Production 2009 M3 Revealed
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leftlanenews.com wrote:
The M3's V8 powerplant has two more cylinders than its predecessor, delivering 420 hp from 4.0 litters and maximum torque of 295 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm. In keeping with BMW's high-revving "M" tradition, maximum engine speed is 8,300 rpm.Meh, no power down low and a severe lack of torque. blah
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I personally think it looks great.
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MisterCMK;163197 wrote:
So what? It just means you have to spool the piss outta that thing to make powerI don't think that's accurate. Note that the torque is nearly constant across several thousand RPM. The M engines are horsepower/top end biased on purpose because many customers find those engines are more fun to drive than stump pullers.
It's still a 4 liter V8. 300 ft/lbs of torque everywhere isn't bad, and horsepower that builds linearly with revs all the way to the redline is pretty cool.
F1 cars only make around 250-275 ft/lbs of torque.
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It still makes max torque at just shy of 4k, not bad for an engine that revs to 8300rpm. It all depends on preference really. For example, I love the free revving nature of my engine and the wonderful sound it makes at 7k. Can't say I'm a big fan of the thrashiness of a pushrod engine when the revs climb. No it doesn't make a whole lot of power at 2k, but that's what makes it fun, wringing it out for all its worth.
Just my .02
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MisterCMK;163206 wrote:
eh, it still doesn't have a whole lot of torque. Torque is what makes a car fun to drive and what puts you back in your seat. Thats what I love about my 302. I start making power at 2,000rpm so its fun as hell from stop light to stop light.I don't think that's true at all. What makes a car fun to drive is a combination of the drivers preferences and the "total package".
The Honda S2000 is fantastic to drive and is utterly torqueless. But there is something about the F20C that begs you to just wind it out to 9k rpm every time. If you're not looking to light up tires and stop light race... if you want to just hear and feel the engine scream... that car is amazing.
Sport bikes are also pretty torque-constrained but i hear they're quite the rush as well
Again - your 302 (hopefully) has more torque than any modern F1 car. But i know which one I'd rather drive, and if you're honest and/or not a dumbass, you'll agree with me -- we'd both rather drive a 750hp, 275 ft/lb F1 car that has a 19000 rpm redline and linear torque/hp rise over its entire range, because the "package" on an F1 car is unlike anything else in the universe.
As I am fond of pointing out.. there are lots of streetable engines in town putting down 2-3000 lb/ft of torque.. just stop by the Butler dealership. Of course, none of those engines or the vehicles they sit in are any fun at all on the street (well, not in a speed/acceleration way... of course everyone likes driving heavy equipment for the novelty of it)
I won't rehash any stupid analogies about what hp is and what torque is. I'll close by saying that evalating a car based on its paper numbers is foolhardy and is the stuff of bench racing. You learn about what a car is really like by driving it, and this is a place where BMW never disappoints, even if I do lament that the cars get heavier and softer every year.
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"In keeping with BMW's high-revving "M" tradition, maximum engine speed is 8,300 rpm. The engine is the lightest V8 in the world, weighing less than the previous M3's inline-six"
This was the two winning points for me. Even though some of you don't like that.
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Thrash I understand that the M3s have always had great motors. I've just always thought they should have a V8, personal opinion, nothing more. Although the last inline 6 they had in there got me all excited when I thought about it. Did I just type that?
Mmmm high reving V8, delicious.
Edit: I can totally see what you are saying about losing their heritage. I think the STi limited is for pussies and granpas. It should've been lighter and more powerful, not just "toned down" in looks and heavy. I guess that's why the aftermarket exists so we can make the cars into what we think they should be.
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I just nut in my underwear. That thing is AMAZING!!
3 things i couldn't live without.........
:3gears: -> :drink: -> :poon: -
The front-end somewhat reminded me of the z4 and the back looks like some sort of Mercedes. The body is more stylish then the previous models. But the engine was what made me fell in love with this car. You guys may thinks it looks butt ugly now but when you see it out of the picture, maybe have a different opinion. If you're interested in luxary, style, lots of power, high reving. Then this is it.
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