Z4M / E46 M3 - Are they just not that fast?
Discussion
Just found this thread so sorry to revive it.
I've had my Z4MC almost a year now and would never describe it as slow. I've had some decently fast cars in my time e.g E39 M5 and Rx7. I've never met anyone who thought the FD3 Rx7 wasn't fast and I reckon my Z4MC is quicker.
The first thing that surprised me when test driving Z4m's was the low down grunt of the S54, I wasn't expecting it. I thought it'd be all top end but this simply isn't true. I could short shift below 3.5-4k rpm and still make decent progress. Maybe not turbo grunt but grunt all the same and it's still got the mega 8k + rpm top end as well, the engine is fantastic. I also considered getting one of the latest crop of mega hatches because I do love cars like that, but after test driving a Z4MC there was no way I wanted anything else.
I've fitted Bilstein B12's, Gruppe M induction, ZHP gear knob and removed the CDV since owning it and it's now even better and I think, a bit if a weapon. It does make me think that mine may be a particularly healthy example though, having read what others are saying?
Maybe Golf R's etc are quicker and fair play to them, but the induction noise and the all round looks and performance if a Z4m is good enough for me!
I've had my Z4MC almost a year now and would never describe it as slow. I've had some decently fast cars in my time e.g E39 M5 and Rx7. I've never met anyone who thought the FD3 Rx7 wasn't fast and I reckon my Z4MC is quicker.
The first thing that surprised me when test driving Z4m's was the low down grunt of the S54, I wasn't expecting it. I thought it'd be all top end but this simply isn't true. I could short shift below 3.5-4k rpm and still make decent progress. Maybe not turbo grunt but grunt all the same and it's still got the mega 8k + rpm top end as well, the engine is fantastic. I also considered getting one of the latest crop of mega hatches because I do love cars like that, but after test driving a Z4MC there was no way I wanted anything else.
I've fitted Bilstein B12's, Gruppe M induction, ZHP gear knob and removed the CDV since owning it and it's now even better and I think, a bit if a weapon. It does make me think that mine may be a particularly healthy example though, having read what others are saying?
Maybe Golf R's etc are quicker and fair play to them, but the induction noise and the all round looks and performance if a Z4m is good enough for me!
I was at Brands Hatch last weekend and watching the black e46 M3 in the Kumho Cup, amongst others. So good to see them getting properly spanked. 
What struck me most was the noise. They sounded awesome (only better by an E30 M3's s14 with carbon air box @ 9k RPM) and I'm baffled at those that say the E46 M3 sounds rubbish. There's something special about BMW's normally aspirated M engines. Their cars make some of the best looking race cars too.
What struck me most was the noise. They sounded awesome (only better by an E30 M3's s14 with carbon air box @ 9k RPM) and I'm baffled at those that say the E46 M3 sounds rubbish. There's something special about BMW's normally aspirated M engines. Their cars make some of the best looking race cars too.
e30m3Mark said:
I was at Brands Hatch last weekend and watching the black e46 M3 in the Kumho Cup, amongst others. So good to see them getting properly spanked.
What struck me most was the noise. They sounded awesome (only better by an E30 M3's s14 with carbon air box @ 9k RPM) and I'm baffled at those that say the E46 M3 sounds rubbish. There's something special about BMW's normally aspirated M engines. Their cars make some of the best looking race cars too.
I think it's the raspiness of the exhaust that puts people off.What struck me most was the noise. They sounded awesome (only better by an E30 M3's s14 with carbon air box @ 9k RPM) and I'm baffled at those that say the E46 M3 sounds rubbish. There's something special about BMW's normally aspirated M engines. Their cars make some of the best looking race cars too.
My E46 M3 sounds lovely inside even as a stock car. With the subdued gumble of the throttle bodies turning into more of a scream at the top from both the front at the rear it's great. Outside it does sound raspy however.
The new M4? That's the opposite. It's artificial inside but sounds glorious from the outside, well the rear anyway. I don't know why but my friend's seems louder than others I have heard despite being a stock car.
SebringMan said:
I think it's the raspiness of the exhaust that puts people off.
