eeterp

http://www.supercars.net/garages/kel%20e/46v2.html

when the page loads you will see 3 pics. click on the one on the right.

Installshield

Nice...

That would be a pretty fast car I believe.
There is some guy, on a BMW forum, that claims he bought a 360 modena (ferrari) that was in crash testing. he is currently working on throwing the 360's 3.6 V-8 in an M3. the engine size is pretty similar but it would mount pretty strange, not to mention backwards. I would be willing to bet he was full of ****, but a test of a German as fast as its Italian heart would be cool to see.

Installshield

yes and well over $100,000. Dinan is working on the E46 chassis, and planning a way to get the M5 and Z8's 5.0L 400hp V-8 in it. That would be pretty fast seeing as how both the M5 and Z8 are north of 3400lbs (the Z8 is 3494 and the M5 is about 4000) and the M3 is about 3000lbs

Traveler

Any of you driven the new M3? It's a total kick. Believe me, I've driven an M5 and an M3 and I like the M3 better. That six in there is in a HIGH state of tune and the sound it makes will make your d*ck hard. I've driven the one with the SMG2 paddle shifted tranny and it is a total kick if you turn off the DSC (dynamic stability control). It allows you to turn the shift speed/hardness up to a level above what is normally available and allows the last percentage of throttle opening. 333 HP in that car is way more than most of the motoring public can handle believe me! I like the new M Roadster better though. Lighter, smaller, and the same kind of power. The Z-8 is a little larger than I like. We have one where I work and at $132,700 it will probably be there for a couple more months. They've sold 2 already though.

Installshield

My Dad has a black M3. No SMG, just the 6 spd. I don't live there though so I only get to drive it when I am visiting. I never got to drive an M5, though he did. He likes the M5 more. Better torque and less high strung, so him being an adult I guess would appreciate a more civilized kind of power. I am perfectly fine with the M3 though. Nothing is better then turning the DSC off and drifting onto highways at 80mph. I prefer the M3 over both the M coupe and M roadster. I like the body shape and interior more, and the M3 has a much better exhaust note. The Roadster and Coupe's chassis cannot handle the same exhuast system and makes around 315hp compared to the M3's 333 (which is DIN by the way, SAE would come in around 327 for the M3, and 308 for the coupe/roadster)

Sir Nuke

a good friend has a Z3 with the M option....I went over there one day with my son so he could see it and my buddy Don handed me the keys and said "take him for a spin"....OMG....I was like a kid in a candy store!! that thing is awsome.....

some guy here at work has a red M3.....to me....its the sweetest little hatch on the market.....I love it.....

a while back I was on my way to my moms house and I was in my P-5 and crusing about 75 when I came up on one of these bad boys....as I started to go past him (he was two lanes over....the road is 4 lanes wide where we were) he looked over and I guess he thought "there is no way" and he hammered it and was gone like a rocket!! lol

Installshield

So the Z3 was a M Roadster, or a regular Z3 with the M sport package(just bigger wheels and more aggresive front and rear air dams, but not the 315hp engine)? Also the M3 is not the hatch, it is just the 333hp car that is built on the 330Ci's platform. The M Coupe, which i think is what you are refering to, is the non convertible version of the M roadster (which is a wolf in Z3 clothing) Confusing isn't it?

Sir Nuke

YES...he has an M3 then...the roadstar, the two seater convertable....BIG engine and all...

and YES> I was talking about the M Coupe....

as you can see I am not very knowledgable about the specifics of Beamers.....but I do know what I like. :{D

Installshield

I never got to drive the M Roadster. I would love to though. Almost as much power and much lighter than the M3. Basically a 315hp Miata! The coolest part about all the M cars is there HD LSD's It is so easy to go flying onto a 3 lane highway when no one is around and drift two or three lanes in the 3rd gear approaching 110mph. I am working on putting the RWD powertrain of an M3 in my p5 right now!

Installshield

Yeah but you don't have the interior of that thing. No offense, I love miatas, but I love the retro look of the M Roadster more.

You are very correct about the piggishness of them though. They never faired very well among S200's and especially Boxer S's. The chassis has needed updated for years but most of the research and development ment has gone into the E46 lately. The good news is that the upcoming roadster,which i forget the name of (z4?, correct me if I am wrong) will be built on the e46 chassis The most gratifying thing about it was the brutal low end torque, but the handling dynamics made for some interestingly wavy cornering lines at the limit.

I would much enjoy throwing a AC Shnitzer sport tuned M coupe around. The 50/50 balance is litterly to the pound, and with around 480hp on tap, it is no longer piggish