BMW M3

 

BMW M3

 
For 2011, the BMW M3 coupe and sedan are now available with a Competition package that adds a lowered suspension, 19-inch wheels, a wider track and reprogrammed electronic damping and stability controls. This isn't as hard-core as the previous BMW M3's Competition package, but it should still deliver
that much more handling acumen -- especially for those who track their cars.BMW M3 is a sports car that doesn't look like a sports car. It has too many seats, and one body style has too many doors. It has a usable trunk. You could drive it to Kansas in complete comfort. And yet the 2011 BMW M3 has a 414-horsepower V8. It goes from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It stops from 60 so quickly your eyes may find themselves on an outbound journey from their sockets, and it sticks in corners with the tenacity of super glue. The BMW M3 truly is the sports car for people who still need the practicality (and/or anonymity) of a regular old sedan, coupe or convertible.

Of course this wolf in sheep's clothing nature is not new to the BMW M3, which has been kicking other sports cars in the teeth since the 1980s. The car's free-revving engines have always been a big part of that, and this latest BMW M3 is the first (and likely the last) to feature a normally aspirated V8. Essentially the M5's V10 with two cylinders removed, this manic 4.0-liter eight-cylinder sings a glorious wail at full throttle all the way up to its sky-high redline of 8,400 rpm.

BMW M3

The BMW M3 story isn't all about the engine, though. The ultimate "ultimate driving machine" must go around corners, and the BMW M3's brilliantly balanced and capable chassis gets the job done. There's a level of communication and involvement with the BMW M3 that makes you feel in complete control, and it's one that's increasingly being lost in the new world of electric power steering and selectable driver settings.
Indeed, the 2011 BMW M3 still stands as the most well-rounded choice in the hyper performance luxury car class. Audi offers the same body style choices, but its S4 and S5 trade some all-out performance for better civility, though the new RS5 should be a better match. Cadillac's CTS-V (now as a coupe and wagon, too) will outrun the BMW M3 in a straight line but isn't as agile around corners. The story is similar with the sedan-only Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Really, you can't go wrong with any of them. But if you really want a sports car that doesn't look like one, the BMW M3 is the only game in town.The 2011 BMW M3 is available in sedan, coupe and convertible body styles. Standard equipment includes 18-inch wheels, a limited-slip rear differential, automatic and adaptive xenon headlights, automatic wipers, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, eight-way power front seats (with manual thigh extender, adjustable side bolsters and four-way lumbar adjustment), leather-cloth upholstery, driver memory functions and a 10-speaker sound system with HD radio and an auxiliary audio jack. The BMW M3 coupe adds a carbon-fiber roof and split-folding rear seat, while the convertible adds a fully powered retractable hardtop and sun-reflective leather.The Cold Weather package adds heated front seats and retractable headlight washers. The Premium package adds power-folding auto-dimming mirrors, BMW Assist telematics, Bluetooth, leather upholstery and different interior trim. The Technology package adds in BMW M3 electronic damping control, M Drive adjustable settings, keyless ignition/entry, the iDrive electronics interface and a navigation system with voice controls and real-time traffic.BMW M3 most of the above items are available as stand-alone options along with 19-inch wheels, a sunroof (deletes carbon-fiber roof on the coupe), rear parking sensors, automatic high beams, power rear sunshade (coupe and sedan), a split-folding rear seat (sedan), satellite radio, an iPod/USB adapter and a 16-speaker premium sound system.The coupe and sedan can be equipped with the Competition package, which adds EDC (electronic damping control), 19-inch wheels with high-performance tires, a lowered suspension and different programming for EDC and stability control.A 4.0-liter V8 powers every 2011 BMW M3, sending 414 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. BMW M3 six-speed manual transmission is standard, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automated-manual transmission (M DCT) is optional. The latter offers manual operation via steering-wheel paddles as well as a full automatic mode. All M3s feature a specialized locking rear differential.

