Quote:
Originally Posted by swamp2
Why is this "treasure trove" of data any more valuable than the reports that do not show the "spanking" by the other three? You must admit that the numbers obtained in this test are all well toward the worst end of the range (if not the worst) that are tracked in our "More performance figures" thread. Grain of salt...
|
OK, this made me grin - but jesus, guy, an entire phalanx of neurosurgeons could stay busy analyzing your BMW neurons!
I personally don't give a damn who wins and loses, but, in addition to showing that these cars are overall essentially equals, with slightly varying strengths and weaknesses, the data is valuable because it shows not only performance, but speeds in gears, fuel economy, tire sizes, interior room, blah, blah, blah - all on a couple of pages, and of course tested on the same day in the same venue. All that, plus the comparative results of how the testers ranked them in 12 different categories.
My reference to the engines was in regard to the fact that they beat up the M3 V8 in the verbiage for its low end weakness (compared to the others, of course), and presumably for that reason they beat it up again in the numbered "Engine" rankings (the lowest score of the four). But then they gave the bimmer top marks for "Driving Excitement". My point was that they must really appreciate that top end rush (just the way everyone else does) to give it top marks. The chassis is a given, but the car would need more than that to top each of the others in that driving excitement category, so it's gotta be that top end glory everybody talks about. Capiche?
Getting back to the data, one more interesting point (of several), is that they gave the M3 nearly top marks for "Ride", and this car didn't even have the adjustable shocks!
Check it all out. Treasure trove! (But only if you don't care who wins, so on second thought, maybe you should skip it.)
Bruce
PS - As to the acceleration results, maybe they had a low barometer, maybe they had a headwind (I don't think they run the cars in two directions to cancel that out). Who knows? Who cares? Same day testing.
This is the same magazine that came up with those astoundingly quick times (that fanboys quote as gospel) when they tested a Euro version of the car in Germany. Maybe it's Karma.
