Interesting reply when I was cross-shopping F80 M3 vs. G20 m340

[j2dad5389]

My favorite line is: “M cars are not track cars and never will be”

Huh?? 😆

Discuss!

[SYT_Shadow]

I guess people can argue until the dogs come home what is and what isn't a 'track car'.

Go to a track day and it's likely you'll see M cars fare quite well against other, more dedicated cars. Does that make them track cars? Who knows, and who cares. Does it work well at the track? Then it should be considered a track car.

An M car absolutely can be a daily driver, but it is more compromised than a M340 'M lite', which is why the M lite was created in the first place.

[Alvin Mpower]

Every car these days are built to be driven on the road, the main purpose of cars being built is to be driven on the road. Some cars you can buy and they are "track ready" means they don't need much modifications to be driven hard on the track. M cars are just built to be driven both on the road and on the track without much mods, M340i can be driven on the track but if you want to be faster you need to make a bunch of modifications like cooling, tires, and brakes. The whole purpose of Porsche RS cars are built to attack the track, so you need no modifications to drive that car on the track and you can out run everyone. But of course people buy them to sit in a garage for resale values. Who cares if your car is track car or not. You can literally track any car you want, if you make the right modifications. M cars are just happen to be able to be daily driven and drive on the track without much modifications from factory. Of course if you want a better lap time you can always make modifications, but that goes for any cars. You can modify a m340i to be more track ready than a m3, but how much do you need to spend on upgrade? So I don't understand his comment.

[Supreme_J]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I guess people can argue until the dogs come home what is and what isn't a 'track car'.

Go to a track day and it's likely you'll see M cars fare quite well against other, more dedicated cars. Does that make them track cars? Who knows, and who cares. Does it work well at the track? Then it should be considered a track car.

An M car absolutely can be a daily driver, but it is more compromised than a M340 'M lite', which is why the M lite was created in the first place.

from daily driving my F82, i honestly cant see how the car is comprimised as a daily driver. I guess maybe the MPGs but i dont think the m340 is that much better anyways? i look at it as a great daily that adds the performance a 340 lacks

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Supreme_J

from daily driving my F82, i honestly cant see how the car is comprimised as a daily driver. I guess maybe the MPGs but i dont think the m340 is that much better anyways? i look at it as a great daily that adds the performance a 340 lacks

An M lite is not 'that much better', but it is better for most people as a daily mostly related to NVH.

I've driven +150k in M cars and they work well as dailies, but a non-M is an easier car to rack miles on. This doesn't mean someone can't have a garage full of Ms, but the additional comfort of a non-M can come in handy.
Right now, I have 5 M cars and 1 non-M in the driveway. I don't hesitate from taking longer trips in the Ms, but there are better tools for the job.

[j2dad5389]

Originally Posted by Supreme_J

from daily driving my F82, i honestly cant see how the car is comprimised as a daily driver. I guess maybe the MPGs but i dont think the m340 is that much better anyways? i look at it as a great daily that adds the performance a 340 lacks

I can coming directly from an M340i. The M3 feels like the chassis is bolted directly to my spine LOL whereas the M340i was smooth as butter in it's ride quality and comfort.

I feel every bump, nook, and cranny in my shitty roads I drive down here. Not to say the M3 is worse or a bad car, that's just what it was meant for and how it's set up. Pure sports driving.

[Supreme_J]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

An M lite is not 'that much better', but it is better for most people as a daily mostly related to NVH.

I've driven +150k in M cars and they work well as dailies, but a non-M is an easier car to rack miles on. This doesn't mean someone can't have a garage full of Ms, but the additional comfort of a non-M can come in handy.
Right now, I have 5 M cars and 1 non-M in the driveway. I don't hesitate from taking longer trips in the Ms, but there are better tools for the job.

Gotcha.. my 3 cars have been a 18' Mustang GT / 15' Stingray and now my M4 ,, so ive never even really driven a "daily driver" besides a Beetle and my GFs Kia at times... the lack of power on those cars makes them unenjoyable for me to daily lol .. i like having the power any time i need it

[Boznien]

These cars were designed to be utilized however the owner see fit. Some people want to turn their vehicles into track monsters and will spend the money to do so. Other people are more than happy with the car out the box and will drive to their 9-to-5. Some people drive them through the winter. They are just multi-purpose vehicles and that is how BMW intended these cars to be. That claim from the OP is just ridiculous. Clearly shows they never owned/drove a REAL M car.

[gunsmoker]

To each their own. My F80 puts a smile on my face twice a day easily, summer or winter, can accommodate 5 people or a set of track tires, beat a bunch of strippers on the track, sure, older gens 2-300hp ones, obliterate teslas in corners or on the highway from a rolling start, highschool boys drool at the sight of it when I drop my daughter off at school, and I call that a daily driver. I want nothing more for sure.

[R N M]

People daily drive GT3 and some ppl even daily a Huracan. It depends on your needs and what your willing to sacrifice.

I used to daily my original F80 in NYC and it was great. Now i have kids and my current F80 sits in garage.

As long as you can tolerate the firm ride, M3 is a perfect daily that can do well at a track. They also make Great weekend cars that you can enjoy cruising, tracking or going on your favorite backroads. Many ppl use them as weekend cars.

[alex2364]

Who the hell compares a $80k car (when new) to a $500k SF90 super car? This is like saying a Miata isn’t a track car compared to a Cayman GT4. Sorry not everyone is a billionaire!

[MTiz]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

I don't hesitate from taking longer trips in the Ms, but there are better tools for the job.

I guess I'm in the weird minority because for me its the opposite. Short trips around town to the store or something? Take the non-M. Any sort of long distance road trip? I need one of my M cars or I'm going to want to blow my brains out due to sheer boredom lol

[Slow M3]

I wouldn’t define the M3 as a track car, it’s more a “track ready” car. I think BMW wanted to make it very capable on a track but also retain the daily driver livability so they made it to the very edge of being track ready and easily upgradeable to be full on track car if the owner chooses to.

Could you imagine if BMW gave us firmer suspension and even less sound deadening? This forum would’ve lost its damn mind, couple threads ago there was somebody complianing that it’s so loud sounds like an econobox lol. Couple people also complain the ride is too harsh lol.

The M340i on the other hand is just BMWs latest marketing scheme. All it is, is a 340i wearing an M badge because BMW figured out they can sell more cars to people who think the only difference between an M and a non-M is more power. Hell,people were putting M badges on their 340’s before BMW started doing it, because the interior was littered with M logos so “it’s an M car too” lol.

[imperfectluck]

Originally Posted by Slow M3

I wouldn’t define the M3 as a track car, it’s more a “track ready” car. I think BMW wanted to make it very capable on a track but also retain the daily driver livability so they made it to the very edge of being track ready and easily upgradeable to be full on track car if the owner chooses to.

Could you imagine if BMW gave us firmer suspension and even less sound deadening? This forum would’ve lost its damn mind, couple threads ago there was somebody complianing that it’s so loud sounds like an econobox lol. Couple people also complain the ride is too harsh lol.

The M340i on the other hand is just BMWs latest marketing scheme. All it is, is a 340i wearing an M badge because BMW figured out they can sell more cars to people who think the only difference between an M and a non-M is more power. Hell,people were putting M badges on their 340’s before BMW started doing it, because the interior was littered with M logos so “it’s an M car too” lol.

Agreed with you though BMW has been testing the waters more when they put an S engine in an M60i SAV. Normally S engines were reserved for the M cars but they did so there and I think a 7 series might have also had one?

The cars though are a lot more than just their engines as the chassis mated to it matters as well. Just surprising to see the engines they're shipping in their vehicles today.