BMW M3

We've tested just about every variety of BMW M3. The BMW M3 coupe with traditional manual went from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, while the sedan with a manual and the convertible with M DCT did it in 4.8 seconds. With either transmission, EPA-estimated fuel economy is 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined. A manual-equipped convertible gets 13 mpg city.Standard safety features for the 2010 BMW M3 include front seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, antilock disc brakes, traction control and stability control. The convertible lacks the side curtains, but the regular front side airbags extend up to head level, and there are also pop-up rollover hoops. Braking is phenomenal -- in our 60-0-mph braking test, the BMW M3 came to a halt in just 100 feet, which is among the shortest distances we've ever recorded.The BMW M3 itself has not been crash-tested, but the 3 Series sedan scored four stars (out of five) for frontal impacts for both driver and passenger in government tests. It garnered a perfect five stars for side impacts for both front and rear occupants. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests gave the BMW M3 3 Series sedan "Good" ratings (the highest possible) in both frontal-offset and side-impact crash testing, although the convertible received a second-lowest "Marginal" score.The BMW M3's sport seats are at once outstandingly supportive in hard driving and among the most comfortable we've sat in for long trips. BMW M3 backseat is a bit cramped, however -- expected in the two-door models, but not in the sedan, which trails rivals from Audi and Mercedes in rear headroom. In the coupe, an automatic seatbelt arm delivers front occupants their belts, eliminating the need for torso-twisting maneuvers. TheBMW M3 convertible's heat-reflective leather does a wonderful job of keeping the seats from absorbing too much heat from the sun with the top down.Build and materials quality inside the BMW M3 are excellent. However, the overall design lacks visual interest despite the availability of metallic and wood accents. The current version of iDrive -- mandatory with the optional navigation system -- is the best yet by far, featuring extra physical buttons and a revised menu structure for much more intuitive operation. From the driver's perspective, there's a notable lack of bins and cubbies in which to store cell phones, wallets and the like, especially if the iDrive controller has been equipped, as it replaces the storage nook on the center console.

courtesy by http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m3/2011/

BMW M6

BMW M6

 The 2010 BMW M6 receives BMW's much-improved new iDrive interface, which includes more buttons on the center console, a better menu structure and a hard-drive-based navigation system.The 6 Series-based 2010 BMW M6 deserves to be more of an automotive icon than it is. Just look at BMW M6 its résumé: zero to 60 mph in well under 5 seconds, [youtube]uK1y2FjCGKk[/youtube]stellar handling and braking,
daily-driver ride quality, coupe and convertible body styles and a phenomenal race-bred V10 that belongs in any conversation about the top engines in the world. The previous BMW M6 from the 1980s is certifiably iconic, as is the V12-powered 850CSi coupe that followed in the 1990s. So what is it about the current BMW M6 that keeps it from being mentioned in the same breath as its illustrious predecessors?

