M Coupe Clownshoe, V8 M3 and 944 fun
Discussion
Fantastic 80s run out this morning with the old man.
Little 944 and big 635Csi are from the same era but are so different in the way they go about their business: 944 is all about its chassis, keeping momentum and enjoying the way the car moves around under you. 635 is all about that 3.5l straight six and it’s meaty mid range, 3rd and 4th being all you ever need!
Difficult to choose a favourite from the two - possibly even unnecessary. Both leave a massive grin on your face!
Roads were really clear this morning and the sun was out - fantastic drive!
Two people that do have a clear favourite are my kids who demanded a drive out in the afternoon! Sim, my son, is reaching the point he won’t fit in the back for much longer!
All tucked up after a great day
Little 944 and big 635Csi are from the same era but are so different in the way they go about their business: 944 is all about its chassis, keeping momentum and enjoying the way the car moves around under you. 635 is all about that 3.5l straight six and it’s meaty mid range, 3rd and 4th being all you ever need!
Difficult to choose a favourite from the two - possibly even unnecessary. Both leave a massive grin on your face!
Roads were really clear this morning and the sun was out - fantastic drive!
Two people that do have a clear favourite are my kids who demanded a drive out in the afternoon! Sim, my son, is reaching the point he won’t fit in the back for much longer!
All tucked up after a great day
Right - lying by the pool in France so finally no excuse not to write an update! Lots seems to have happened!
So
Back in June, and without much thought I enetered this competition:
Well - one email, video interview and a hopeful phone call to my boss about three days off school in the middle of term time later, I was going to be filming with Autocar and BMW for four days finishing off with a VIP trip to Goodwood Festival of Speed!
We started at MFest @ Caffeine & Machine where 50+ awesome Mcars gathered to celebrate. Some amazing machines there and really exciting to know this was just the start of my week! I met fellow winner Roland and his beautiful e46 M3 and we instantly agreed on all things bmw!
All expenses paid hotel and breakfast later and we were back ready to start filming. The idea was simple: a roadtrip with 2 oldskool M cars and their owners with BMW’s new i4M50. Would the new car stir any M car feelings. (I’ll save you the read: no is the short answer.)
So
Back in June, and without much thought I enetered this competition:
Well - one email, video interview and a hopeful phone call to my boss about three days off school in the middle of term time later, I was going to be filming with Autocar and BMW for four days finishing off with a VIP trip to Goodwood Festival of Speed!
We started at MFest @ Caffeine & Machine where 50+ awesome Mcars gathered to celebrate. Some amazing machines there and really exciting to know this was just the start of my week! I met fellow winner Roland and his beautiful e46 M3 and we instantly agreed on all things bmw!
All expenses paid hotel and breakfast later and we were back ready to start filming. The idea was simple: a roadtrip with 2 oldskool M cars and their owners with BMW’s new i4M50. Would the new car stir any M car feelings. (I’ll save you the read: no is the short answer.)
The next two days were spent filming the roadtrip - endless conveying for the cameras but certainly not a hardship!
Fascinating how much time and effort cos into internet content these days but two days went by full of filming, retakes, re re takes!
Huge amount of fun though and so enjoyed watching the crew at work, solving problems and having endless patience for the process!
3 lovely hotels, a lot of cooked breakfasts and Steak dinners later and it was time to hit Goodwood!
Fascinating how much time and effort cos into internet content these days but two days went by full of filming, retakes, re re takes!
Huge amount of fun though and so enjoyed watching the crew at work, solving problems and having endless patience for the process!
3 lovely hotels, a lot of cooked breakfasts and Steak dinners later and it was time to hit Goodwood!
I have never been to FoS at Goodwood. I don’t know why. It’s the greatest show on earth!
With BMW M at the centre of everything and access to the VIP access new M3 Touring and stand it was an amazing experience. Watching dream machinery fire up so close to you and then blatting up the hill was just brilliant!
Highlight of the day obviously was being shot up the hill in the new M3 Touring. An amazing experience! Not just the ride itself but an hour spent in the car with the head chassis engineer of the Touring project - a real gent who politely answered my billion questions and then stuck it in 2WD and scared the b
ks off me!
Then - just when I thought it couldn’t get any better you have to sit and wait around with all the million pound machinery up top before driving back down!!!! Absolute petrol bliss!!!!!
