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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
the last of the true M cars
- Thread starter markbsimon
- Start date
J
Jandre
Guest
Another e34 M5.
:inlove::inlove:
:inlove::inlove:
Fordkoppie
///Member
rick540 said:
I agree with your disagreement, apart from the economy issue.
My 540i/6 is also more economical than my M5.
M5 is impossible to get below 13L/100 in everyday driving (my commute that is) whereas the 540 easily manages 12.3L/100
ASH
New member
Hi there and welcome! Nice ride.
Here's my opinion on the M-Gen cars:-
Have to say that if BMW had to hand build every M made during recent times, customers would wait years for their cars, so with BMWs intention to sell more cars, they probably would have been out of business if they couldnt supply the vehicles to meet the demand, buyers would go to other brands, and only a handfull of diehard fans would wait years for their car (actual buyers), which is why the factory produced vehicles came into play.
That said I dont see anything inferior in having a vehicle produced in a factory by robot, carmaking is a precise, precision engineering exercise, I'm sure the M-owners would prefer having their vehicles precisionly crafted by machines, rather than put together by some JoeSo. These vehicles are high performance vehicles and any form of build errors or breakages due to human error can be disaster to owner and the brand if things where to go wrong at high speed, not saying that the current vehicles are trouble free but, M vehicles have built up a reputation of being highly reliable performance vehicles. I stand to be corrected but I'm sure there is still some human element involved in putting the vehicles together, the machines merely speed up the tiresome and tedious jobs.
There have been alot of fantastic Ms produced, but for me the most M-est of the lot was the E46 M3 CSL. It was uncompromised, hardcore, razor sharp, sounded glorious etc, and still looks amazing in stock form.
I will agree that BMW are sticking M-badges on too many models of late. I definitely believe that the M135i should be callled a 135iS as it is not a fully developed M-Car............:nonono:
Here's my opinion on the M-Gen cars:-
Have to say that if BMW had to hand build every M made during recent times, customers would wait years for their cars, so with BMWs intention to sell more cars, they probably would have been out of business if they couldnt supply the vehicles to meet the demand, buyers would go to other brands, and only a handfull of diehard fans would wait years for their car (actual buyers), which is why the factory produced vehicles came into play.
That said I dont see anything inferior in having a vehicle produced in a factory by robot, carmaking is a precise, precision engineering exercise, I'm sure the M-owners would prefer having their vehicles precisionly crafted by machines, rather than put together by some JoeSo. These vehicles are high performance vehicles and any form of build errors or breakages due to human error can be disaster to owner and the brand if things where to go wrong at high speed, not saying that the current vehicles are trouble free but, M vehicles have built up a reputation of being highly reliable performance vehicles. I stand to be corrected but I'm sure there is still some human element involved in putting the vehicles together, the machines merely speed up the tiresome and tedious jobs.
There have been alot of fantastic Ms produced, but for me the most M-est of the lot was the E46 M3 CSL. It was uncompromised, hardcore, razor sharp, sounded glorious etc, and still looks amazing in stock form.
I will agree that BMW are sticking M-badges on too many models of late. I definitely believe that the M135i should be callled a 135iS as it is not a fully developed M-Car............:nonono:
markbsimon
New member
ASH said:
I have to say this as it keeps coming up. The fact that BMW has to make so many to supply demand is great for BMW's profit but does nothing for the value of the "M" insignia.The fact that they are being mass producing spoils the uniqueness of the "M" hence they should not carry the "M" insignia unless they are just that special hence my suggestion of a new performance insignia that does not attempt to inherit what it is not entitled to..
Performance is not all the "M" stood for, by example I don't think that a 1960's Ferrari Testarosa is any where near as fast or even as good at handling as a present day entry level Ferrari, but that is not the point. The fact that it was good in it's day and was the best Ferrari had to offer at the time and most importantly that it was made as a very limited production made it very desirable (in demand to) and the most valuable car in the world today but. But I am sure if Ferrari slapped the name Testarossa on every new model they made it would have ruined that heritage. Like BMW is doing by slapping an "M" on just about every model they make now.
... So the point I am making,.. sure the new M cars are probably faster and better in many ways than those limited special production models of the past, but the fact that they are no longer a rarity or limited production means that they should not carry the same limited production insignia as those rare special editions of the past. The only rarities now come from Alpina as those are what the old 'M' stood for something special and different desired and because of limited poduction possibly only available to a lucky few..
In fact I have a 2001 740 I am selling (See my Post) that will drop my 1993 E34 M5 is also more economical, but is not as special as my M5, even though it is my most favourite car to drive., it is just not an M car, I also have a soft spot for it I love the looks, it and will be sad to part with it.
