Mar 11th, 2010
It’s a day that many hardcore track and racing junkies have been waiting for. BMW NA is launching official BMW Motorsports parts for the E36 M3, E46 M3, E86 Z4 M Coupe and E92 M3. These parts are the real deal and also really pricey. Don’t expect to be able to drop a couple hundred on a front splitter. We’re talking 10k on full racing suspensions and 20K non-street legal P54B32 engines. That’s right, if you ever wanted a build out that $5,000 Craigslist E36 M3 into the ultimate OEM track car, you’ve got your parts. Just make sure you have some deep pockets.
We’ve obtained a full list of parts available for the E36, E46, E92 M3s as well as the E86 Z4 M Coupe from BMW NA (via bimmerboost) below. We do not have prices yet but we expect those shortly.
+ E92 M3 GT4 (US) / PDF
+ E86 2008 Z4 / PDF
+ E46 M3 / PDF
+ E36 M3 Group A / PDF
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Mar 23rd, 2009
It’s been reported previously here and elsewhere on the web but last week the M Division once again stated that they had no plans to develop the current Z4 into an M product. And it makes sense with the amount of work ahead of themselves (X5 M, X6 M, M5, M6, 1 Series Supersport and the next M3) they have no shortage of products to fill the gap.
So for those waiting and hoping for the return of the M Coupe or Roadster, you may want to start looking in the classified section for low mileage used examples.
Mar 11th, 2009
A while back we had reported BMWNA was working on publishing a list of recommended oils to be used in gasoline engines.
This was a welcomed move as oil specifics have not been listed in the owner’s manual and some people like to have an independent garage (or alone) complete a mid recommended interval oil change. Then there is the occasional need to top the engine off; it has always been a question as to whether that quart of oil, the life blood of the motor, was up to spec.
The oils listed below meet BMW’s Long-life rating and are acceptable for use in BMW Passenger vehicles and SAVs in the US market with gasoline engines. (Excludes ///M and Alpina models).
BMW Long-life rating LL-01 Approved Synthetic Oils for the US Market
For ///M or Alpina models as well as the view the BMW document here
Dec 31st, 2008
Recently Car magazine had a brief post about the discontinuation of the inline six that powered everything from the E36 through the E46 and E86. And that got us thinking about that engine, the cars it powered and how they stacked up against all the other M offerings through the years.
There are countless opinions about what an M car should be and what truly is the best yet. In my mind there are a handful of cars that exemplify the qualities of the Motorsports division. First and foremost there’s the original E30 M3. Created with incredible pedigree and highly successful motorsport history the E30 M3 in some ways is the pinnacle of the brand. That would probably be out pick for the ultimate ///M car across the entire range.
But what modern M car deserves this title? While we love the last two generations of the M3 they’re simply too heavy a car in our minds. And as much as we love the E39 and E60 M5s, it’s hard to argue that they haven’t become bloated as compared to the original E34 example. The modern M6 also exemplifies this all too well.
With that rational the Z3 M and Z4 M seem start to seem like obvious choices. But the convertible tops do way too much in limiting ultimate performance. Decreased torsional rigidity make these less than ideal choices for attacking mountain roads let alone track days. They are inherently flawed as any gorgeous classically proportioned roadster is.
The coupes are the natural answer then. The Z3 coupe was brutal and (in my mind at least) a gorgeous yet almost vulgar looking car. But it’s the Z4 M Coupe that is both looks and performs the part of the ultimate modern M car. It’s mechanical sounding inline 6 will never be equalled in it’s character or purity now that we’re in the V8 and forced induction era at the M Division.
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Feb 27th, 2008
We have just received some breaking news courtesy from an internal BMW memo that confirms our original speculation. The names of the models in the X6 lineup were not created because of some marketing plan. The xDrive50i and xDrive35i may have some competition in the amount of (nomenclature related) weight added to the rear of BMW models in the not so distant future.
Here’s an excerpt from the internal BMW memo:
Due to upcoming U.S. regulations in effect for Model Year 2009, we are changing some of our naming protocol. The new naming protocol will affect all products that currently have an engine displacement designation within the name—X3, X5, X6, Z4 and Z4 Coupe.
With that quote one can only imagine what other names we will see! What do you think they will name the Z?
Jan 25th, 2008
For those that don’t know much about the car, the Z4 M Coupe is the relatively rare M Brand version of the Z4 Coupe. The Z4 Coupe (the basis of the Z4M Coupe) is the newly released coupe version of the Z4. The Z4 Coupe features a huge increase in rigidity, the addition of a hatchback, and gorgeous looks that (in these eyes) transforms the already good looking Z4 into something of an instant classic. The M version tested here features, in a word, more.
On paper the M Coupe (as it’s referred to by many) has it all. The E46 M3′s sensuous inline six churning out 330 high-revving horsepower. M3 CSL brakes – a healthy improvement over the stock M3 stoppers. Less weight (3230lbs) and more nimble than the M3. And finally a driver focused cabin and steering wheel that puts the M3′s to shame.
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