BMW M6 Plain and simple, it's the car's styling. A subjective matter, to be sure, but one that also has a way of separating the legendary cars from the pretty good ones. The BMW M6 has got it all on paper, from knuckle-whitening performance to high-tech features, but its oddly protruding trunk lid and droopy headlights knock its elegance index down a notch. Still, there are those for whom the BMW M6's styling will seem edgy, different, daring. These are the people who will buy the BMW M6, and they'll know better than anyone what a downright thrilling car this is to drive.
Having said that, we've repeatedly slapped the BMW M6 with two performance-related demerits: The steering feel falls short of BMW's customary high standards, and the lurch-prone SMG single-clutch automated manual is well behind these dual-clutch times. However, you can get a conventional six-speed manual if you want, which fixes the SMG situation, and the rest of the BMW M6 is so entertaining that the subpar steering is hardly a deal-breaker.
For 2010, one additionally previous demerit has been erased thanks to an updated iDrive system. Like other 2010 BMW models, the BMW M6's iDrive gets a new interface with more sensible-to-use menus, extra buttons for accessing oft-used features and a hard-drive-based navigation system. With this fixed, one's consideration of the BMW M6 could very well come down to styling. If classic looks is your thing, you'd be better off going with a Porsche 911 (the current model has got its aesthetic groove back), a Jaguar XKR or the coupe-only Maserati GranTurismo. But if all-out performance and daily-driver flexibility are high on your list of priorities, the 2010 BMW M6 is hard to beat.
The 2010 BMW M6 is offered as either a coupe or convertible. Based on the 6 Series, the BMW M6 comes standard with 19-inch double-spoke wheels, a carbon-fiber roof (coupe only) a body kit (including a more aggressive front airdam, side-sill extensions and a rear diffuser), adaptive xenon headlights, adjustable suspension dampers, leather-upholstered 12-way power front sport seats with driver memory settings, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, Bluetooth, the revised iDrive interface with a hard-drive-based navigation system featuring real-time traffic updates, and a 13-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system. The convertible comes with a power soft top.
Options include a head-up display, keyless entry/ignition, satellite radio, HD Radio, iPod/USB integration and leather trim for the dash and console. Walnut wood trim is standard in the M6, but olive ash wood and carbon-fiber trim are also available.

BMW M6

The rear-wheel-drive 2010 BMW M6 is powered by a 5.0-liter V10 that pumps out a thrilling 500 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. A seven-speed single-clutch automated manual gearbox called SMG is standard, and it can be operated via wheel-mounted shift paddles, manual shift-lever manipulation or a full-automatic mode. A six-speed manual transmission is available at no additional cost.
The BMW M6 makes quick work of acceleration tests, as you might expect. We've timed an SMG-equipped coupe at just 4.6 seconds to 60 mph en route to a 12.8-second quarter-mile. Expect the heavier convertible BMW M6 to require a few extra tenths. EPA fuel economy estimates for all BMW M6 models are an impressively bad 11 mpg city/17 mpg highway and 13 mpg in mixed driving.The 2010 BMW M6 comes standard with multilevel stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags for the coupe, automatic rollover hoops for the convertible and front and rear parking sensors.The 2010 BMW M6's dashboard layout is clean and attractive, but it's basically lifted out of the 5 Series sedan, so it's not particularly sporty relative to, say, the dash Porsche puts into the 911. Materials quality, however, is absolutely first-rate. The newly revised iDrive system with hard-drive-based navigation is finally a competitive infotainment interface, thanks to additional physical buttons around the control knob and a new menu structure that just makes a lot more sense. As ever, it also provides access to in-depth functions like the maximum-performance "P500 Sport" mode that unleashes all 500 hp (400 hp being the default output) with instantaneous throttle response.

BMW M6

The BMW M6's front sport seats are among the best in the world, offering both excellent lateral support and drive-all-day comfort. The tight rear seats are strictly for short trips, though. Trunk capacity for the coupe is 13 cubic feet, while the convertible manages a decent 12.4 cubes (10.6 with the top down).

The BMW M6's V10 is the kind of engine we wish we could carry with us from car to car. With a redline in excess of 8,000 rpm, it's got the goods to satisfy wannabe F1 drivers, yet there's plenty of midrange punch as well. Throttle response is immediate, and the engine note is about as close to a real racecar soundtrack as you can get on the street. Unfortunately, the SMG gearbox always lurches on upshifts, an unavoidable consequence of its outdated single-clutch design. The BMW M6 six-speed manual transmission rectifies this problem, although in testing of the mechanically identical M5, we found the manual prone to overheating. In aggressive cornering, the 2010 BMW M6 is a willing companion thanks to its taut chassis and wide tires, though advanced drivers will find the steering feel wanting -- an unusual shortcoming for a BMW. As a daily driver, the BMW M6 is impressively quiet and comfortable despite its sporting pedigree.

