Neither do I want to get my hopes to high, not to be disapointed. But by looking at some facts, it is possible. M5 F10 (1945 kg) is 40 kg heavier than 550i F10 (1905 kg). Take into account that the 8 Speed AUT adds about 10-15 kg over 6MT, and 7 Speed DCT adds about 20-25 kg over 6MT. F80 chassis alone is said to be 30 kg lighter than F30 chassis. The 335i F30 is already at 1585 kg. The M3 F30 could easily get under 1550 kg. Now I don't know what other lightweight saving M3 will get, if it gets CF body panels, like the roof. It could happen the M3 F80 will not get all what is possible, on one hand to keep the price lower, and make the M4 F82 significantly (?) more sporty and justify the higher price. Sidenote: The low weight will be for the standard version, options can add significant weight.
A drop of 100kg would surely require a sizable amount of exotic material to achieve and when you consider the M5 in the UK at least increased in retail price yet didn't decease in weight would this not suggest that such a weight drop would mean a substantial increase in RRP compared to the outgoing E90 M3?
Since it's the same situation all over again, I have learnt what to say by heart. So here it goes: Bob: You still fail to realise your role here. You also seem to not understand what the word "facts" mean. You can't back your posts up and you don't have neither the respect, nor the knowledge that is needed to back your claims. You are a member who have been banned for the same reason in the past and you have no understanding of the engineering behind engines. There's a fine point in posting in a forum, beyond which, a member's claims start to drive other people nuts. Why can't you just back off and try to respect our little community, by stepping up the quality of your posts? And to those that are active in this thread, only to insult: This is your way to contribute? Is it neccessary to make all that mess each time? Can't you just hold your anger?
Just realized that there's a video at the bottom. Glad to see they are testing it a manual transmission.
^^Yeah man. Some of us still like manual over the dc. Not to mention how expensive dc is to fix vs manual.
^ but due to emmisions, a manual M3 is MUCH more expensive than a DCT box in a lot of countries. Besides, the DCT will only need fixing when you have some serious tough luck! Still, extremely happy to see the manual return of course. Because unlike the M5, the M3 is a perfct car for a manual transmission!
It's commendable that BMW have resisted the desire to drop the manual altogether in their sportest models when most around them are, it shows real commitment to their fans and might explain why the M range is so successful.
A couple of years ago, Swedish AMS tested the real world figures for manual vs dc and found that there was no real difference. The only place a dc will perform better, in terms of consumption, is in the highly artificial EC-cycle, because it is an automatic, it can use whichever gear at any given moment, while a manual has to use specific gears - not always the optimal for a given vehicle.
Yes, because in many cases, legislators have used the results from the EC-cycle as a basis for taxation.
^ If emissions effect you in your country then I agree because a few g/km which is basically the difference quite often between manual and DCT can push you into a different bracket. I find it hard to agree that real world consumption isn't improved by DCT compared to a manual, in most cases it has an extra gear and more often than not a taller final gear.
It's obvious that DCT's fuel economy advantages don't stem primarily from the mechanical attributes of the transmission. It's the software programming that enables the gearbox to shift into the optimal gear automatically that, to an extent, mitigates the single biggest enemy of fuel efficiency: driver skill. The vast majority of drivers out there don't understand the principles of driving economically and, even those that do, can achieve greatly varied results on different occasions purely a result of their mood, attitude or intentions. Throttle position and gear selection are crucial for good economy. Many drivers will stay in a higher gear with full throttle openings rather than changing down to a lower (and hence torquier) gear to achieve the same accelerative result with a lesser throttle load. It's not always about where you're at in terms of engine rpm. DCTs remove this decision making (and as such, lack of skill) from the driver when in automatic mode enabling the driver to focus more attentively on throttle usage. Yes, taller seventh gears and more closely stacked lower ratios do make a difference but, put a DCT in manual mode and let the driver make the gear selection decisions and you will see no benefit over a considerately driven manual.
^Agreed, the single biggest factor as how economical a car will be is the driver but my point was that all things being equal a DCT will be more economical though for the most part the benefits will be small. Ultimately you make your choice of transmission not for it's emissions or economy but for the way it effects the character of the car and whether you want the ability for everything to be done for you (if you wish) or prefer to control all the elements of the driving experience yourself.
The famous line is back I see. A DCT is roughly around 45kg heavier than a manual equivalent, take that and make whatever deduction you feel like.
Nice little render there. Though, the coupe will definitely look different in the sense that it will not have the same front as the sedan. I am hoping they make the front different, ever so slightly.
That's true, will it still carry the M3 name though, right? Based on the 4 series Coupe, but then be called M3?