Worlds most amazing traffic jam!!!!
Absolute epic day and experience!
Feeling cool filming at the BMW stand!
So - all in all an amazing week! Great to meet Roland and his gorgeous e46 M3. We’ll get into the long standing effect following his car had on me later!
If you want to watch the end product it is here (only 6mins long):
Or there’s a good article with more detail here:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/advertising-pro...
With BMW M at the centre of everything and access to the VIP access new M3 Touring and stand it was an amazing experience. Watching dream machinery fire up so close to you and then blatting up the hill was just brilliant!
Highlight of the day obviously was being shot up the hill in the new M3 Touring. An amazing experience! Not just the ride itself but an hour spent in the car with the head chassis engineer of the Touring project - a real gent who politely answered my billion questions and then stuck it in 2WD and scared the b
ks off me! Then - just when I thought it couldn’t get any better you have to sit and wait around with all the million pound machinery up top before driving back down!!!! Absolute petrol bliss!!!!!
Worlds most amazing traffic jam!!!!
Absolute epic day and experience!
Feeling cool filming at the BMW stand!
So - all in all an amazing week! Great to meet Roland and his gorgeous e46 M3. We’ll get into the long standing effect following his car had on me later!
If you want to watch the end product it is here (only 6mins long):
Or there’s a good article with more detail here:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/advertising-pro...
I missed your write up of the Autocar experience until now. I still haven't got over the jealousy at you and Roland being considered the two biggest M car fans (and getting the full VIP FoS experience), whilst I was judged to be languishing somewhere in positions 3-10 (and didn't!) 
What's with the new arrival?!
Jon
What's with the new arrival?!
Jon
So first we say goodbye to the Megane. I have only owned it a year and it’s the shortest period I’ve ever owned a car for. So why is that?
Firstly the pro’s:
1. It’s an incredible road and track machine. The grip the front axle, and in particular the Gripper LSD, produces is prestigious. At no point whether during fast road driving or track work over the year did I ever feel the Meg even hint at washing wide. Point and go!
Grip in the wet in particular was spectacular- a wet track day at Castle Combe blew my mind - the Meg being so sure footed, fast and secure.
2. I love the way it looks - every angle. I’ve always wanted a Meg Mk3 and think it’s a fantastic looking machine.
Still enjoy looking at it as I walk away after parking.
3. Interior is very comfy. The Recaros are an excellent seat and great for long journeys or track days. It had all the mod cons you need and the alcantara everywhere lifted the cabin well. The RS Monitor was also great fun and not just a gimmick: I loved using daily to keep track of temps etc and on track it gave a huge amount of useful and fun info.
4. Reliability and relative cheap running costs (compare to all my M cars!) felt like I could tackle a lot of stuff myself without causing a problem!
5. The sheer drama of driving it as a daily: The titanium Akra popping away, snarling and growling; the CAE shirt shifter making you feel a hero; the huge amount of induction noise going on under the bonnet!
Cons:
1. The sheer drama of driving it as a daily: The titanium Akra popping away, snarling and growling; the CAE shirt shifter making you feel a hero; the huge amount of induction noise going on under the bonnet!
And that’s probably why it’s going. I probably bought the wrong Meg - a more standard one May very well have lasted longer but with a new longer commute with bits of traffic thrown in the Meg was a tiring work partner. It annoyed me and I clearly annoyed it! You could feel the whole car resenting me for not letting it loose all the time. It wants to be running at 110% all the time!
2. Engine noise, feel and relationship. Turns out that’s what bonds me to my cars. I have been lucky enough to own some of the great engines (S85 V10, S50 Six, M30 and M88 big Sixes) and I realise now that the connection between me and those engines was the foundation of my love for those cars. The way power builds and revs out in a NA car is addictive and the Meg’s F4RT (that’s genuinely Renaults designation) never delivered that. A fantastic power unit yes: a glorious beating heart? No.
So do I regret the Megane? Not at all. It was a car on my list that I wanted to own and it’s delivered some of the most memorable drives I’ve had. If I was very rich it would stay as a fun weekend/track car but as a daily it couldn’t (in its spec) deliver.
I will miss it though…..
Replacement chat incoming………
Edited by MrTouring on Wednesday 17th August 11:41
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