My E46 M3 sounds lovely inside even as a stock car. With the subdued gumble of the throttle bodies turning into more of a scream at the top from both the front at the rear it's great. Outside it does sound raspy however.
The new M4? That's the opposite. It's artificial inside but sounds glorious from the outside, well the rear anyway. I don't know why but my friend's seems louder than others I have heard despite being a stock car.
Agreed! The M4's sound is like a menacing bark when listening to them take off from the lights. Out of all the new cars on the market that I've sat behind, it's the one that has made me think about wanting to drive one sooner rather than later. Wasn't aware of the piped in sound tho. My E46 M3 sounds lovely inside even as a stock car. With the subdued gumble of the throttle bodies turning into more of a scream at the top from both the front at the rear it's great. Outside it does sound raspy however.
The new M4? That's the opposite. It's artificial inside but sounds glorious from the outside, well the rear anyway. I don't know why but my friend's seems louder than others I have heard despite being a stock car.
On the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans this year I was razzing about in my recently acquired E46 M3 and my memory fails me as to exactly where I was, but going from a single carriageway in town to a fairly quiet dual carriageway/autoroute type affair, I thought I had the ideal opportunity to drop the 1 series which had been right up my chuff driving through the residential areas.
In lane 2 to pass some light traffic in lane 1, I accelerated hard to a reasonable speed (bearing in mind I've been caught speeding in France before, and didn't fancy parting with any further cash to fund the Gendarmes Summer BBQ), with the 1 series on my rear bumper the entire time. Clearly not making any ground on him, when a gap in lane 1 appeared I swiftly moved across and he passed me with ease. It was a fairly swift humbling for both myself and my gracefully aging M3.
No idea what the 1 series would have had under the bonnet, possibly it was a 130i which had been tuned? It was the hatchback shape the 1 series first came in, on French plates. I caught up with him a minute or two later as he left on a busy slip road, as there were no rocks to hide under I opted to try and be gracious in defeat, and just gave him a thumbs up as I went past. He had a pretty big grin on his face...
Apologies fellow M3 owners, I let the side down. I won't be swapping my M3 for a 1 series any time soon though, despite the above.
In lane 2 to pass some light traffic in lane 1, I accelerated hard to a reasonable speed (bearing in mind I've been caught speeding in France before, and didn't fancy parting with any further cash to fund the Gendarmes Summer BBQ), with the 1 series on my rear bumper the entire time. Clearly not making any ground on him, when a gap in lane 1 appeared I swiftly moved across and he passed me with ease. It was a fairly swift humbling for both myself and my gracefully aging M3.
No idea what the 1 series would have had under the bonnet, possibly it was a 130i which had been tuned? It was the hatchback shape the 1 series first came in, on French plates. I caught up with him a minute or two later as he left on a busy slip road, as there were no rocks to hide under I opted to try and be gracious in defeat, and just gave him a thumbs up as I went past. He had a pretty big grin on his face...
Apologies fellow M3 owners, I let the side down. I won't be swapping my M3 for a 1 series any time soon though, despite the above.
You sure you didn't pull away rapidly but because you kept to a sensible speed , he just caught up as he did not ; once he's close if you are only at a reasonable speed then I guess he can keep pace even though he's trying harder.
His smile may have been irreverence , as he doesn't know you were deliberately keeping speed down.
As the initial surge would have only been a matter of seconds , maybe it wasn't as close as it felt ?
Alternatively , as NF said , maybe a M135i
His smile may have been irreverence , as he doesn't know you were deliberately keeping speed down.
As the initial surge would have only been a matter of seconds , maybe it wasn't as close as it felt ?
Alternatively , as NF said , maybe a M135i
mackay45 said:
It was definitely the 1 series hatch shape before the M135i, so maybe as you say it was a case of him pushing harder. On French plates so presumably he was a local and would have known the roads etc. better than me too. Either way it surprised me!
The 123d can be remapped to 260hp and 320 ft lbs. That would be pretty mighty in an older 1 series.
Smuler said:
I'm sure the 123d was only ever in the 1 series coupe.
Surely the OPs eyesight is not that bad
Not on the continent. Each country gets different engine combinations depending on the importer's specification, the 123d was available on the E81 in France, Germany and Italy.Surely the OPs eyesight is not that bad
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