First Drive

[moss]

Hahaha I bet that was a great overtaking moment - i love the stealth of my RS4. (I wasn't suggesting that the car was chipped, just that a new Audi Ecu map was put on your test car at the main dealer to cure the morning problems (it was detailed in last months mag)). Your RS4 certainly went through the wars didn't it - i'm careful not to park infront of lorrys on inclines!!!... thanks for the tip

[13eastie]

Thanks Steve - it's fantastic to have some real news at last!

The E92 M3 I looked at a few weeks ago seemed to have a very light clutch with a lot of travel (though I could not adjust the seat) - what are your thoughts (admittedly I have never driven the E46 M3).

Might as well push my luck: 0-60 time?

Cheers again.

[Steved]

I found the clutch to be typical of normal BMW products, very similar to the E46 M3. I assume you looked at the White M3 at the Canary Wharf Expo?

Unfortunately we did not performance test the M3, there just wasn't time. We didn't even get time to visit the Race Circuit Ascari. We had the car from 2pm until 7pm on Monday, and then 8am until 2pm on Tuesday. That's a very short time to fulfill all of the photographing/filming requirements and also drive it.

There will be another launch event - the UK Launch event later on next month when we will get the chance to drive an M3 back to the UK, that will allow us to compare it more closely with other competitors plus performance test it at Bedford Autodrome. I doubt that at magazine will have managed a proper performance test this time around.

[13eastie]

Originally Posted by Steved

I found the clutch to be typical of normal BMW products, very similar to the E46 M3. I assume you looked at the White M3 at the Canary Wharf Expo?

Yes it was the white one, at the PGA golf. I actually thought it looked better IRL, though hardly a pretty car to start with.

[Romo]

Originally Posted by Steved

I found the clutch to be typical of normal BMW products, very similar to the E46 M3. I assume you looked at the White M3 at the Canary Wharf Expo?

Unfortunately we did not performance test the M3, there just wasn't time. We didn't even get time to visit the Race Circuit Ascari. We had the car from 2pm until 7pm on Monday, and then 8am until 2pm on Tuesday. That's a very short time to fulfill all of the photographing/filming requirements and also drive it.

There will be another launch event - the UK Launch event later on next month when we will get the chance to drive an M3 back to the UK, that will allow us to compare it more closely with other competitors plus performance test it at Bedford Autodrome. I doubt that at magazine will have managed a proper performance test this time around.

Have to disagree again................
IMO ther is a huge difference in "clutch feel" in comparisson between the E46 M3 and E92 M3.
I drive a E46 M3 myself, and this clutch is far more heavy than the one I tried at Garching. The new clutch is verry, I repead, verry light indeed ( this is also heard off the manual E92 coupe, some comments told us about a lack off feeling in the clutch!)
Don`t know if the Garching M3 is an exeption, have to wait and see...............

[E36325is]

How would you compare the new 4L V8 engine to the 335i I6 twin turbo engine?

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by Steved

A friend of mine sent me a text yesterday as I was driving the E92 M3 and asked if I had to choose between my M3 CSL and this E92 M3, which car would I choose (assuming I could choose only one). My answer after much reflection was I would choose the E92 M3. Reasons? It's a very competent and fun car to drive, not a CSL in any way, but just as quick and just as loud. So anyone sitting on the fence trying to decide should they change from an E46 M3, I would say undoubtedly yes.

Wow. That is surprising. Based on your first post, my impression was that you had concluded the new car would be great for "most of us" which I understood to mean the majority of people who are shall we say a little less than hard core. But if you prefer the new M3 over your CSL, I must have misunderstood.

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by Steved

T
I am certainly not exaggerating when I say you will be bowled over by this engine, and it is probably one of the most exotic sounding engines ever fitted to a non-supercar. It is way, way better than the old S54 straight six could ever have been. Torque is not a problem and in most respects it behaves just like a 4 liter version of the previous 3.2.

Very, very encouraging. How does the new motor feel and sound in comparison to the V10?

[ILC32]

Steved -- thanks for your impressions. It is quite exciting to get the first reports of the new car.

Can you compare the ride feel with EDC in its various modes to the ride feel of the standard E46 M3?

[Steved]

Originally Posted by ILC32

Very, very encouraging. How does the new motor feel and sound in comparison to the V10?

Funnily at certain moments in the rev range it sounds exactly the same as the M5, but with a harder more menacing growl. It is louder, MUCH louder than the M5 and deeper in tone.

[Steved]

Originally Posted by ILC32

Steved -- thanks for your impressions. It is quite exciting to get the first reports of the new car.

