First comparison: BMW 335i versus CLK 350

[Imhotep Evil]

Wait, I am confused.

I thought BMW M's were purist car enthusiasts who liked to drive!?

Well they are. But the M5 is a sport sedan, and the M6 is a sport GT. Real, "proper", purist sport cars are the M3 CSL, M3 GTR street-legal and the Z4 Ms.
The M5 and M6 aren't pure sort of speak, ofcourse neither are Porsche 911 - the GTs.
A purtist sport car has to be as simple as posible and give the driver as much control as posible.

Usually a purist sport car has follow the rules:
- nothing but RWD;
- manual gearbox, no fancy smancy gearbox;
- no suspention management system;
- oversteering is an absolute must;
- usualy no iDrive/clone, LSD, SatNav or whatever;
- optionaly for some, if it has turbos it has to have turbolag
- not for the faint hearted;
-- some say that a proper purist sport car has to be only for an elite chosed few (that take advanced driving lessons and/or are profesionals);
-- for the rest its a stupid car that will (almost) kill them at the first high speed corner (this being an anti-poseur/anti-unworty driver natural defense mecanism);

 

[Zafiro]

I have experienced a 996 Turbo and GT3. I would love to own a Porsche , ferrari or a lamborghini. But I can understand those who dont want to use a Porsche as the only car.

Personally the chairs in a pure sportcar suits me and going on a long trip wouldnt be a problem for me but I understand those who dont like the chairs for daily-use.
-The suspension is very stiff
-the car is very noisy
-Inside the cabin you hear a lot
-you hear the engine constantly
-wind noise
-Also they arent very practical
-and you cannot transport more people than two
-A true sportcar is very limited

This isn't something you can say about a M car. Sure M car has stiffer suspension than a AMG but its nowhere close to those pure sportcars.

These are my personal views regarding pure sportcars.

 

[Imhotep Evil]

-The suspension is very stiff
- that's how it's got to be
-the car is very noisy
- not necesarily
-Inside the cabin you hear a lot
- we I supose it's relative
-you hear the engine constantly
- an absolute must, can't belive I've forgoten this one
-wind noise
- some like it
-Also they arent very practical
they're not suposed to, by their very definition "sport" they are orientated twards driving dynamics and feeling and performance, that is their purpose/diferantiation factor from the utilitarian rest
-and you cannot transport more people than two
- why would you need to ?!
Sport, not utiitarian
-A true sportcar is very limited
absolutely true, that's how it's got to be
This isn't something you can say about a M car. Sure M car has stiffer suspension than a AMG but its nowhere close to those pure sportcars.
true with some some exceptions.
These are my personal views regarding pure sportcars.

 

[Deleted member 182]

Usually a purist sport car has follow the rules:
- nothing but RWD;
- manual gearbox, no fancy smancy gearbox;
- no suspention management system;
- oversteering is an absolute must;
- usualy no iDrive/clone, LSD, SatNav or whatever;
- optionaly for some, if it has turbos it has to have turbolag
- not for the faint hearted;
-- some say that a proper purist sport car has to be only for an elite chosed few (that take advanced driving lessons and/or are profesionals);
-- for the rest its a stupid car that will (almost) kill them at the first high speed corner (this being an anti-poseur/anti-unworty driver natural defense mecanism);

I found it!

 

[Imhotep Evil]

I found it!

Well, LOL, I think it has Front Feet Drive, so it doesn't count.

 

[gustavo]

There are rumours that BMW has a 'little bit' tweaked the engine for the press media. ( as MB has done it with its SL55 long time ago).

Seeing this 0-200 time ( 0-200 km/h in 18,7 sec) , i would say, that it is possible

Note:
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2002, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 18,1 s
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2003, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 16,8 s
BMW M3 CSL , sport auto super test 2003 CSL, 360 PS, 0 - 200 km/h 16,7 s

I admit that the sport auto specs arent the best way to proof this suspicion, but for all that, I have the feeling that the 335 was tested with more HP as regular (or that the 335 will be offered with more than 305 HP, maybe BMW does have aPorsche syndrom ;-)

 

[Zafiro]

There are rumours that BMW has a 'little bit' tweaked the engine for the press media. ( as MB has done it with its SL55 long time ago).

