M3/M4 M3 E90 vs M3 E92 on Hockenheim

[Zafiro]

There have been much talk on this board how the M3 Coupé have an advantage over the competition for being a Coupé, particulary on a track.

In latest issue of Sportauto they tested the 4-door M3 on Hockenheim + acceleration times. 4-door M3 had the exact same tires as M3 Coupé.

So here is the result:

E90 vs E92

0-100km/h: 4,9 / 4.8 sec
0-200km/h: 15,9 / 15,7 sec

Hockenheim: 1:14,6 / 1:14,3 min
Slalom 18m: 68,6 / 69,2 km/h

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Yes, it's true the Coupé performs better but the difference is extremly small. Not as big as some might have think.
Credits were due, the 4-door M3 is just as great car as M3 Coupé. Beauty vs practicality, your choice.

 

[wltsm]

Good to see!

Although I think the E93 M3 would be trailing these cars due to the extra weight!

 

[DeDe]

Still want the coupe, because of the look.

 

[Centurion]

Well the M3 sedan is still slower and the acceleration figures and lap times you posted might not look like much on paper but in real life it's very visible. So you can't really say that the E90 M3 is just as good as the Coupe because it isn't. Further more the Coupe probably feels a bit more nimble because it's lighter and has a lower center of gravity. So there is no credit due here because like expected the sedan is slightly inferior.

Just look at the E63 vs E55 battle, on the paper the difference is small but from the drag races we have seen the E55 pulls steadily away from the E63.

 

[Zafiro]

Well the M3 sedan is still slower and the acceleration figures and lap times you posted might not look like much on paper but in real life it's very visible. So you can't really say that the E90 M3 is just as good as the Coupe because it isn't. Further more the Coupe probably feels a bit more nimble because it's lighter and has a lower center of gravity. So there is no credit due here because like expected the sedan is slightly inferior.

The point is that on this board here been suggesting that M3 V8 has the advantage over the competition for being a Coupe on a track. Its a little bit true but these numbers shows the differences arent huge. This shows that M3 Sedan performs very well despite of weight and lack of CF roof therefore I give the 4-door M3 creds for being so close to M3 Coupé.
I have said that the differences wont be huge on a track and this test proves my point. (and this should shut the nay sayers, they know who they are ). If it was one second difference I would say M3 Coupe would have an advantage over the competition on a track but 0,06 seconds isnt much to argue about. So I think we can cut the BS that M3 Coupé is a much much better handling car then a 4-door M3.

And yeah, the CF roof is just a markeeting gimmick and a design thing. Now I said it!

 

[Cashmere]

I was expecting a signifcant difference but that is truly negligible.

 

[EnI]

And yeah, the CF roof is just a markeeting gimmick and a design thing. Now I said it!

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Not at all.

CF roof definitely helps to lower the center of gravity. Yet not so much contributing to the overall / total weight reduction.

But it's also true this advantage of CF roof can be experienced in the extreme conditions only. Eg. in tight high-speed corners, slalom driving etc.

 

[Zafiro]

CF roof helps but it isnt crucial how the car behave

 

[EnI]

CF roof helps but it isnt crucial how the car behave

Sure it's not an automatic guarantee for better handling. And especially not for daily driving. I'm sure it makes a tiny little difference on track, but definitely none in daily driving. More crucial to Coupe's better handling is better body stiffness (2dr only vs 4dr).

To really measure the effectiveness of CF a test between M3 CF roof vs. M3 sunroof versions should be performed (eg. in slalom driving). The differences would be very insignificant in the end. But they would be there though ...

 

[Zafiro]

Sportauto crew think that M3 with DCT can lap the ring in 8.00min (+/- 1 sec or so...).

 

[DeDe]

Sportauto crew think that M3 with DCT can lap the ring in 8.00min (+/- 1 sec or so...).

That will be a great lap!

 

[Mr Robert]

E90 vs E92

0-100km/h: 4,9 / 4.8 sec
0-200km/h: 15,9 / 15,7 sec

Hockenheim: 1:14,6 / 1:14,3 min
Slalom 18m: 68,6 / 69,2 km/h

There is a difference but I think most people thaught (and some even hoped) it would have been greater. Much greater.

Good job BMW.

 

[ACE]

The point is that on this board here been suggesting that M3 V8 has the advantage over the competition for being a Coupe on a track. Its a little bit true but these numbers shows the differences arent huge. This shows that M3 Sedan performs very well despite of weight and lack of CF roof therefore I give the 4-door M3 creds for being so close to M3 Coupé.
I have said that the differences wont be huge on a track and this test proves my point. (and this should shut the nay sayers, they know who they are ). If it was one second difference I would say M3 Coupe would have an advantage over the competition on a track but 0,06 seconds isnt much to argue about. So I think we can cut the BS that M3 Coupé is a much much better handling car then a 4-door M3.

And yeah, the CF roof is just a markeeting gimmick and a design thing. Now I said it!

Thanks for the stats. I am one the nay sayers that you are having a go at. I have no problem with that, because you have backed up your opinion with the stats (which I assume are correct). You might want to retain a bit of perspective though, because nobody used language like "the difference would be huge" or "much much better" like you are claiming above. Also, what is the 0.06 seconds difference you are talking about? I don't see a 0.06 secs difference in any of the stats that you posted. The differences are not huge but they are big enough to leave me in no doubt about which car would be in front in a race.

When the M3 outperforms the RS4 or C63 by these sorts of margins, some fanboys (no names mentioned) take it as proof that the M3 is way superior in every way.

PS. I placed an order for the E90 M3 last Saturday (will only receive it in Dec / Jan) so we probably agree on the M3 Saloon being a better package than the competition. I agree with you 100% about the Carbon Fibre REINFORCED PLASTIC roof being a marketing gimmick. IMHO there are better coupes than the M3 on the market, imho ... think Porsche 997 or GT-R, they may cost a bit more initially but the cost of ownership will be similar (at least in the UK).

 

[sif]

"Carbon Fibre REINFORCED PLASTIC" is the full name for any sort of carbon fibre you see used in engineering. There is no need to embolden the words reinforced plastic because somehow it is cheaper or of lower quality than "real" carbon fibre. Would it surprise you to learn that F1 cars use carbon fibre REINFORCED PLASTIC?

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[DeDe]

Come on, guys! 0.2 seconds is nothing from 0-200... Just a bit slower shifting from 3rd to 4th and there's that difference. And 0.2-3 s is nothing, too (on a 2,6 km track).

 

[coolraoul]

The CF roof give a total of 5kgs of weight saving. It is only a marketing gimmick like Just_Me said.

It is clear that the difference is not noticeable between the e90 and e92, but that made no doubt for me. They are almost the same car.

Saying that the CF-roof makes a big difference is like saying a car with a sunroof is so much faster than a car without...
Technically a sunroof is 15-20kgs more on the roof, but in fact it makes no difference at all. Same with the CF roof, the difference is really not noticeable even on track.

8,00sec on the Ring would be an insame time...