new M3/4 reviews
Discussion
A few published this morning:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bmw/m4/first-d...
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results...
Hasn't totally bowled them over.
Hmmm, I bawked at the idea of a turbo M3/4 as much as everyone, but i have to be honest and say when i read those reviews i do feel theres a strong air of bias and lack of impartiality.....
If you read the text there are positively golden comments on the cars two-mindedness (Beauty and beast sides) which is in my opinion, the single aspect MOST defining of the M3's character, Good comments about braking (the previous weak area), and general everyday usability of the power plant a solid improvemnet there then...
Then the out and out performance (Surely what an M3 is about) is all very positive.
The point is that if this came from a brand with less heritage attached to it or if it was called lets say... a 1M, I feel that the review is as such that the car would get 5 stars.
The point is if the engine is supposedly the weak link because it "sounds like a diesel" at low revs which is something you can also say about most performance engines of the last 5 years and also the F10 m5 v10 and the Porsche Metzger, Then it all comes across as a bit nitpicky...
I mean, If the engine has all that tech on it for throttle response etc then i fail to see why the engine can be anything other than a vastly improved version of the one(s) in the M135i and 1M Coupe.
Bottom line is you just cant put a 8300RPM v8 in a high number built saloon these days i'm afraid, But i think i'd take the additional performance of this 3 litre anyway, And no engine configuration is sacred with the M3 anyway, It started with a 4 pot ffs, Progress.
If you read the text there are positively golden comments on the cars two-mindedness (Beauty and beast sides) which is in my opinion, the single aspect MOST defining of the M3's character, Good comments about braking (the previous weak area), and general everyday usability of the power plant a solid improvemnet there then...
Then the out and out performance (Surely what an M3 is about) is all very positive.
The point is that if this came from a brand with less heritage attached to it or if it was called lets say... a 1M, I feel that the review is as such that the car would get 5 stars.
The point is if the engine is supposedly the weak link because it "sounds like a diesel" at low revs which is something you can also say about most performance engines of the last 5 years and also the F10 m5 v10 and the Porsche Metzger, Then it all comes across as a bit nitpicky...
I mean, If the engine has all that tech on it for throttle response etc then i fail to see why the engine can be anything other than a vastly improved version of the one(s) in the M135i and 1M Coupe.
Bottom line is you just cant put a 8300RPM v8 in a high number built saloon these days i'm afraid, But i think i'd take the additional performance of this 3 litre anyway, And no engine configuration is sacred with the M3 anyway, It started with a 4 pot ffs, Progress.
Edited by eliotrw on Friday 9th May 12:10
Wills2 said:
It's always been the benchmark.
Ben Barry was a massive fan of the E92 but the new one has left him a tiny bit flat which does confuse me a little, the new one offers serious daily usability but the old one had the drama he says...I suppose bmw deserve respect for almost always moving things forward.
The M3 is an icon and always will be...so you pick the generation that suits you the best personally and just enjoy it.
There's a hint of it not being "cool" to like the new breed of electric steered, turbo'd cars which I fear some journos are picking up on and judging it on that, rather than how good it is compared to it's modern rivals.
Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
That said, I'd still take an e92 to replace my e46, but then I'm a sucker for NA. The M135i just doesn't quite compare, even to an e46 with similar power.
Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
That said, I'd still take an e92 to replace my e46, but then I'm a sucker for NA. The M135i just doesn't quite compare, even to an e46 with similar power.
jon- said:
There's a hint of it not being "cool" to like the new breed of electric steered, turbo'd cars which I fear some journos are picking up on and judging it on that, rather than how good it is compared to it's modern rivals.
Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
This. I watched the Autocar vid...basically said it's a great car but engine not the same as naturally aspirated M engine of old. Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
I think people need to get over it personally.
What's great is that this is the first M3 ever that is lighter than it's predecessor....it basically weighs the same as the E46 but has got a hell of lot more power/torque, proper brakes and modern chassis tech. That's quite a prospect!
jon- said:
There's a hint of it not being "cool" to like the new breed of electric steered, turbo'd cars which I fear some journos are picking up on and judging it on that, rather than how good it is compared to it's modern rivals.
Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
That said, I'd still take an e92 to replace my e46, but then I'm a sucker for NA. The M135i just doesn't quite compare, even to an e46 with similar power.
I think they are right,cars are getting faster ,safer,more economical and duller to drive.a layer of interaction has been removed ,not just BMW ,pretty much everything ,I've tried Porsches ,ferraris etc recently and all of them give the impression they are driving you ,not you driving them.Fortunately Harris is usually pretty objective, looking forward to the drive review.
That said, I'd still take an e92 to replace my e46, but then I'm a sucker for NA. The M135i just doesn't quite compare, even to an e46 with similar power.
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