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MALAY MAIL
FRIDAY august 8, 2008
TECHNICALSPECIFICATIONs BMW M3 The car’s power dome would just excite the driver.
any other V8 but slam it harder over that and it starts changing character, something even those from outside could hear clearly. Drop a gear and the engine blips the throttle, which is satisfying for practically any petrolhead. This engine revs all the way up to 8,400 revs. And being able to do all these, plus driving the car way past its 250 electronically-controlled top speed, the car is the size of a regular-seized E90 3-series. Interior dimensions are pretty much the same, with the car boasting 450 litres of luggage space in the boot. It could easily accommodate up to five people. But the more interesting of all is that the passengers in the car wouldn’t feel sick, no matter how crazy or fast you drive the car. Even the 325i Sport isn’t as comfortable but surprisingly, even when the Electronic Damper Control (EDC) is fully operational, it still offers some comfort.
The ‘hump’ on the engine bonnet is a feel good thing. The more you see it, the more you feel proud driving it. The bulging wheelarches are another feature that would give you a smile. The car comes with paddle shifters, right for upshifts and left for downshifts, a change to BMW’s usual pull for upshifts and push for downshifts. The car also has BMW’s i-Drive that has all the functions, from entertainment and air-con-
ditioning to audio control and navigation. Probably the only function that the M3 should have is Heads-Up Display, which is what most M3 drivers or potential owners would want to have. During the driver, there was only one single downside to the whole car. The fuel consumption is ridiculuous. Being a sportcar, it is understandable but the M3’s was simple the worse. This could be due to the lower RON of our fuel. Although we didn’t gauge the mileage, the car consumed half of its 63 litres for a trip from Cyberjaya to Petaling Jaya, to Old Klang Road and eventually to Bangsar. This is factoring in the slight heavy traffic, which is bad. But at the end of the day, it was all worth every litre of fuel. As I said, it isn’t a car you’d really be bothered about fuel consumption.
The graphite grey coating on the 18-inch wheels not only does its job, but looks striking too. The huge brake discs show the potential of this beast.
Price : Engine : Max Power : Max Torque : Top Speed : 0-100kph : Transmission : Brakes : Wheels and tyres : Fuel Tank Capacity : Luggage capacity : Fuel consumption : Unleaden weight :
RM713,800 3,999cc, V8, 4-valves per cylinder 420bhp @ 8,300rpm 400Nm @ 3,900rpm 250kph (electronically-limit ed) 4.7 seconds 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic (M DKG436) single-piston swing caliper with brake energy re- generation; 360x30mm cross-drilled (front), 350x24mm cross-drilled (rear) 8.5Jx18, 245/40 ZR18 (front); 9.5Jx18, 265/40 ZR18 (rear) 63 litres 450 litres 17 litres/100km (urban); 9 litres/100km (extra urban) 1,625kg
The four tailpipe muffler has fast gained popularity among BMW enthusiasts as it has became a standard modification feature.