Video: 2014 BMW F80 M3 Sedan Continues Track Tests (Oct. 25) - VIDEO

[hwelvaar]

Originally Posted by adc

And no it's not a triumph because the F30 drives worse than the E90.

Says who ?
I thought most automobile journalists praise the new generation F30 for bringing back the joy of driving...

[adc]

Originally Posted by hwelvaar

Says who ?
I thought most automobile journalists praise the new generation F30 for bringing back the joy of driving...

Quite the opposite. The F30 won a couple of tests by a whisker on the strenghts of the all around package and refinement, being bested dynamically in the process by a few other cars. Including a Cadillac for crying out loud.

In the same tests a few journalists have thought that the E90 might be able to win a test against its newer brother, were they to be pitted against each other.

I drove the F30 of course, needing a new family car. I desperately wanted to like it and didn't. Oh the engine and transmission were masterpieces, but the handling was uninspired, the suspension floaty and the steering inadmissible in a BMW. My wife thought it drove like an Audi, and we skipped it and went for a Mini countryman, which captures the joy of driving in a very practical shell. The problem is, the Mini lacks refinement by comparison, and we didn't get the correct options on the car. Now we may be switching to the X1, which is built on the E91 platform but with the new engine/transmission, which could be the winning ticket.

Anyway, don't listen to journalists, go for a test drive and decide for yourself.

And no, that doesn't actually mean the M3 will be like that, because it has always managed to set itself apart as a driving experience from the cars it was based on. The concern is, the cars it was based on in the past were in themselves brilliant driving tools, and the current ones aren't.

[Coprolite]

Originally Posted by adc

Quite the opposite. The F30 won a couple of tests by a whisker on the strenghts of the all around package and refinement, being bested dynamically in the process by a few other cars. Including a Cadillac for crying out loud.

In the same tests a few journalists have thought that the E90 might be able to win a test against its newer brother, were they to be pitted against each other.

I drove the F30 of course, needing a new family car. I desperately wanted to like it and didn't. Oh the engine and transmission were masterpieces, but the handling was uninspired, the suspension floaty and the steering inadmissible in a BMW. My wife thought it drove like an Audi, and we skipped it and went for a Mini countryman, which captures the joy of driving in a very practical shell. The problem is, the Mini lacks refinement by comparison, and we didn't get the correct options on the car. Now we may be switching to the X1, which is built on the E91 platform but with the new engine/transmission, which could be the winning ticket.

Anyway, don't listen to journalists, go for a test drive and decide for yourself.

And no, that doesn't actually mean the M3 will be like that, because it has always managed to set itself apart as a driving experience from the cars it was based on. The concern is, the cars it was based on in the past were in themselves brilliant driving tools, and the current ones aren't.

What model and suspension options did you test drive? With the adjustable settings, ECO/Comfort err towards the luxury side. The other settings make the F30 handle very nicely in comparison to the forefathers.

[adc]

Originally Posted by Coprolite

What model and suspension options did you test drive? With the adjustable settings, ECO/Comfort err towards the luxury side. The other settings make the F30 handle very nicely in comparison to the forefathers.

328i sport line, all the electronic configurations. Since I drove it on the street, it's hard to say how it handles at and over the limit, but initial impressions were:
- softer suspension settings across the map
- more lean and float
- extremely light steering effort with zero feedback. Really the worst part of the car
- overall impression w big on comfort, short on dynamic qualities
- and I liked the engine very much...

My previous experience with the E90 chassis includes 2 years with a 335 sport pack, and the F30 didn't handle better in my opinion.

[BMRLVR]

The sound isn't bad, but no S65 for sure.

IMO The 1M sounds awesome with an Akrapovic exhaust, this engine should be no different.

Funny thing is, the so called M purists hate on the inline-6 sound that has been a long standing trademark of the M division........ The first ever real M engine was the M88/1 and it was an inline-6, and one with a ~7K RPM redline at that. For Group 5 racing they turbocharged the M88 and called it the M88/2........ Depending on how they play out this new engine, they can claim to be doing a throw back to the early M racing engines.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

The sound isn't bad, but no S65 for sure.

IMO The 1M sounds awesome with an Akrapovic exhaust, this engine should be no different.

Funny thing is, the so called M purists hate on the inline-6 sound that has been a long standing trademark of the M division........ The first ever real M engine was the M88/1 and it was an inline-6, and one with a ~7K RPM redline at that. For Group 5 racing they turbocharged the M88 and called it the M88/2........ Depending on how they play out this new engine, they can claim to be doing a throw back to the early M racing engines.

Good to see something other than doom and gloom being posted, nicely done.

[bobodrink]

i think the 6 will sound good, the nissan gtr's v6 turbo did not mute the sound at all!!!! its a beast that you can hear 10 blocks away!! just hope the m4 will be like that as well (after moding)