Sheldon13
Member
By:
Angus Thompson
25 Years after the specifications for the first M3 were first penned, we pay homage to each previous generation on the curves of Ascari
I OFTEN WONDER how many M3 drivers are familiar with the names Eberhard Kuenheim and Paul Rosch. Truth is, if it wasn’t for the decisions of these two men, the hyper-sports sedan segment wouldn’t be alive today.
IMAGE GALLERY
By the mid-eighties, production of BMW’s M1 mid-engine sports car had been discontinued for some time, and legend has it that BMW CEO Kuenheim commissioned a design for a successor.
At the end of one of his regular visits to Motorsport GmbH in Munich he said, ‘Mr Rosche, we need a sporty engine for the 3 Series’. His desire was in good hands. Motorsport GmbH’s technical development director Paul Rosche had been responsible for the 5 Series saloons driven by M engines and helped develop the Formula 1 turbo engine that helped Nelson Piquet win the World Championship in the Brabham BMW in 1983.
Thus the M3 legend was born and the rest, as they say, is history.
But imagine for a moment that these men had not been so visionary or so bold. A motoring world without the M3 would be a like MotoGP without Rossi. At the age of 25, the M3 – like Rossi – is already a legend. Both are charismatic, quick on any circuit, full of character and enjoy a huge following worldwide.
I’m in the home of MotoGP, on a privately owned race track in Spain. But this isn’t Catalunya or Herez, it’s the immaculate Ascari circuit deep in the Ronde Hills near Malaga. The track has everything a driver could want. It is undulating, fast, flowing and technical, replicating some of the greatest corners in the world, including the corkscrew at Laguna Seca and Potter’s Pass in East London. But the track is merely the playground, a small sideshow to the prospect that lay ahead.
In the pits stood each generation of M3 from the first E30 to the latest E90. The only version I had never driven was the E30 and it would be my first port of call. The engine had barely stopped tinking as I overheard two Aussie scribes walk off, slating the ‘old timer’ for its lacklustre pace and lurid turn-in habits. One even quipped: ‘For years the poms have carried on about this “legendâ€, but what a disappointment when you drive it. I’m sure the current GTI would drill it.’
I didn’t pay much attention. After all, Australia is where the likes of the Camry and Holden Commodore rule. Enough said. They had completely missed the point.
Time for my own impressions.
The original ... and best
1st generation E30 M3: 1985-1991
LIKE MOST SOUTH Africans, my lust for an original ‘M3’ was ironically born from watching a Shadowline 325iS. Granted, it happened to be power-sliding through Sunset and Clubhouse at Kyalami at the hands of the legendary Tony Viana at the time. As South Africans, we were sadly starved of the first version of BMW’s boxy M and while we had images of the original pasted on our bedroom walls, we could only imagine what the 2.3-litre four-potter was like to pedal.
And now I am perched behind the wide-rimmed wheel of the legend. In this case the Sport Evolution version with 175kW and 240Nm of torque and a claimed top speed of 248kph.
The original 147kW version claimed a 0-100kph time of 6.7secs (0.2secs slower than the Sport Evo) and a slightly higher to power-to-weight ratio of 8.2kg/kW (compared to 6.9kg/kW for the more powerful Evolution model).
BMW opted to use the four-cylinder over the straight-six as a four meant less weight and higher torque. The standard four was much too tame though and a comprehensive power boost was called for to turn the plucky daily workhorse into an athletic power unit. The BMW design engineers increased the displacement to 2.3 litres and applied four-valve engineering.
Visually the E30 shape was iconic and is still regarded by petrolheads as one of the most enduring profiles. The most obvious visual difference between Sport Evo and standard E30 M3 is the two-tier rear wing. Generic E30 M3 cues include aprons all round, and a C-pillar wider than standard 3 Series with a flatter taper to streamline airflow over the edge of the roof. Its thick cheeks are also characteristic, sprouting over the wide wheels and flared wheel arches.