Can you compare the ride feel with EDC in its various modes to the ride feel of the standard E46 M3?

I have photos of all the menu settings, which I can probably post up (the magazine are unlikely to use them - but I will check).

EDC has three modes; Comfort, Normal and Sport. Then in addition there is the button down by the gear lever which has two stages. It was not clear how this button interrelated with the iDrive menu settings. Without sharing too much the ride quality ranged was good and body roll minimal (or zero). EDC definitely works as advertised.

[moss]

Wow sounds like the M3's engine is much better all round than the RS4 - is this the case steve?

[Steved]

Originally Posted by moss

Wow sounds like the M3's engine is much better all round than the RS4 - is this the case steve?

Difficult one again to answer. They are similar in many respects but in the final reckoning quite different also. They will appeal to different people and some will prefer the more relaxed salubrious nature of the RS4 with its V8 rumble. We really are spoilt for choice and then of course there's Merc's C63.

I can truly claim no bias whatsover, since I already own or will shortly own all three engines..

[moss]

That's a great position to be in - 3 v8's. Sounds like the M3 is a more raw power unit than the RS4 then - I would guess as the drivtrain is much more efficient in the M3, the RS4 would be left some way behind at the lights - unless it's raining of course Still from your posts Steve, something tells me that you may favour the looks of the RS4 over the m3?

[Steved]

I'm not really a sedan/saloon kind of person but the RS4 triggered more attention from passers by and it looked more pumped up and aggressive than the M3. The RS4 also looks more cohesive as a desgin. Looks aren't really the M3's strongest suit, nothing wrong with it but it is more subtle than some people might like.

[ILC32]

Originally Posted by Steved

Difficult one again to answer. They are similar in many respects but in the final reckoning quite different also. They will appeal to different people and some will prefer the more relaxed salubrious nature of the RS4 with its V8 rumble. We really are spoilt for choice and then of course there's Merc's C63.

I can truly claim no bias whatsover, since I already own or will shortly own all three engines..

Indeed. The RS4 is for real, and it looks like the C63 may be the first genuine competitor to the M3 to come from AMG (and I say that as a former C32 owner). 457 hp, seven speed 'box. I wonder if it will have a limited slip diff.

Take a look at http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...opanel..1.*#10

[lucid]

Originally Posted by ILC32

Indeed. The RS4 is for real, and it looks like the C63 may be the first genuine competitor to the M3 to come from AMG (and I say that as a former C32 owner). 457 hp, seven speed 'box. I wonder if it will have a limited slip diff.

Take a look at http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...opanel..1.*#10

The Edmunds article seems to say that the C63 comes only with an automatic (did I get that right?). If that is indeed the case, there can be no comparison...

[lucid]

Questions for Steve:

1. Are the smoked wheels some kind of option, or were they an exception?

2. Could you get any info on US pricing?

Thanks!

[Steved]

Originally Posted by lucid

Questions for Steve:

1. Are the smoked wheels some kind of option, or were they an exception?

2. Could you get any info on US pricing?

Thanks!

It was really hard to get info out of BMW, quite a strange press launch. They spent most of the time talking about Efficient Dynamics and then teniously linking different parts of the M3's design to sections of the Nordschlieffe circuit. Just when questions were about to begin they ushered everyone into dinner.

The smoked wheels looked really good but I cannot find any reference to these being available in the spec sheets. All of the press cars had the same wheels, so it wasn't just the one we were given.

[968PORSCHE]

Since I live in LA the dual clutch setup is probably the better choice, but the wait might kill me. (Any idea when this will be available in the US?) How is the clutch on the manual you drove? Does it compare with the ease of a clutch in a late model Porsche?

[Romo]

Question for Steved;

So the engine is loud......................Now for me one off the verry few dislikes off the outgoing M3 was that it makes too much noise, especialy on the Highway/autobahn. Verry tyering IMO. Also I am not a fan off the harsh and craspy muffler sound when hitting the accelerator pedal.

Can you tell me if this also the case with the E92 M3?

How would you discribe it?

[Steved]

Originally Posted by 968PORSCHE

Since I live in LA the dual clutch setup is probably the better choice, but the wait might kill me. (Any idea when this will be available in the US?) How is the clutch on the manual you drove? Does it compare with the ease of a clutch in a late model Porsche?

It is a bit less fluid, the same as a Z4M if you get the chance to try that. The clutch was reasonably light but very similar to how an E46 M3 feels.

From what I understand the M-DCT gearbox for the M3 will begin production in Spring 2008 and first deliveries for the US market will have the option of either Manual or DCT boxes.