[southlight]

Originally Posted by Ben Barry

Always interesting to see threads like this as a journalist. Few points then it's over and out from me:

Wow, you've made the purpose of an discussion board your own!

Originally Posted by Ben Barry

1. Here's an email I got from the PR at Michelin regarding the tyres…
Hi Ben,

It was good to see you yesterday - I hope you managed to get everything done for your group test.

I just wanted to give you a bit more information on the tyres which wasn't included in the press kit:

The Pilot Sport PS2 tyres designed for the new M3 feature three different compounds. The front tyre has a carbon-black outer and a hybrid inner (carbon-black and silica) tread area, and the rear has a carbon black outer and a pure silica inner tread area. The carbon-black areas provide abrasion resistance and reduce the shoulder wear associated with hard driving and the pure silica area offers excellent grip in damp amd wet conditions.

The hybrid compound on the front tyres helps induce mild understeer in extreme conditions and acts as a safety net to avoid sudden oversteer.

I don't know if this is of interest but you may have felt it when you were drifting around the track.

All the best

Paul




Paul Cordle
PR Manager

Thanks for sharing that. I think it's needless to ask if you already had the feeling of little understeering before you received that mail, isn't it? Sure you had!

Originally Posted by Ben Barry

2. Yes, I called it SMG, but it's what more people understand so I stuck with this. Apologies for any offence.

3. Who do I think I am? Journalist of seven years, big M3 enthusiast with E36 M3 (

). It's done 207,000 miles and I've owned it for six years. Also had an E36 four door M3 before that. I have driven every generation of the M3, including E30 Sport Evo and M3 CSL.

4. Gerhard Richter (M Division boss) told me personally that the gearbox was straight out of the E46 when I did an article on the M Division in our June issue. He said it might have had some minor changes, but even he wasn't sure exactly what. It feels the same.

5. The ride is very comfortable, but the turn in isn't as sharp as the old car. I am absolutely certain of this.

6. Sound is awesome, but not as edgy as old car - the step to a metallic rasp isn't as dramatic or spine tingling as it was. Fantastic engine though.

Thanks
Ben Barry
Assistant editor, CAR Magazine

Some further notes:
Most german reviews so far are telling that the car is just as sharp as the old model was. Do you think other journalists are not certain of what they're telling?

I'm afraid Car Magazine did want to arouse big publicity for their very own M3 article. It's sadly not the first time happening at Car Magazine (check the "official" pics CAR had in their Feb issue).

Best regards, south