As I venture on track, the Evolution’s suede steering wheel seems to have a larger diameter than standard E30 models I remember. The long ratio steering (rack-and-pinion at 19.6:1) explains the languid turn-in the Aussie’s were whinging about. But what the steering lacks in direct response it makes up for in feel and feedback. I exit the first turn smiling, the tactile interaction of the E30’s meatier clutch and solid change, allied with feedback from the steering, making the chassis feel a part of me.
Granted, the dog-leg first gear took some getting used to, particularly as I was seated on the left-hand side of the car. But once mastered, the car is simply an extension of the driver. You never feel on edge or as nervous as in the later derivatives of the E30. What it lacks in outright speed and power it makes up for in involvement and character. The driving experience is raw, unfiltered and pure, allowing you to throw it into turns and drive it harder into the next. This was the perfect mould for every future M car. A true legend.
The first six – a wolf in sheep’s clothing
2nd generation E36 M3: 1992-1999
THE SECOND GENERATION of BMW’s illustrious M was as different from the first iteration as its dolphin-like shape. Where the E30 was inspired by the racetrack and built as an uncompromising sports car that was consistently competitive in racing, the E36 was more compliant with a softer edge from a purist’s point of view.
Its major trump card was its sweet-sounding, rather cultured (in comparison to the rasp of the E46) straight-six engine. The four-valver now delivered over 200kW thanks to Vanos variable valve timing. This innovation allowed the opening point of the inlet valves to be adjusted to the engine speed and load. The advantage was that torque, power and consumption could be optimised simultaneously.
BMW also cleverly resisted the temptation to turbocharge and stuck with the naturally aspirated recipe of the E30. As I start the engine and blip the throttle, there is no turbo lag, no artificial hesitation, just a sharp, sensitive response.
On track, the revs climb with an uninhibited freedom and power surges to the red line. With greater power comes greater responsibility, which for BMW meant revisions to the chassis and braking system of the E36 M3.
A centrally guided rear axle, used for the first time in the BMW Z1, was introduced to reduce pitching when driving off and braking. Although the E36 dampers and anti-roll bars were more taut and ride height 31mm lower than the standard BMW 3 Series Coupé of the time, it is still regarded as the softest dynamically of all M3s to date.
While this gave owners greater compliance and better damping over bumps, on the open road it lacked the raw, white-knuckled exuberance that marks the E46 and E90. Allied with its dated interior plastics, I could also feel the E36’s age on track with chassis creaks evident under duress, allied less fortunately to a sloppy gear change and vague gate.
While the steering feels elastic and turn-in more progressive than direct, the balance of the chassis actually inspires confidence, rather than detracting from the dynamic experience. The key lies in the physical feel and interaction one has with the E36 through your hands, feet and seat. Add to this a very neutral dynamic balance and a tractable power delivery and you have a car that’s as instantly familiar as meeting an old friend.
At launch between 1992 and 1995, the E36 six-pot produced 210kW and 320Nm. An M3 convertible version followed in 1994. In the last half of its life cycle, BMW increased output to 236kW and 350Nm. This uprated version had a displacement of 3201cc, compression was upped from 10.8 to 11.3 and new electronics installed that could process 20 million commands per second and controlled a new double Vanos variable valve timing system.
For road or track
3rd generation E46 M3: 2000-2006
FIRST UNVEILED AT the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999, the E46 M3 would highlight a flurry of technological advancements and, more importantly for South Africans, the first taste of a two-pedal M3.
Although the first generation of SMG added further momentum to global M3 sales in the US toward the late 1990s, when the second generation was launched in the E46 shell in South Africa it attracted mainly technofiles and those keen to try a flappy paddle transmission, Ã la Formula One. It had its detractors though and now, years on, when climbing out of the E46 M3 SMG, I have to say I still prefer the manual version.
Granted, the SMG allows you to keep the accelerator pedal floored, while the control unit, via an automated hydraulic system, opens and closes a clutch and swaps cogs all within 80 milliseconds. At the time, BMW claimed nobody could change gear as quickly as the SMG using a manual, adding that the sequential-style changes of the SMG’s Drivelogic program would eliminate the third pedal.