COURTESY BY http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/m6/2010/

BMW E46 M3 CSL

BMW E46 M3 CSL

The BMW E46 M3 CSL (Coupé Sport Leichtbau) was a limited edition version of the M3, with only 1,400 cars being produced for its 2004 model year run. The BMW E46 M3 CSL was never released into the North American market, and was only available in two colours - Silver Grey Metallic and Black Sapphire Metallic.

As its name suggests, an emphasis was put on reducing weight. The  BMW E46 M3 CSL has a kerb weight of 1,385 kg (3,050 lb), 110 kg (240 lb) lighter than the regular M3. The  BMW E46 M3 CSL features many weight saving technologies taken from BMW's Formula One racing applications. A large proportion of the M3's sound insulation has been removed,electric seats, and navigation systems.


Air conditioning and stereo systems could be retrofitted free of cost, but were not available standard. The  BMW E46 M3 CSL's unique body pieces are all crafted from carbon fiber reinforced polymer.Glass-reinforced plastics are used throughout structural points in the car.The rear glass window was replaced with lightweight plastic.Although the BMW E46 M3 CSL loses a considerable amount of curb weight from its original version, the focus was put on strategically reducing or moving the weight in the car rather than the raw amount of weight that could be lost. This is to retain the ideal 50:50 weight distribution characteristics the E46 has. For example, the roof is constructed from carbon fiber reinforced plastic.While this only reduces the curb weight of the car by 7 kg (15 lb), it lowers the center of gravity of the car and decreases body flex.

BMW E46 M3 CSL

In order to improve the handling ability of the BMW E46 M3 CSL car, the entire suspension system was further refined. Specially developed racing springs and dampers are given to the BMW E46 M3 CSL, and a tightened steering ratio (14.5:1 vs 15.4:1 on the regular M3) improves responsiveness.The braking of BMW E46 M3 CSL system is also modified, with larger front and rear floating rotors and calipers from the E39 M5. The  BMW E46 M3 CSL is given a retuned dynamic stability control system with a "M track mode" setting that allows the car to be pushed to its absolute limits before being activated.The BMW E46 M3 CSL 3.2L engine used in the M3, the  BMW E46 M3 CSL, has been modified to increased output by 17 hp (13 kW) and 5 N·m (1 lb_f) over the European M3.This is achieved through a high flow carbon fiber air intake, modified valve and camshaft timing, and a retuned DME. However, the engine is further modified in order to reduce weight - it features a lightweight exhaust manifold and thinner exhaust piping. Additionally, the intake and exhaust manifolds are slightly straightened to improve engine responsiveness.The  BMW E46 M3 CSL also has various aesthetic modifications over the standard M3. It received an aerodynamic lightweight body kit which included carbon fiber front splitters that improved downforce at high speeds by 50%,as well as a carbon fiber rear diffuser. The front bumper has a distinct hole that is used to draw cool air into the newly designed air intake. The boot floor is made of cardboard. The boot lid is redesigned to incorporate a raised lip, unlike the standard M3 where one is simply added on to a flat boot. The BMW E46 M3 CSL was sold with distinct 19 inch lightweight forged BBS alloy rims that came with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup semi-slick racing tires.

BMW E46 M3 CSL

 

The interior of the  BMW E46 M3 CSL is redesigned with a sporty-weight saving theme. The  BMW E46 M3 CSL obtains fiberglass front racing bucket seats, and fiberglass backed rear seats.The center console, door panels and trim, and headliner are all formed from carbon fiber, and the steering wheel is redesigned with cruise control, stereo, and phone controls removed to include just a single button that activates the M track mode.Unlike the standard  BMW E46 M3 CSL, which was offered with a standard 6-speed Getrag transmission, or optionally a SMG drivelogic transmission (also known as the SMG II), the BMW E46 M3 CSLwas offered only with the SMG II transmission.This is the standard 6-speed Getrag transmission with an electrohydraulically actuated clutch pedal, similar to an Formula One style transmission. However, the  BMW E46 M3 CSL received a more advanced drivelogic unit than the standard M3 that was capable of making shifts in 0.08 of a second.

courtesy by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M3