E36 M3....are they still fast?

[chrisr29]

RemyMartin said:

As above really, can an E36 M3 still cut the mustard....I'm getting to fever pitch to scratch an itch I've always had and seems a logical step to make from a 328i Sport which I love, but is a little asthmatic.

Still a quick car by 21st century standards? question is 3.0 or evo 3.2 and budget for vanos....

I tried an evo with a view to changing from the 328 sport I had at the time. Whilst the evo was quicker and had the nicer engine, the sport felt a lot sharper to drive. Kept the sport as a result.

Think the nicest varient I've driven has been a 3 litre M3 saloon.

[nonuts]

SuperVM said:

I had my first E36 M3 Evo on the back of an Audi 8L S3 and was a bit disappointed with the engine characteristics, but loved the handling once I'd polybushed it, fitted some coilovers and ARBs. I had to sell it to fund some work on my house, but I now have another after swapping my Impreza for it with a friend. For some reason, I'm in love with the engine this time. I think people coming from modern hot hatches think the E36s aren't all that fast, but the reality is that its the actual driving experience that counts. I love my current M3 and there's little I can think of swapping it for without spending almost double.

I can't see how you didn't like the engine coming from an S3, for me the engine is the best bit of the car. Yes it's smooth and because of that, it doesn't always feel as fast as it is, however it is miles faster than an 8L S3, especially once moving.

[SuperVM]

nonuts said:

SuperVM said:

I had my first E36 M3 Evo on the back of an Audi 8L S3 and was a bit disappointed with the engine characteristics, but loved the handling once I'd polybushed it, fitted some coilovers and ARBs. I had to sell it to fund some work on my house, but I now have another after swapping my Impreza for it with a friend. For some reason, I'm in love with the engine this time. I think people coming from modern hot hatches think the E36s aren't all that fast, but the reality is that its the actual driving experience that counts. I love my current M3 and there's little I can think of swapping it for without spending almost double.

I can't see how you didn't like the engine coming from an S3, for me the engine is the best bit of the car. Yes it's smooth and because of that, it doesn't always feel as fast as it is, however it is miles faster than an 8L S3, especially once moving.

My S3 wasn't standard, though only remapped, but I expected the M3 to feel far faster. I don't disagree that an M3 is faster, but to around 60 my first one didn't particularly feel it. I was accustomed to the turbo kick of the S3 (and also my S3 powered mk2 Golf) and the M3's engine was linear and boring in comparison. I've since seen the light in my current car and agree the engine is fantastic.

[flatline84]

Coming from a chipped S3 with a turbo, its not gonna feel that much faster. But it will be, its just that the power delivery is much more linear.

[SuperVM]

flatline84 said:

Coming from a chipped S3 with a turbo, its not gonna feel that much faster. But it will be, its just that the power delivery is much more linear.

Agreed. The M3 is the far more capable car, I just found the power delivery a bit dull at the time.

[mackie1]

nonuts said:

Just to add my 2p. My e36 Evo made all 317bhp and was rapid. Rapid enough to manage a faster top speed at VMax than a few e46 M3s and the same as a 135i which was meant to be running 400bhp (I'm guessing it wasn't).

Out of interest what did you hit? My Monaro (with somewhere between 330-350bhp) only managed 153mph.

ETA: I went from a recent Octavia vRS petrol turbo to an N52 powered (265bhp) Z4 and subjectively the Z4 doesn't feel much faster, but it really is. Sounds MUCH better too.

Edited by mackie1 on Thursday 26th April 16:34

[TEKNOPUG]

mackie1 said:

Out of interest what did you hit? My Monaro (with somewhere between 330-350bhp) only managed 153mph.

ETA: I went from a recent Octavia vRS petrol turbo to an N52 powered (265bhp) Z4 and subjectively the Z4 doesn't feel much faster, but it really is. Sounds MUCH better too.

Edited by mackie1 on Thursday 26th April 16:34

164 iirc

[RemyMartin]

TEKNOPUG said:

164 iirc

Impressive

[k15tox]

mackie1 said:

Out of interest what did you hit? My Monaro (with somewhere between 330-350bhp) only managed 153mph.

ETA: I went from a recent Octavia vRS petrol turbo to an N52 powered (265bhp) Z4 and subjectively the Z4 doesn't feel much faster, but it really is. Sounds MUCH better too.

Edited by mackie1 on Thursday 26th April 16:34

Blame the longest 5th gear in the world for that!

[mackie1]

That's really good for that amount of power. I suspect the gearing on the 'ro is too long for that sort of test.

[nonuts]

SuperVM said:

My S3 wasn't standard, though only remapped, but I expected the M3 to feel far faster. I don't disagree that an M3 is faster, but to around 60 my first one didn't particularly feel it. I was accustomed to the turbo kick of the S3 (and also my S3 powered mk2 Golf) and the M3's engine was linear and boring in comparison. I've since seen the light in my current car and agree the engine is fantastic.

Neither was mine.

Good to hear you've come around now!

mackie1 said:

Out of interest what did you hit? My Monaro (with somewhere between 330-350bhp) only managed 153mph

TEKNOPUG said:

164 iirc

Yep, 164mph, but as I mentioned mine was making the full ~317bhp on surrey rolling road so it was a healthy one.

[Ozzie Osmond]

If you want to feel fast get a turbo car with a rude-boy exhaust.

If you want to go fast buy a decent car - like an M3.

[Crook]

I'd say they're brisk enough for the day-to-day drive.

[k15tox]

Ozzie Osmond said:

If you want to feel fast get a turbo car with a rude-boy exhaust.

If you want to go fast buy a decent car - like an M3.

Cheers for that!

[GarryA]

Devil2575 said:

You'll find plenty of people who will tell you that the E36 M3 is not a proper M car.

M for marketing.

Is was due to be called the 330Ci IIRC.

[iSore]

They weren't badging anything as Ci in 1991/2.

[Crook]

GarryA said:

Devil2575 said:

You'll find plenty of people who will tell you that the E36 M3 is not a proper M car.

M for marketing.

Is was due to be called the 330Ci IIRC.

The M635csi isn't a proper M car either otherwise it would be called the M6, yet the M5 which shares it's engine is? Or is the E30 M3 the only true M car apart from the E46 and the E60 which are also racing cars? What is a proper M car?

[GarryA]

Apologies it was 330CSi

[Output Flange]

GarryA said:

Apologies it was 330CSi

What's your source?

[GarryA]

Autocar 9th December 1992.