But most purists didn’t agree. I still enjoy the physical connection and control a manual offers around a track.
What’s most apparent on track though, is the E46’s marked step-up in torsional rigidity and quality over the E36. It appears that while the E30 pioneered the M3 through the ’80s and the E36 refined it for the mass market in the ’90s, the E46 used the 15 years of experience gained to offer the best of the road and the track.
The chassis’s rigidity is apparent not only on track, but from the minute you open the door, feel its weight and close it with a solid ‘thunk’. Inside, it’s a quantum leap forward in material quality and build.
The thicker-rimmed wheel is meatier, although the feel on track is slightly sanitised and could offer more bite on turn-in. Apart from that the E46 is an incredible machine and there’s very little to complain about.
Its athletic appearance is perfectly paired with the metallic rasp that’s emitted from those four tailpipes, the most distinctive aspect of the E46. It represents not only a dynamic leap, but also a strong performance leap for the M3, with the 3246cc, in-line six engine generating 252kW and 365Nm of torque.
Against the clock, the E46 claims zero to 100kph in 5.2secs and a 5.4sec acceleration time from 80 to 120kph in fourth gear.
It is still the most well-rounded M3 to date, and the lightweight CSL version is a true classic. Here was a track focused tool, sharpening the edge of the E46 with its lower kerb weight and offering even greater aural delight.
The wild side
4th generation E90 M3: 2000-present
IT WAS AMAZING to once again let the current E90 M3 loose on the turns of Ascari. The first time I had the opportunity was at the vehicle’s world launch in August 2007. This time the test units differed slightly, in that they were fitted with the Euro-spec Competition Package, said to be under consideration for SA.
It adds Start-Stop technology as standard and offers, says BMW, a 6% improvement in fuel consumption on the M DCT-equipped car compared to the previous model, and reduces CO2 emissions from 285g/km to 263.
Other features of the package include 10mm lower ride height, a new Sport setting for the Electronic Damper Control (EDC) and a re-programmed Dynamic Stability Control Plus (DSC+) system.
In profile, an E90 M3 with a Competition Package also features 19-inch light-alloy wheels with a similar design to that of the E46 M3 CSL. On track, the wider rim causes slight agitation over undulations but is steady mid-turn and adds to lateral stability.
The E90’s deep-chested V8 roar is in stark contrast to the metallic rasp of the E46’s straight-six. The V8 is 7% (15kg) lighter than the E46’s six-potter, 8% more fuel efficient and at 309kW offers 17% more power.
At Ascari the unit I’m piloting is fitted with BMW’s optional electronic damper control (EDC) system, which in its Comfort mode succeeds in ironing out the harsher ride quality inherent to the E46, without any loss of dynamic exuberance. All M cars are thankfully not fitted with run flats either, which would compromise their dynamic character due to their thicker sidewalls.
With the traction control off, the M3 becomes a busy, yet gloriously invigorating place to be on the Ascari circuit. One can tailor the M dynamic mode to alter the steering weighting, accelerator keenness and suspension damping. Not to mention the amount of electronic intervention to quell the slithers and slides.
As my confidence grows, the M3 starts to feel a closer part of you. It’c clear too the switch from in-line six to V8 has resulted in a greater spread of torque lower down the rev range and a sharper throttle response.
The only area that could do with more sparkle is the steering, which lacks the feel and feedback of previous generations. Precision and turn-in are still there, but there’s a slight disconnect from the front end around its centre point.
But I’m nitpicking, as the E90 is a brutal driving machine that makes the previous E46 and E36 versions look soft by comparison. It’s a car you really have to grip by the balls to enjoy. Back off or show any sign of trepidation at the limit and it’ll bite you, hard.
I’ve now experienced each M3 generation back to back. And it’s clear that with each technological advance is a distinct soul and character.
Each model change celebrates the M philosophy of agility, response and handling. And as with every M3 it’s the sum of the experience that is greater than the effects of each individual part.