Fordkoppie said:
You guys must really bring them to the coast, something different goes on here, my average consumption in the M5 is 11L/100km (Jandre jump in here and confirm please).
One more note on the hand built aspect, I have taken mine fairly well apart during the rebuild and so many of the parts have signatures of the people who built them on, and I just find that very cool and special
Bugger
///Member
I agree with this trend of slapping ///M on everything, it has reduced the quality of what ///M cars should be, and I think it devalues what ////M's are. True, a proper ///M is setup differently from other standard BMW's,but the fact remains that you can get an ///M badge on this, on that and everything else....even Hiace taxis!
It's the same with Audi slapping an S or RS on everything with a piston, or Mercedes claiming that every AMG engine is "hand built".....ya right. In my humble opinion there should be an M3, M5 and M6,that's it....ok and maybe a 1M/M1 because of history. But putting a badge on M135i,X6M,X5M,it's lost it's enigmatic feel....shew,I am going to get so blasted for this......:fencelook:
It's the same with Audi slapping an S or RS on everything with a piston, or Mercedes claiming that every AMG engine is "hand built".....ya right. In my humble opinion there should be an M3, M5 and M6,that's it....ok and maybe a 1M/M1 because of history. But putting a badge on M135i,X6M,X5M,it's lost it's enigmatic feel....shew,I am going to get so blasted for this......:fencelook:
S
SP33DYV
Guest
Bugger said:
Even though I own and drive a 1 Series M Coupe, I don't think it's a true ///M car. It was an after thought and is a "Frankenstein" built from BMW's parts bins. It doesn't have a true ///M engine either.
///M has become a little, hmmm, overrated.
The last true ///M car, in my opinion, was the e46 M3 CSL.
Just my 2 cents.
J
Jandre
Guest
My m5 is definitely lighter on juice than both my 540's. Granted, the 540's were both auto's.
Bugger
///Member
SP33DYV said:
I agree with you. As much as I love my M3, and even though it will be the last of the naturally aspirated M3's probably ever to be made, the E46 M3,especially the CSL, was the purest of the pure. It harked back to the days of the original M3 and to a certain degree the orginal M5.
The 1M, well I sort of agree with you on that, I think it is as close to a CSL as you are going to get, power wise etc. I think, although it may be considered an afterthought, it is still a very good car, not my cup of tea,but still a very,very good car. And what I like most is that it hands tons of whoop ass to Audis!!
But the M badge has become way too easy to stick on to everything,and that is a shame.
UpNcOmiNg!
Events Organiser
I don't know about you guys, but my ///M badges five me extra power and handling, but especially power.
The e46 CSL is the true ///M car. The e34 M5 is an AMAZING car and I will endeavor to own another one day.
The e46 CSL is the true ///M car. The e34 M5 is an AMAZING car and I will endeavor to own another one day.
444YYY
Honorary ///Member
Wow, SP33DYV, a truly remarkable post, and very objective!SP33DYV said:
Given that you own the car... A true an noble fanatic!
raise:For what it's worth, from an outsiders view, 1M is a great car!!!
I remember one howling out the pits, when CAR did the performance shoot out at Kyalami.....
Xack
Active member
The last true //M car?? Lets talk about this car....at the time of this cars introduction, its highly tuned engine had the highest specific output naturally aspirated of any engine ever made by BMW ( except in the Mclaren F1 ). It had the Horse power - to- displacement ratio 1960's Formula 1 Car. It won the International Engine of the Year award overall for 2001, and also claimed the “Best New Engine” that year as well as won the 3-4 L category for six straight years in a row from 2001 through 2006. This engine was also on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2001 through 2004, it was then and is still today the most powerful naturally aspirated 3.2 liter six cylinder engine ever build in mass production. 13 years later and its still the bench mark for performance to most modded Hot hatch drivers out there.- That is just the engine of this particular //M car!!!......then there's the sound it makes, Jalopnik describes it best and i quote; " What makes the S54B32 so wonderful is the noise. It’s the only engine this side of supercar lunacy that has such a—for lack of a better word—voluminous sound. You’ll know it when you’re around one when the air around you suddenly fills with this high-grade metallic substance, this gray-blue vapor of noise that fills an S54B32’s surroundings with such fearful urgency."
E46 //M3 take a bowraise:raise:raise:raise:
Stand tall S54b32 :bravo::bravo::bravo::bravo::bravo:
E46 //M3 take a bow
raise:raise:raise:raise:Stand tall S54b32 :bravo::bravo::bravo::bravo::bravo:
