E90 M3 3.2L

[croyde]

Just for discussion, especially amongst you E36/46 M3 owners.

What would you think of the new M3 but with a modern version of the inline 6, 3.2L M engine or does it need the higher output engine because of its extra weight.

Maybe daft but I was just bored and thinking. A dangerous combination I know.

[waremark]

I certainly would not choose to go back to the old engine: torque, sound, power of new engine are a great improvement. E92, Ex E46, Ex E36.

But more relevant question is what will the next engine be like - forced induction, but how many cylinders and what size, what will it sound like and what rev range will they manage to retain?

[gizlaroc]

I would take an S54 with induction from the CSL along with the SMG box in an E92/91 over the V8 with manual or DCT.

[taffyracer]

i'd willingly swap back to a lower powered 6cyl IF the car was 100kgs lighter, it's a great car but its too heavy, something with 3.4-3.6L 360-390bhp and 1450kgs would be spot on IMO

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 11th January 20:01

[m30dus]

I'd never driven an M3 before getting my E92 and it still makes me grin ear-to-ear after the best part of a year. That said a bought an E46 only yesterday to build into a track day car and if I'm quite honest I think it drives better than the new one! Rightly the torque is a good bit down on the new V8 but it has a rawness about it that the new car just doesn't quite have... Point to point I'm sure the E92 would kill it hands down but the E46 owner would be having all the fun!

[gizlaroc]

I agree, it is that rawness that makes it for me, the new M3 is far better technically, but it feels more of a GT than the E46 for some reason.

[asbo]

taffyracer said:

i'd willingly swap back to a lower powered 6cyl IF the car was 100kgs lighter, it's a great car but its too heavy, something with 3.4-3.6L 360-390bhp and 1450kgs would be spot on IMO

Edited by taffyracer on Sunday 11th January 20:01

+1

I'm a sucker for the straight six howl. V8 snarl is all very well but it effectively turns the M3 into a quasi coupe-like M5 IMO.

I think this is why the values of the E92 also taking a severe beating, as no-one really knows what it wants to be. IMO.

[E36GUY]

The new V8 in the e92 is actually lighter than the older 6

[MC99]

agree with above posts; the V8 is an awesome piece of kit; Having had s50;s54 sixes previously I would love to say that I don't like the v8, but I do! although; If there was a genuinely "light" 390bhp variant with a straight six (with decent noise and preferably NA) then I'd pay a premium and be one the first in the queue....

[waremark]

I seem to be more the typical M customer than any of you guys. Every time they make M's heavier/faster/better equipped/more refined but still handle brilliantly the purists moan, but BMW sell more of them.

They are not going to go down the lighter route - it is not what most of the paying customers want.

The reason values have collapsed is because such a vast number were sold - and then we hit the crunch.

[taffyracer]

i don't think anyone would NOT want to have a lighter car if it was on offer, there are no benefits to having a heavier car, they're made that way as they have so much crap we don't need and so many safety systems, the OP did say it was just for discussion so.....

[foresterlad]

The lighter route was the E92 CSL, which was cancelled (dealer happy to take my deposit last year). The next M engine will probably need to be super/turbo charged, V6 3.5litre.to keep EU happy

[gizlaroc]

Hold on, the engine in the new M3 is lighter, it is not the engine that has made the new car heavier.

I just preferred the way you had to rev the nuts of the S54 to get it going, there was a real sense of achievement with that engine, the new V8 is just as awesome but the power seems to be on tap more of the time, and I don't know why but it doesn't seem as exciting.

[croyde]

I have only driven the E92 M3 on the track at Bruntingthorpe and it was amazingly fast and handled brilliantly but I have no experience of the other M3s although I still get a kick out of driving my E36 323i with it's puny, compared to today, 175 HP engine.

[waremark]

taffyracer said:

there are no benefits to having a heavier car, they're made that way as they have so much crap we don't need and so many safety systems, the OP did say it was just for discussion so.....

If buyers did not want the equipment they wouldn't fit it. Not many people want to buy a £60k car without climate control, electric seats and the rest of it. Or if they do, they will be going for a smaller sports car (I see you have a GT3, surely you want something different from you BM?).