RE: Spotted: BMW 320Si

[C36 Nico]

vsonix said:

C36 Nico said:

I really want one of these, swedish guy has 181 bhp at the wheels with only minor mods.
Should make for a great daily.

Is that really going to feel all that sprightly in a car that (I'm guessing!) weighs as much as or more than a 6-pot E36? That's still less power than a E36 328i... obviously gear ratios have a difference to the delivery but are they any different from other 3ers of this model?

Its the lightest of the E90s...1380 kiloes I think.
It wont be that fast, but you will be able to empty it in 2nd and 3rd on british roads

[Loplop]

C36 Nico said:

vsonix said:

C36 Nico said:

I really want one of these, swedish guy has 181 bhp at the wheels with only minor mods.
Should make for a great daily.

Is that really going to feel all that sprightly in a car that (I'm guessing!) weighs as much as or more than a 6-pot E36? That's still less power than a E36 328i... obviously gear ratios have a difference to the delivery but are they any different from other 3ers of this model?

Its the lightest of the E90s...1380 kiloes I think.
It wont be that fast, but you will be able to empty it in 2nd and 3rd on british roads

Whereas an E36 328i is 1400+kg and that 192HP Isn't at the wheels...

[C36 Nico]

Loplop said:

C36 Nico said:

vsonix said:

C36 Nico said:

I really want one of these, swedish guy has 181 bhp at the wheels with only minor mods.
Should make for a great daily.

Is that really going to feel all that sprightly in a car that (I'm guessing!) weighs as much as or more than a 6-pot E36? That's still less power than a E36 328i... obviously gear ratios have a difference to the delivery but are they any different from other 3ers of this model?

Its the lightest of the E90s...1380 kiloes I think.
It wont be that fast, but you will be able to empty it in 2nd and 3rd on british roads

Whereas an E36 328i is 1400+kg and that 192HP Isn't at the wheels...

E36 vs E90 really isnt comparable though, this is a far newer car...and more pleasant to be in and use.

[s m]

Loplop said:

Whereas an E36 328i is 1400+kg and that 192HP Isn't at the wheels...

It very much depends on the spec of the 328i though......unless you mean with a driver on board? The 4-door saloon version Autocar weighed in 95 came in at 1350 kg with half a tank of fuel. Optional equipment (electric roof etc )different wheels & tyres can alter that. The 328 Touring they had weighed in at 1391kg

BMW brochure figures come in at 1395 kg for an E36 328i and 1425kg for an E90 320si ( both include 68kg for a driver and 7kg of luggage )

Edited by s m on Tuesday 5th March 22:25

[Antj]

If its not 6 cylinder its not worth bothering about.

These were slow, and they didn't feel special when they came out hence there being no real price difference. Guess what the same applies today. You could get a similar vintage 330i for the same money which is a lot more fun and proper race pedigree engine with it's Magnesium head, thats real tech as used on the M5 v10 lump of the same era.

[stevesingo]

I've had mine for 3months and 5k miles.

No it is not fast, but the engine pulls well with a pleasing induction noise above 6k rpm. Keen to rev with good throttle response. Economy is easy achivable 30mpg in mixed urban/M.way driving, 25mpg when pressing on.

Handling is good, very good. Good steering feel and very resistant to understeer, probably due to the low mass engine. Power oversteer is only really available in the wet though.

Because it is not fast you can drive the wheels off it and remain within the realms of sensible on the public road.

If you look at it as bare statistics, the case for doesn't look good next to a 330i, but there is more to life than straight line performance.

[JB!]

I sort of want one, but not at their current prices, could be a fun toy when they become cheap enough to strip out?

Also a little gutted they don't come with bigger brakes or "cup" suspension.

[stevesingo]

JB,

The brakes are OK on the road, but no track use for me so can't comment. There is the M Performance brake kit, or retrofit the 330i disc and calipers. The uprights are the same, so no reason why they won't fit. But then a heavier brake will increase unsprung mass which with the 18" wheel and RFT is probably pretty hefty despite the wheel being forged and one of the lighter 18" wheels available for the E9X. Non RFTs for me come tyre time.

The M Sport suspension is pretty firm and OK on the road, but on the track a firmer set up may be required

[F1GTRUeno]

I'd just buy the wheels.

I really like the wheels.

[s m]

stevesingo said:

JB,

The brakes are OK on the road, but no track use for me so can't comment. There is the M Performance brake kit, or retrofit the 330i disc and calipers. The uprights are the same, so no reason why they won't fit. But then a heavier brake will increase unsprung mass which with the 18" wheel and RFT is probably pretty hefty despite the wheel being forged and one of the lighter 18" wheels available for the E9X. Non RFTs for me come tyre time.

The M Sport suspension is pretty firm and OK on the road, but on the track a firmer set up may be required

You might find that if you did go for heavier discs and calipers ,but at the same time switched to non- runflats, there might not be much of an overall increase in unsprung weight. The reason I say that is because I saved approx 2kg per corner on my Cooper S by switching from 16" runflats to 16" non-runflats - just tyres, no other change - 8kg weight loss

[JB!]

Wouldn't be keeping RFT.

Interesting to know about the 330 brakes.

[stevesingo]

From doing some cross checking on www.bmwfans.info the master cylinder and servo are common accross the E90 range.

Front and rear calipers and discs are larger on 330i,

Discs...

Front
320Si=300mmx24mm 4.06kg
330i=348mmx30mm 5.45kg

Rear
320Si=300x20 3.3kg
330i=336x22 4.12kg

Calipers, carrier and pads...

Front
320Si = 4.92kg
330i = 6.118kg

Rear
320Si =3.691kg
330i =4.817kg

TOTALS

Front
320Si= 8.98kg
330i= 11.57kg

Rear
320Si= 6.99kg
330i= 8.94kg
Increase mass per corner for 330i brakes on 320Si=

Front= 2.59kg

Rear= 1.95kg

So yeah, probably offset by going to Non RFT!

FWIW the BMW Performance front is 11.477kg per corner, so very similar in mass to the 330.

[danielj58]

Antj said:

If its not 6 cylinder its not worth bothering about.

These were slow, and they didn't feel special when they came out hence there being no real price difference. Guess what the same applies today. You could get a similar vintage 330i for the same money which is a lot more fun and proper race pedigree engine with it's Magnesium head, thats real tech as used on the M5 v10 lump of the same era.

Similar sort of money puts you in a nice 130i too, arguably a much better drivers car and in my opinion far more special than an Si.