Seeing this 0-200 time ( 0-200 km/h in 18,7 sec) , i would say, that it is possible

Note:
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2002, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 18,1 s
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2003, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 16,8 s
BMW M3 CSL , sport auto super test 2003 CSL, 360 PS, 0 - 200 km/h 16,7 s

I admit that the sport auto specs arent the best way to proof this suspicion, but for all that, I have the feeling that the 335 was tested with more HP as regular (or that the 335 will be offered with more than 305 HP, maybe BMW does have aPorsche syndrom ;-)

there are alwyas rumours when a car turn out to be faster than than people thought, especially on turbo cars. Im sure a lot of owners will dyno their 335i and then we will notice if the productions 335i really is that powerful as in carmags.

BMW claim 335i does 0-100 in 5.5 sec and according to various cartest, its not BS. 5.3 sec or 5.5 sec arent much difference.

BTW next issue of sportauto they test 335i around nordschleife and hockenheim

 

[Imhotep Evil]

There are rumours that BMW has a 'little bit' tweaked the engine for the press media. ( as MB has done it with its SL55 long time ago).

Seeing this 0-200 time ( 0-200 km/h in 18,7 sec) , i would say, that it is possible

Note:
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2002, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 18,1 s
BMW M3, sport auto super test 2003, 342 PS 0 - 200 km/h 16,8 s
BMW M3 CSL , sport auto super test 2003 CSL, 360 PS, 0 - 200 km/h 16,7 s

I admit that the sport auto specs arent the best way to proof this suspicion, but for all that, I have the feeling that the 335 was tested with more HP as regular (or that the 335 will be offered with more than 305 HP, maybe BMW does have aPorsche syndrom ;-)

Yes, I've heard those rumors. However every engine has, due to weather, altitude, presure conditions +/- variations in engine power. What is on the official charts are actually rather averages (twards the smaller values).
And there are also the insurance considerations. Automakers all over the world have a habbit of understating HP numbers, and this has been going on for decades.

Also read this:

However, with experience in turbocharged cars, ambient temperature does have a lot to play with your power. On my Mitsu turbo 2.0L@18psi boost, I can get as much as 20% more power on a cool fall evening (ie. 10 degrees C) vs, a hot summer afternoon (28 degrees), which can equate to 40-50hp. My car can make anywhere from 250 to slightly over 300hp@crank just depending on ambient temperature.

 

[Zafiro]

Images from the Comparison

Red suit the CLK IMO. Blue is still my favorite colour on the new 3er Coupe

 

[Merc1]

Truthfully to me neither of these coupes are really gorgeous. I've never been a huge fan of the current CLK, especially a V6 versions which don't have the AMG sportswear. The new 3 Coupe is nice, but a little fat looking in the middle and just not as crisp as the outgoing model. Neither of them look as good as their bigger brothers the 6 and CL.

M

 

[Imhotep Evil]

Truthfully to me neither of these coupes are really gorgeous. I've never been a huge fan of the current CLK, especially a V6 versions which don't have the AMG sportswear. The new 3 Coupe is nice, but a little fat looking in the middle and just not as crisp as the outgoing model. Neither of them look as good as their bigger brothers the 6 and CL.

M

I'll definately chose the new CL over the CLK, but I like the 3er more that the 6er (but Z coupe is the best).
However I do agree with you about the fat and not as crisp coments.
Indeed the 3er coupe, and sedan for that matter, to seem fatten up, sort of speaking.

 

[bum-man]

OT: Why is there no spy pics of the new CLK, shouldn't they be floating around out there by now?

 

[Merc1]

OT: Why is there no spy pics of the new CLK, shouldn't they be floating around out there by now?

I was wondering the same thing since the current CLK has been around like 5 model years here in the U.S. already. The first CLK went only 5 and was then replaced. I think the next CLK still might be a year or more away. MB and BMW/Audi engineers for that matter never get a break anymore. One disadvantage of having a huge or expanding lineup is that you have to get around to redesigning all these models one after another.

M