For better or worse the BMW M3 has grown up. The Alpine White four door M3 we tested for a week could not illustrate this any better. From its (relatively) compliant ride to the 3726 lbs curb weight, the E90 four door M3 is a completely different animal from what came before it. Yet as a concept it has held true to its motorsports roots. The engine noise, the ability to configure your driving experience, its the little things that add up to the special feel only an M product can deliver.
We tested the E90 four door M3 in and around Chicago as well a couple long distance drives around the midwest to get a clearer picture of how the M3 has changed and ultimately if it lives up to the badge and the M brand. What we found is a car that defines the word sport sedan perhaps better than anything ever made while offering creature comforts that BMW owners have come to expect.
When we last reviewed the BMW 135i in February the car had yet to go on sale in the US and there were numerous questions about everything from design and packaging to performance. What we learned with that initial drive is that the 135i delivered well enough in the areas of performance to negate any niggling design or packaging issues. However that was over the course of a day in and around some of the best roads Northern California has to offer. Our question this time around; how would the 135i fare through the rigors of a week in Chicago.
Our Montego Blue 135i came equipped with almost every option available. The most notable were the Sport package, Premium package and the 6-speed Automatic Transmission. The Sport package consists of just a few options on the 135i since the car comes standard with a M developed suspension, aero-kit and unique steering rack. However the thick, perforated M steering, shift knob and ebrake handle that come on the package add some subtle yet noticeable improvements to the touch-points drivers interact with the most. The Premium pack delivers leather, auto wipers, power seats w/lumbar support (a surprisingly nice addition), auto dimming mirrors along with some nice touches like the power folding mirrors and exterior door lighting. While I would consider all of it purely a luxury from an enthusiast point of view, it can be hard to pass up considering the cost of leather alone.
This review was original published on our sister site, MotoringFile. For all the dedicated BMW fans, consider it a glimpse into a different yet strangely similar world.
The idea of bigger MINI can seem like an anomaly. For those not familiar with the car, the entire concept seems at odds with the brand. Why would anyone want a slightly larger MINI. At what point does a larger MINI become just another car? And if a larger MINI doesn’t reflect the character of the brand, how does BMW expect this car to be successful?
Luckily BMW had all this in mind (along with some good instincts) when designing and engineering the car. In my week with the Clubman I found that it does the unthinkable by offering more space but retaining 90% of what auto enthusiasts love about the MINI. The handling and feel that have always made the MINI feel so special is almost all there. And to anyone but the enthusiast, the difference is probably barely noticeable.
If you haven’t noticed we tend to review new MINIs and BMWs in two phases. The first is at the press launch where we’re invited to drive the cars on predetermined roads and in some cases tracks. While this opportunity is a great way to allow a first drive in the cars before their release, it’s often not enough time to thoroughly review it. Hence the second phase where we get a car for a week for a full test. That means we commute in it, head for the twisties in it and about anything else you can imagine to give us the best information possible for a review.
Last year’s test of the then new r56 on the Dragon was an ideal way to get to know the car and to form some long lasting opinions on it. This year we’ll be testing the Clubman MCS in slightly different circumstances. It’ll be a road trip around the midwest with two to three people with luggage and open road.
The fourth generation BMW M3 is the largest, fattest M3 ever created. Yet it’s also the fastest and most tenacious while being entirely livable as a daily driver. In creating this new generation of M3, BMW has built a car that is as close to everything to everyone as anything on the market. Whether it be at the track, on the highway or making a coffee run, the M3 handles it all with ease. But can a car that is all things to all people be a true M3?
The moment I pushed the start button and laid eyes on the M menu in the iDrive I knew that this M3 would be dramatically different than all those that came before it. For better or worse, a different kind of technology is at play with this car. From M Dynamic mode, to the much celebrated M Differential Lock, BMW has given the new version of this iconic car the tools to help the typical M formula of performance reach new heights.
Based on all the hype over the last few months, you’d expect the BMW 135i to be able to walk on water. European journalists have raved about the car and customers have already begun forming lines at dealerships here in the US. Praise flowing from computer keyboards around the world is enough to make almost any automotive enthusiast take notice.
Even BMW has gotten in the act trotting an early 70’s era 2002tii at every marketing opportunity they can. And why not, all the right ingredients are there; short overhangs, 50/50 weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, 300hp all wrapped in small coupe packaging. It’s almost enough to forget about the one glaring issue - all 3373 lbs of it. That’s over 1000 lbs heavier than the 2002tii - the classic BMW that 1 Series coupe was clearly inspired by.
However I’ll let you in on a little secret, it simply doesn’t matter. Over some of the best roads northern California has to offer I found the 135i to be more enjoyable than the far more capable new M3 I drove the day before. I’d go so far as to call my time with the 135i manual one of the most memorable and rewarding driving experiences of my life.
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.
Based on my previous review of the R56, I knew there was a lot to like about this car. It’s certainly true I came away very impressed (and somewhat surprised) by both the road and track
performance of the car at the official BMW press launch earlier this
year. But how does this result change in the real world? And when driven
back to back to back with a modded R53 (one which happens to live in my
garage) how would the R56 feel? Would I discover a soul in that turbo?
Or would I find some fatal flaws that would convince me to put my R53 in
storage for the eventual Barrett-Jackson windfall sure to come for all
R53 owners?
These are questions not easily answered in just a week’s worth of
motoring. So instead of a week, I thought I’d try for two month’s
worth…in seven days. After some potential logistical nightmares and a
hastily arranged overnight truck from Detroit, I had my 2007 Cooper S
press car (courtesy of MINI USA) just in time for the most important
week of motoring I’d do all year: MINIs on the Dragon.
MINI had a tough task following up the R50 and R53. To gain a larger audience, there’s little question
the car had to become easier to live with. That meant, less rattles, less of a jarring ride, and a more
refined engine. But the challenge (at least with the latter two) was to do all of this and retain the
car’s charm and performance feel. Based on some early European reviews of the new car, indications were mixed. Could BMW possibly create a vehicle worthy enough to follow-up the incredibly successful R50 and R53? Apparently they could and they did. Not only is the new MINI has fun to drive on the road and track, it’s refined and effortless in many ways the previous car was not. It achieves a balance that the 2002-2006 MINIs simply never had.
The BMW 3 series is a design, engineering and performance icon. One of the few cars that are on par with the Mini’s similarly long history. An engine mounted behind the front wheels gives the car a perfect 50/50 weight distrubtion and a composure at the limit unheard of in most consumer sedans. All this makes for an automobile that is as at home on the track, as it is around town.
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We believe in the old school BMW ownership experience. We believe in garage nights with a six pack and some friends. We believe in 2002s, in E30 M3s and E34 540s with the 6 speed. We believe in progress in both design and engineering but we haven't lost sight of what made the brand and its products great all those years ago. And yes, we believe in the manual transmission.
We long for the days of the wave and for the days of roll-up windows. Yet we love the gadgets on the inside and the xenons on the outside.
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Sections: //M3\\, Review Jul 1st, 2008 16 Comments 
