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      08-22-2007, 06:15 PM   #1
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Driving the M3 again...

This time it is on 19" wheels but is in the same Melbourne Red, but with Black leather. It is a right-hand drive car and I will be able to compare with the LHD press launch cars and see how much those roads in Marbella contributed to how the car felt at the time.

We're doing an article comparing the E92 M3 against every other major M-car of the last 30 years, right back to the first BMW M1. We have some great roads to drive them on and will be spending the next 3 days doing so. Look out for the article in the issue of EVO published in September.

Thus far within a more 'natural' environment it looks good when driven behind us, but am still a little dissapointed by the side and rear profiles. My E46 CSL parked next to it looks a lot more 'butch' and seems to be getting more attention from passers by.

Some of the car we are testing include; E34, E49 and E60 M5's. M6, Z4M Coupe, Z3 M Coupe, E30 M3, E36 M3, E46 M3 CS, E46 M3 CSL, M1.... so plenty of key swapping going on.
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      08-22-2007, 06:34 PM   #2
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Sounds like a great framework for putting the car in context. Will you do some instrumented performance tests as well?
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      08-22-2007, 06:42 PM   #3
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We take them all on track tomorrow, but I haven't checked yet whether we will be measuring them or not this week. I am hoping we have the E92 M3 for more than a few days and therefore should be able to time and weigh it over the next week.
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      08-22-2007, 07:06 PM   #4
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Nice one Steve. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts (or what you are allowed to say before the magazine is published).
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      08-22-2007, 07:06 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steved View Post
We take them all on track tomorrow, but I haven't checked yet whether we will be measuring them or not this week. I am hoping we have the E92 M3 for more than a few days and therefore should be able to time and weigh it over the next week.
Awsome,

Thnx Steved!
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      08-22-2007, 07:35 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steved View Post
This time it is on 19" wheels but is in the same Melbourne Red, but with Black leather. It is a right-hand drive car and I will be able to compare with the LHD press launch cars and see how much those roads in Marbella contributed to how the car felt at the time.

We're doing an article comparing the E92 M3 against every other major M-car of the last 30 years, right back to the first BMW M1. We have some great roads to drive them on and will be spending the next 3 days doing so. Look out for the article in the issue of EVO published in September.

Thus far within a more 'natural' environment it looks good when driven behind us, but am still a little dissapointed by the side and rear profiles. My E46 CSL parked next to it looks a lot more 'butch' and seems to be getting more attention from passers by.

Some of the car we are testing include; E34, E49 and E60 M5's. M6, Z4M Coupe, Z3 M Coupe, E30 M3, E36 M3, E46 M3 CS, E46 M3 CSL, M1.... so plenty of key swapping going on.


God, I want your job. Lucky bastid. Enjoy.



Oh yeah:

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      08-22-2007, 07:45 PM   #7
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Quote:
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Sounds like a great framework for putting the car in context. Will you do some instrumented performance tests as well?
Lucid, what happened to Picard????..........
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      08-22-2007, 07:46 PM   #8
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Steved, plz posts pics of the car asap- all the pics I've seen of Melbourne have the butt-ugly (IMO)18 inchers........Thanks........
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      08-22-2007, 08:04 PM   #9
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Definately looking forward to that. Sure hope you can provide us with some poignant information.
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      08-22-2007, 08:21 PM   #10
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Quote:
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Lucid, what happened to Picard????..........
It was a limited time only showing. He'll return if the masses want him back!
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      08-22-2007, 08:26 PM   #11
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+1 on the pics. I was thinking of a black interior for mine though haven't seen any decent shots. Thanks in advance!!!
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      08-22-2007, 09:20 PM   #12
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Sounds like a party. What happened to my invitation.

+1 on the E92 M3 attention level. I drove past one and almost missed the fact that it was an M3. Just looked like a 3 series coupe at first.
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      08-22-2007, 10:46 PM   #13
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Sounds great. Can you get width and offset specs on the 19s?
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      08-23-2007, 03:08 AM   #14
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Steve, Is it one of those presscars you drove in Marbella?
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      08-23-2007, 08:36 AM   #15
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Quote:
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Steve, Is it one of those presscars you drove in Marbella?
Those all had 18" wheels and sand leather I think. They are probably all trashed by now anyway!
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      08-23-2007, 10:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steved View Post
We're doing an article comparing the E92 M3 against every other major M-car of the last 30 years, right back to the first BMW M1.
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      08-24-2007, 11:25 AM   #17
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Sorry Guys, I was lazy this time and didn't take any proper pictures, although I would need to have held them back until the magazine was published anyway. Likewise I don't want to give the game away in terms of how the M3 fared (which is the whole point of the story).

I can tell you that it was a lot of fun and had a chance to compare it with some known benchmarks.

Again, I can't disclose anything material to the story but I can tell you that the 19" wheels do not look any wider than the 18" wheels, so the stance doesn't change. Also they ride fine on the kind of poor roads we have here in the UK (the test was undertaken in Wales), so there is no penalty to choosing 19" wheels over the 18" ones.

The interior of this car (a RHD Press car, rather than the LHD launch cars) was in black which made the interior feel a little more expensive than the Beige interiors of the launch cars.

I got the chance this time to just 'travel' in the M3, rather than just hoon around with the tail out. It drives well as a GT car, more relaxing than I first thought when in Marbella. The gearbox on this car was also smoother and less restrictive than the launch cars, so that bodes well. But it also seemed a 'little' bit quieter, but still louder than the E46 M3.

The cars we compared it against included E34, E49 and E60 M5's. M6, Z4M Coupe, Z3 M Coupe, E30 M3, E36 M3, E46 M3 CS, E46 M3 CSL and finally the original M1.

I won't tell you which was victorious, but we eliminated 8 cars at the end of day 2, and then picked a winner from the final 4.

I can't really say any more about the comparison, but it will be published in next month's EVO.
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      08-24-2007, 11:29 AM   #18
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What were the evaluation criteria?
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      08-24-2007, 11:41 AM   #19
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Quote:
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What were the evaluation criteria?
Good question then we can all start guessing the final 4 and the eventual winner. I like the fact that the new M is louder than the old one.
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      08-24-2007, 11:42 AM   #20
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Quote:
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What were the evaluation criteria?
Basically which cars best espouse the values and DNA of the M-brand, and by that I don't mean M-brand in terms of marketing.
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      08-24-2007, 11:46 AM   #21
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Can we assume that the E92 made it to the last 4?

Best regards, south
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      08-24-2007, 11:47 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steved View Post
Basically which cars best espouse the values and DNA of the M-brand, and by that I don't mean M-brand in terms of marketing.
That statement sounds like it may hold some clues.

I predict that the E92 M3 was not the winner. Though that won't make me want one any less.
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