M3 Test by Spanish Magazine Autopista.

[antonio_spain]

Here is a scan of a test performed by Autopista, a Spanish magazine with very good reputation. The performance numbers are very, very bad.

In fact, I am thinking about my deposit... My actual M3 E46 Cabrio is very near to those numbers...

0-100 Km/h 5.38 sg
0-160 Km/h 11.43 sg

0-400 m 13.54 sg
0-1000 m 24.25 sg

[ILC32]

Those numbers are ridiculously bad. What does the article say about the times? It seems that there must have been something wrong with the test car.

I noticed the diagram of the car at the bottom of the pdf showing dimensions is of a four door regular 3 series. Strange.

[JEllis]

So we have a dozen reviews with performance numbers which are at least a second better than those! Why give this review any real merit?

Jason

[JEllis]

0-400m in 13.54 has to be a joke. My E36M isnt much slower than that!

Jason

[Epacy]

Originally Posted by antonio_spain

In fact, I am thinking about my deposit...

This kind of reasoning is uber-hilarious.

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Epacy

This kind of reasoning is uber-hilarious.

Congrats, --> "Major"

Best regards, south

[antonio_spain]

You are right, in fact here is a Carrera 997 4S test by the same magazine. Look at the accleration numbers but in meters, M3 numbers are better!!! but times are worst??

How do you explain this?

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by antonio_spain

You are right, in fact here is a Carrera 997 4S test by the same magazine. Look at the accleration numbers but in meters, M3 numbers are better!!! but times are worst??

How do you explain this?

Bad traction at launch. Spinning tires = time but not distance.

[phoenixbmwlife]

I'd say the test driver doesn't know how to drive.

[Epacy]

Originally Posted by southlight

Congrats, --> "Major"

Best regards, south

Thanks, didn't even notice.

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by Epacy

Thanks, didn't even notice.

You're just being modest.

[Epacy]

Originally Posted by ILC32

You're just being modest.

Nope, totally serious.

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by Epacy

Nope, totally serious.

How many of those 1000 posts involved your infamous ?

[Stahlgrau]

Originally Posted by antonio_spain

You are right, in fact here is a Carrera 997 4S test by the same magazine. Look at the accleration numbers but in meters, M3 numbers are better!!! but times are worst??

How do you explain this?

Bad driver? Bad driving conditions?

[aerisolphaln]

I believe this speaks to a point that I posted about 1.5 months ago and for which I received some serious heat. I think what is going on here, as others have mentioned, is that these times were obtained in less than optimal conditions. Their driver probably had a slight amount of wheel spin, he may not have had perfect traction, and he might not have executed the perfect launch technique for the new M3. Temperature may also have been less than ideal. Very minimal deviations from "ideal" in any of these variables will very quickly add up to 1 second or more of a time penalty in the 0 to 60 mph run.

This is why I believe most drivers on this board, myself included, will be lucky to get 0 to 60 times in about 5.5 seconds on average when performing hole shots in the 6 spd M3. Car and Driver's 4.4 seconds is the best time they could get after multiple runs with the car. With a professional driver. On a closed course.

Now the positive spin is that this same caveat applies to all cars tested by magazines like Car and Driver. So, it's unlikely to be of much significance while running around in the real world. However, I think most people here would be disappointed with timed runs in the M3 if they were expecting 4.4 seconds, or even 5s, on each 0 to 60mph run.

Also, I think it's much more likely that the average E92 M3 driver would be able to closely approximate the 0 to 60 run obtained by the magazines with the M-DCT, especially if it makes it to production with a Launch Control type feature. This is one of the reasons I will be opting for this new transmission when it comes out.

[Garissimo]

Originally Posted by aerisolphaln

I believe this speaks to a point that I posted about 1.5 months ago and for which I received some serious heat. I think what is going on here, as others have mentioned, is that these times were obtained in less than optimal conditions. Their driver probably had a slight amount of wheel spin, he may not have had perfect traction, and he might not have executed the perfect launch technique for the new M3. [...]

I think you nailed it. Another way of looking at these times is to look at the split times from the 400m mark to the 1000m mark. This takes the launch out of the equation. The new M3 does this split in 10.71 seconds. The 997 Carrera 4s referenced in this thread does the split in 10.70 seconds. So it's a pretty safe bet the new M3 will match the 997 S in terms of acceleration (if you trust that Autopista performs their tests consistently)