convirtible be in?
Great, impressive and extensive review with incredible attention to detail and,
as always, with some funny excerpts that made me smile! I just wanted to add
that, no matter what the color is, M3 is not only powerful car but also very
good looking. It is not as aggressive as Nissan GT-R or iconic as 997
Turbo/Carrera but despite being a lot cheaper car and not considered a supercar,
E92 Coupe is indeed a beautiful car. Good proportions, smooth, classic lines and
a lot more elegance than current 5-series have.
No. Certainly wasn't your fault. There was software error in hyperlink
generation and text processing. Now all the links will automatically be
click-able and won't contain errors.
A156..... yes the M3 is much more comfortable than the Alfa Brera. The seating
positions are more adjustable and you have much more space..... the Brera is
very nice but the interior is too small for normal sized people.
M3 is more "sportcar" than brera which is more like "cruiser". Being more
comfortable in a trip is an achievement for BMW (or a mistake for Alfa). I love
Alfa Romeo, I own a 156, but the Italians have to do more than making beautiful
cars. Alfa must be back on the top!
Not suggesting that Italians are small just that anyone over 5ft 11" tall will
struggle to fit in the Brera comfortably...... my head was touching the roof
while in the drivers seat..... the back was so small I didn't even attempt to
squeeze in to try but adults would not be happy for more than a few miles.....
kids would love it!
Actually, it is obvious (if you have ever been in Italy) that Italians in
average are smaller when compared to Swedes, Finns, Latvians or any other
northern/sub-northern nation. That's just the way it is - we have to be big and
fat if we want to survive these cold winters! :D ... Of course, bigger doesn't
mean better. Especially when you have to fit yourself in a car like Fiat
Cinquecento!
this is one of my fav cars everrr, but what does everybody else drive?..i got me
a hyundai..(wait for it....)...Tiburon...wheeew best hyundai out....well it was
befo the genesis..
Looks like the CSL is due to be released in 2010 and should have around 470bhp
and weigh 100kg less than the E92 M3 Coupe.
This is cut and pasted from Motor Authority:
"Since the new E90 series BMW M3 was revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show last
year, true BMW enthusiasts have been intrigued, but waiting for the CSL to come
along. Standing for Coupe, Sport, Lightweight, those three letters name the most
track-focused and pure driver’s cars BMW has to offer. News of the new model
is beginning to leak out, with reports claiming it will be on sale by the
beginning of 2010.
As the name suggests, saving weight is the focus of the M3 CSL’s performance
regime. Carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastic are used extensively to
achieve the goal of shaving 100kg from the base car. From the front fascia to
the roof to the rear diffuser, center console and door panels, the CSL has
spared almost no expense in its quest to achieve lightness. Even the radio, air
conditioning, navigation and heated seats, among other optional accoutrement
deemed unnecessary, have been deleted to save weight.
Light weight isn’t the only thing that separates the CSL from its standard M3
cousins, however. A fully reworked suspension, a 50hp (37kW) increase to nearly
470hp (350kW), and stickier tires on special wheels all combine to offer
real-world performance improvements. According to Auto Zeitung, Nurburgring
Nordschleife lap times around 7 minutes, 45 seconds should be expected, and the
price should slip in just below the €90,000 ($143,000) mark.
All of these tweaks add up on paper, too, with expected acceleration times of
4.5 seconds for the 0-100km/h (62mph) dash and a top speed around 300km/h
(186mph).
The last BMW M3 CSL was built in a limited run of just 1,400 cars between 2002
and 2004. Such tiny numbers make the CSL an exclusive offering, and only the
most dedicated opt for the extra expense and somewhat harsher and noisier ride
characteristics of the car."
Great job on the review, it was a great piece of work with every detail i can
think of. I hope you enjoy your M3 and wish you the best of luck in September.
The video was good, especially with the engine sound at redline. I have to agree
with you i dont like the red. Oh, and what color is your convirtible be in?
I've gone for Space Grey paint, 18" wheels and dark red leather interior.... I
can't find a real picture of the exact combination on the convertible but the
two pics from the online BMW design tool are ok:
Great, impressive and extensive review with incredible attention to detail and,
as always, with some funny excerpts that made me smile! I just wanted to add
that, no matter what the color is, M3 is not only powerful car but also very
good looking. It is not as aggressive as Nissan GT-R or iconic as 997
Turbo/Carrera but despite being a lot cheaper car and not considered a supercar,
E92 Coupe is indeed a beautiful car. Good proportions, smooth, classic lines and
a lot more elegance than current 5-series have.
I wish i had one...Great review for a great car :-) On cruising, is it better
than Brera?