Next up in our Sport-Sedan freeway is the BMW M3. BMW has been building M cars for more than two decades, they have this formula down. This is the first one to feature a V8 engine, it is 4 liters, 414 horsepower and this one has a 6-speed manual. Let's see what it does.
The Lexus and the Mercedes are very similar cars. They have automatic transmissions and big block V8's. Well the BMW is a different type of animal. Its engine is a little smaller, doesn't put out as much horsepower nor nearly as much torque, but it rips to 8300 rpm, it is the manual transmissions of the driving experience is completely different. Also because of the engine's placement and the overall balance of chassis, it's just a lighter, more live experience all the way around. No place was this more evident than here at run firmly on the race tracks, of course a race track synthesizes everything that a car's handling is all about and this is where the BMW really shine. Its track time was about 4 seconds a lot better than the other two cars even that with a least amount of horsepower and torque. So it is chassis balance and chassis grip, it does it for the BMW.
Precise, clean all the way through the corners, minimal amount of dive, squat coming out of the corners. Very precise steering allows the driver to put the car right where he wants it every time. Now, not as much power to launch you out of the corners as the other two, but still plenty and again a much wider rev range to deal with and no power loss is given to the manual transmission versus the automatic in the other pair. You will notice a lot less tire squeal too, because the BMW has by far the least average chassis-slip angle; 0.79 degrees for the BMW, 1.1 degrees for the Lexus and 1.59 for the Mercedes. So in so many words, the BMW isn't leaving as much of its power and its rubber on the track as are the other cars.
You'll notice how little body roll too in these left, right left transitions; very flat, very stable. And our driver who is most familiar with places like Nürburgring and grew up racing in 70s and 80s, well he liked the manual transmission too. He felt that it still gave him the most control over the car. Carry speed beautifully too, this car just doesn't waste its energy whatsoever. And by now it is four second a lot faster than the other two. That's the BMW M3.
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