Angus Thompson
25 Years after the specifications for the first M3 were first penned, we pay homage to each previous generation on the curves of Ascari
I OFTEN WONDER how many M3 drivers are familiar with the names Eberhard Kuenheim and Paul Rosch. Truth is, if it wasn’t for the decisions of these two men, the hyper-sports sedan segment wouldn’t be alive today.
IMAGE GALLERY
By the mid-eighties, production of BMW’s M1 mid-engine sports car had been discontinued for some time, and legend has it that BMW CEO Kuenheim commissioned a design for a successor.
At the end of one of his regular visits to Motorsport GmbH in Munich he said, ‘Mr Rosche, we need a sporty engine for the 3 Series’. His desire was in good hands. Motorsport GmbH’s technical development director Paul Rosche had been responsible for the 5 Series saloons driven by M engines and helped develop the Formula 1 turbo engine that helped Nelson Piquet win the World Championship in the Brabham BMW in 1983.
Thus the M3 legend was born and the rest, as they say, is history.
But imagine for a moment that these men had not been so visionary or so bold. A motoring world without the M3 would be a like MotoGP without Rossi. At the age of 25, the M3 – like Rossi – is already a legend. Both are charismatic, quick on any circuit, full of character and enjoy a huge following worldwide.
I’m in the home of MotoGP, on a privately owned race track in Spain. But this isn’t Catalunya or Herez, it’s the immaculate Ascari circuit deep in the Ronde Hills near Malaga. The track has everything a driver could want. It is undulating, fast, flowing and technical, replicating some of the greatest corners in the world, including the corkscrew at Laguna Seca and Potter’s Pass in East London. But the track is merely the playground, a small sideshow to the prospect that lay ahead.
In the pits stood each generation of M3 from the first E30 to the latest E90. The only version I had never driven was the E30 and it would be my first port of call. The engine had barely stopped tinking as I overheard two Aussie scribes walk off, slating the ‘old timer’ for its lacklustre pace and lurid turn-in habits. One even quipped: ‘For years the poms have carried on about this “legendâ€, but what a disappointment when you drive it. I’m sure the current GTI would drill it.’
I didn’t pay much attention. After all, Australia is where the likes of the Camry and Holden Commodore rule. Enough said. They had completely missed the point.
Time for my own impressions.
The original ... and best
1st generation E30 M3: 1985-1991
LIKE MOST SOUTH Africans, my lust for an original ‘M3’ was ironically born from watching a Shadowline 325iS. Granted, it happened to be power-sliding through Sunset and Clubhouse at Kyalami at the hands of the legendary Tony Viana at the time. As South Africans, we were sadly starved of the first version of BMW’s boxy M and while we had images of the original pasted on our bedroom walls, we could only imagine what the 2.3-litre four-potter was like to pedal.
And now I am perched behind the wide-rimmed wheel of the legend. In this case the Sport Evolution version with 175kW and 240Nm of torque and a claimed top speed of 248kph.
The original 147kW version claimed a 0-100kph time of 6.7secs (0.2secs slower than the Sport Evo) and a slightly higher to power-to-weight ratio of 8.2kg/kW (compared to 6.9kg/kW for the more powerful Evolution model).
BMW opted to use the four-cylinder over the straight-six as a four meant less weight and higher torque. The standard four was much too tame though and a comprehensive power boost was called for to turn the plucky daily workhorse into an athletic power unit. The BMW design engineers increased the displacement to 2.3 litres and applied four-valve engineering.
Visually the E30 shape was iconic and is still regarded by petrolheads as one of the most enduring profiles. The most obvious visual difference between Sport Evo and standard E30 M3 is the two-tier rear wing. Generic E30 M3 cues include aprons all round, and a C-pillar wider than standard 3 Series with a flatter taper to streamline airflow over the edge of the roof. Its thick cheeks are also characteristic, sprouting over the wide wheels and flared wheel arches.
