2005 BMW M3
Weight
Unladen 3415 lbs
Weight distribution, front/rear 50.3/49.7 %
Engine
Liter/type/valves 3.2/inline 6/24
Displacement 3246 cu cm
Bore/stroke 3.43/3.58 inch
Nominal output/rpm 333/7900 hp
Max. torque/rpm 262/4900 lb-ft
Fuel grade Premium unleaded
Brakes
Front/rear 12.8/12.9 in
Wheels
Tire dimensions (performance tires) - front 1 225/45R-18
Tire dimensions (performance tires) - rear 1 255/40R-18
Wheel dimensions - front/rear 18 x 8.0/18 x 9.0
Material Light Cast Alloy
Transmission
Gear ratios - Manual or SMG - I/II/III 4.23/2.53/1.67 :1
Gear ratios - Manual or SMG - IV/V/VI/R 1.23/1.00/0.83/3.75 :1
Gear Ratios - Manual or SMG - Final drive ratio 3.64 :1
Performance
Drag coefficient 0.33 Cd
Top speed 155 mph
Acceleration 0-60 mph 4.8 sec
Fuel Consumption
6 speed manual transmission - City 16 mpg
6 speed manual transmission - Highway 24 mpg
6 speed SMG transmission - City 16 mpg
6 speed SMG transmission - Highway 23 mpg
Puntiki:...A truly magnificent all round sports car. capable of comfortably carrying 4 people. The car is electronically limited to 155 mph ( 250 kph ) but without the limiter would be capable of 180mph. The vehicle is available in 6 speed manual or SMG (Sequential manual transmission). The SMG is effectivelty the same gearbox with a clutch plate but hydraliclly changes gears Schumacher fast with the pull of a paddle behind the steering wheel. The SMG is a must if you track race the car. In the USA the maintanence is free for 4 years or 50,000 miles and the warranty is the same. The car is very practical and is available from $47,000 to $67,000 (convertible)
9 comments:
A truly magnificent all round sports car. capable of comfortably carrying 4 people. The car is electronically limited to 155 mph ( 250 kph ) but without the limiter would be capable of 180mph. The vehicle is available in 6 speed manual or SMG (Sequential manuel transmission). The SMG is effectivelty the same gearbox with a clutch plate but hydraliclly changes gears Schumacher fast with the pull of a paddle behind the steering wheel. The SMG is a must if you track race the car. In the USA the maintanence is free for 4 years or 50,000 miles and the warranty is the same. The car is very practical and is available from $47,000 to $67,000 (convertible)
Someone say assasin in a Hugo Boss suit? The M3 is a smart, dangerous and desirable sports car. I have not had a chance to drive the current generation M3 (I have driven the mid 1990s version) and that car was a very competent sportscar. Opponents include the Mercedes CLK 55 AMG and the Audi S4. I like the Audi because it is smart yet subtle. The M3 lacks the subtlety, but thats probably what BMW were wanting when they designed the car.
With magnificent sub 5 second to 100kph performance, the M3 represents the sharp end of BMW's line up. You would probably need to be Mark Webber to get a faster, more responsive BMW.
What's more, this car is iPod compatible, which means that with the optional BMW iPod kit, you can plug your iPod into a cable in the glove compartment and change tracklists via your stereo, and even via the steering wheel. Who needs a clunky, heavy, power draining CD stacker when you can be truly sound mobile. And if my friends 2002 M3 is anything to go by, it will sound great through the Harmon Kardon speakers.
Would I choose an M3 over an S4? I don't know - I love the Audi's more conservative shape (4-door) and the Audi does have 4wd. But not the horses - although Audi will remedy that with the RS4 in due course...
I want to know what the motoring press have against SMGs. Not to mention fiddly radios or cruise controls and the like. In other words, the things that take a little bit of time to get used to, and that therefore don't suit someone who spends 1 day with a car - but that really have no impact on someone who buys it.
Anyway, in terms of the SMG, my take is that if you are driving a car hard you can probably do better than many SMGs, particularly if you drive for a living. But at nine tenths it is great to hit every gear change consistently, they are fantastic in traffic, they are a better solution than a true automatic. And the new VW DSG gearbox is basically faster changing than any driver can do themselves.
Finally, one last comment. Have you noticed the proliferation of gearboxes on the market - is the cost to liberate more horses getting so exhorbitant that it is starting to get cost-effective to find better ways to put those horses on the ground?
There is no possible was to manually change gears on the M3 faster than the SMG gearbox. It is the same gearbox as the stickshift version, but the hydrallics change gears in lightening fast speed. I knew of an M3 owner with SMG that lined up to the identicalcar but it had the 6 speed manual. The stick got 1 car length ahead at launch and the smg caught up quickly winning the 2 block race by over 3 car lenghts. Both drivers were experienced. If you plan on racing or tracking your M3 then the advantage would be with you if you had a SMG version. It does take some getting used too though, and it does feel a bit like a Playstation game at the beginning.
Yeah, have the Alfa with the selespeed. It is a little clunky downshifting into first, and slow on a cold morning, but I would never go back to a manual, and wouldn't consider a proper automatic on anything less than 3 litres. My current needs run to a small car, SMG is definitely the go. Drove the new Golf with the 2.0 TDi and DSG - nice. Not all that fast, but fast enough. Bet that you could do some work on the boost to end up with a rather interesting machine.
Add a bit of boost and a great gearbox and set up and you have a reciepe for fun.
I read all sorts of good things about SMG/DSG gearboxes, and just based on what I know of them, I'm happy they appear simple enough. Haven't driven one yet. But if the shift action required of a driver is similar to that of those Tiptronic automatics, I'll either need a lot of practice or I'll stick to a normal manual. I've driven several vehicles with Tiptronic-type gearboxes, since my friend works at Leaseplan and takes home some interesting cars. Both petrol and diesel. But I'm finding that playing with the "+" and "-" positions certainly doesn't feel anything similar to driving a manual. I'm afraid that by not shifting correctly I'm probably doing more damage to the vehicle -- so I just select "D" and let the car shift itself. The only such gearbox I felt a difference in, was a new Pajero turbodiesel, but perhaps it's because of the torque. Perhaps it's the fact that my clutch-leg is sitting on the footrest that I unconsciously revert to "I'm in an automatic" mode.
You get used to it pretty quickly. And there is a world of difference between a tiptronic and an SMG. It doesn't ever really feel like you are driving an automatic - in automatic mode it basically lets you know that it is only doing it because you made it. I almost always drive ours in manual, and it feels manual. You roll backwards on hills, you have to lift off the gas a bit on the upchange, only things you save are pushing the clutch, and never missing a gear change.
Try it sometime - you may like it.
you dont even need to back off when changing gears.... Creates a bit of whiplash in the fastest change mode, but fun. The car will blip the throttle when you change down... Truly brilliant.
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