As I venture on track, the Evolution’s suede steering wheel seems to have a larger diameter than standard E30 models I remember. The long ratio steering (rack-and-pinion at 19.6:1) explains the languid turn-in the Aussie’s were whinging about. But what the steering lacks in direct response it makes up for in feel and feedback. I exit the first turn smiling, the tactile interaction of the E30’s meatier clutch and solid change, allied with feedback from the steering, making the chassis feel a part of me.
Granted, the dog-leg first gear took some getting used to, particularly as I was seated on the left-hand side of the car. But once mastered, the car is simply an extension of the driver. You never feel on edge or as nervous as in the later derivatives of the E30. What it lacks in outright speed and power it makes up for in involvement and character. The driving experience is raw, unfiltered and pure, allowing you to throw it into turns and drive it harder into the next. This was the perfect mould for every future M car. A true legend.
The first six – a wolf in sheep’s clothing
2nd generation E36 M3: 1992-1999
THE SECOND GENERATION of BMW’s illustrious M was as different from the first iteration as its dolphin-like shape. Where the E30 was inspired by the racetrack and built as an uncompromising sports car that was consistently competitive in racing, the E36 was more compliant with a softer edge from a purist’s point of view.
Its major trump card was its sweet-sounding, rather cultured (in comparison to the rasp of the E46) straight-six engine. The four-valver now delivered over 200kW thanks to Vanos variable valve timing. This innovation allowed the opening point of the inlet valves to be adjusted to the engine speed and load. The advantage was that torque, power and consumption could be optimised simultaneously.
BMW also cleverly resisted the temptation to turbocharge and stuck with the naturally aspirated recipe of the E30. As I start the engine and blip the throttle, there is no turbo lag, no artificial hesitation, just a sharp, sensitive response.
On track, the revs climb with an uninhibited freedom and power surges to the red line. With greater power comes greater responsibility, which for BMW meant revisions to the chassis and braking system of the E36 M3.
A centrally guided rear axle, used for the first time in the BMW Z1, was introduced to reduce pitching when driving off and braking. Although the E36 dampers and anti-roll bars were more taut and ride height 31mm lower than the standard BMW 3 Series Coupé of the time, it is still regarded as the softest dynamically of all M3s to date.
While this gave owners greater compliance and better damping over bumps, on the open road it lacked the raw, white-knuckled exuberance that marks the E46 and E90. Allied with its dated interior plastics, I could also feel the E36’s age on track with chassis creaks evident under duress, allied less fortunately to a sloppy gear change and vague gate.
While the steering feels elastic and turn-in more progressive than direct, the balance of the chassis actually inspires confidence, rather than detracting from the dynamic experience. The key lies in the physical feel and interaction one has with the E36 through your hands, feet and seat. Add to this a very neutral dynamic balance and a tractable power delivery and you have a car that’s as instantly familiar as meeting an old friend.
At launch between 1992 and 1995, the E36 six-pot produced 210kW and 320Nm. An M3 convertible version followed in 1994. In the last half of its life cycle, BMW increased output to 236kW and 350Nm. This uprated version had a displacement of 3201cc, compression was upped from 10.8 to 11.3 and new electronics installed that could process 20 million commands per second and controlled a new double Vanos variable valve timing system.
For road or track
3rd generation E46 M3: 2000-2006
FIRST UNVEILED AT the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999, the E46 M3 would highlight a flurry of technological advancements and, more importantly for South Africans, the first taste of a two-pedal M3.
Although the first generation of SMG added further momentum to global M3 sales in the US toward the late 1990s, when the second generation was launched in the E46 shell in South Africa it attracted mainly technofiles and those keen to try a flappy paddle transmission, Ã la Formula One. It had its detractors though and now, years on, when climbing out of the E46 M3 SMG, I have to say I still prefer the manual version.
Granted, the SMG allows you to keep the accelerator pedal floored, while the control unit, via an automated hydraulic system, opens and closes a clutch and swaps cogs all within 80 milliseconds. At the time, BMW claimed nobody could change gear as quickly as the SMG using a manual, adding that the sequential-style changes of the SMG’s Drivelogic program would eliminate the third pedal.
But most purists didn’t agree. I still enjoy the physical connection and control a manual offers around a track.
What’s most apparent on track though, is the E46’s marked step-up in torsional rigidity and quality over the E36. It appears that while the E30 pioneered the M3 through the ’80s and the E36 refined it for the mass market in the ’90s, the E46 used the 15 years of experience gained to offer the best of the road and the track.
The chassis’s rigidity is apparent not only on track, but from the minute you open the door, feel its weight and close it with a solid ‘thunk’. Inside, it’s a quantum leap forward in material quality and build.
The thicker-rimmed wheel is meatier, although the feel on track is slightly sanitised and could offer more bite on turn-in. Apart from that the E46 is an incredible machine and there’s very little to complain about.
Its athletic appearance is perfectly paired with the metallic rasp that’s emitted from those four tailpipes, the most distinctive aspect of the E46. It represents not only a dynamic leap, but also a strong performance leap for the M3, with the 3246cc, in-line six engine generating 252kW and 365Nm of torque.
Against the clock, the E46 claims zero to 100kph in 5.2secs and a 5.4sec acceleration time from 80 to 120kph in fourth gear.
It is still the most well-rounded M3 to date, and the lightweight CSL version is a true classic. Here was a track focused tool, sharpening the edge of the E46 with its lower kerb weight and offering even greater aural delight.
The wild side
4th generation E90 M3: 2000-present
IT WAS AMAZING to once again let the current E90 M3 loose on the turns of Ascari. The first time I had the opportunity was at the vehicle’s world launch in August 2007. This time the test units differed slightly, in that they were fitted with the Euro-spec Competition Package, said to be under consideration for SA.
It adds Start-Stop technology as standard and offers, says BMW, a 6% improvement in fuel consumption on the M DCT-equipped car compared to the previous model, and reduces CO2 emissions from 285g/km to 263.
Other features of the package include 10mm lower ride height, a new Sport setting for the Electronic Damper Control (EDC) and a re-programmed Dynamic Stability Control Plus (DSC+) system.
In profile, an E90 M3 with a Competition Package also features 19-inch light-alloy wheels with a similar design to that of the E46 M3 CSL. On track, the wider rim causes slight agitation over undulations but is steady mid-turn and adds to lateral stability.
The E90’s deep-chested V8 roar is in stark contrast to the metallic rasp of the E46’s straight-six. The V8 is 7% (15kg) lighter than the E46’s six-potter, 8% more fuel efficient and at 309kW offers 17% more power.
At Ascari the unit I’m piloting is fitted with BMW’s optional electronic damper control (EDC) system, which in its Comfort mode succeeds in ironing out the harsher ride quality inherent to the E46, without any loss of dynamic exuberance. All M cars are thankfully not fitted with run flats either, which would compromise their dynamic character due to their thicker sidewalls.
With the traction control off, the M3 becomes a busy, yet gloriously invigorating place to be on the Ascari circuit. One can tailor the M dynamic mode to alter the steering weighting, accelerator keenness and suspension damping. Not to mention the amount of electronic intervention to quell the slithers and slides.
As my confidence grows, the M3 starts to feel a closer part of you. It’c clear too the switch from in-line six to V8 has resulted in a greater spread of torque lower down the rev range and a sharper throttle response.
The only area that could do with more sparkle is the steering, which lacks the feel and feedback of previous generations. Precision and turn-in are still there, but there’s a slight disconnect from the front end around its centre point.
But I’m nitpicking, as the E90 is a brutal driving machine that makes the previous E46 and E36 versions look soft by comparison. It’s a car you really have to grip by the balls to enjoy. Back off or show any sign of trepidation at the limit and it’ll bite you, hard.
I’ve now experienced each M3 generation back to back. And it’s clear that with each technological advance is a distinct soul and character.
Each model change celebrates the M philosophy of agility, response and handling. And as with every M3 it’s the sum of the experience that is greater than the effects of each individual part.
raise:
