Clarkson review of new M3 Convertible...

dar2008 · 06-30-2008, 03:45 AM

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol...cle4224357.ece

booforty · 06-30-2008, 03:58 AM

Good find!

Ross08E93M3 · 06-30-2008, 06:18 AM

I disagree with Clarkson, for once. I've driven both the Coupe and the Convertible, and I can say there is a difference but it's not so significant. The convertible is still very rigid, especially with the top up.

BRDHNTR · 06-30-2008, 07:17 AM

Wow, thank god I don't live in the UK. I would be screwed with speeding tickets.

ihyln · 06-30-2008, 08:11 AM

Another happy iDrive nav customer!

ersin · 06-30-2008, 10:49 AM

There's a question that his article raised in my mind -- is it true that US M3s do not get brake regeneration but the rest of the world does? And, is it really brake regeneration, or is it just clutching in the alternator only when the car is coasting/slowing down/braking?

SlammedR8 · 06-30-2008, 11:10 AM

I like Jeremy Clarkson, I cant believe he didnt have much good to say about the M3 cab.

Oh well... I think he is way off on this one, but doesnt matter much coz I love my M3

rai · 06-30-2008, 11:17 AM

Just like some people (myself included) believe..

Q:what's the worst thing you can do to a performance car?

A:Chop off it's roof, add 400 lbs and take away what little rear seat room and trunk room it has.

I believe it's the recipe for destruction of a great car. It's not like the M3 is a lightweight car to begin but the M3 vert has to weigh as much as a V8 5-series wagon (ish). Can't be a good thing.

dar2008 · 06-30-2008, 11:19 AM

Another Clarkson edict on the M3 this week occured in last nights Top Gear episode... the "Cool Wall" has returned, and he moved the M3 from being 'un-cool' to being 'cool', on the basis that all the c*cks that bought one last year have now moved on to Audi's, leaving sensible people who really want an M3 to move in.

So there you have it, the M3 is officially a 'cool' car,... as if we didn't know that already !

ihyln · 06-30-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ersin

There's a question that his article raised in my mind -- is it true that US M3s do not get brake regeneration but the rest of the world does? And, is it really brake regeneration, or is it just clutching in the alternator only when the car is coasting/slowing down/braking?

It's true, we don't get that feature. Not much of a surprise as you can tell with the huge price difference from the US-EU versions.

ersin · 06-30-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rai

Just like some people (myself included) believe..

Q:what's the worst thing you can do to a performance car?

A:Chop off it's roof, add 400 lbs and take away what little rear seat room and trunk room it has.

I believe it's the recipe for destruction of a great car. It's not like the M3 is a lightweight car to begin but the M3 vert has to weigh as much as a V8 5-series wagon (ish). Can't be a good thing.

But if you're willing to give up some of the performance for the open air and don't really care much for the seats or have much use for the trunk then it does make sense. How does the M3 vert compare to the 335 vert? Maybe it's not worth the extra $$$. IDK. But, to some it is. I'm sure if you live in Hollywood you'll just have to have one.

TK-421 · 06-30-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihyln

Another happy iDrive nav customer!

theres nothing wrong with iDrive, people just dont want to try to learn to work it. i love mine

Serious · 06-30-2008, 01:16 PM

dont take clarkson's opinions too seriously... most of the stuff he says is for entertainment and usually isnt that accurate.

Dont get me wrong his opinion on cars is good...

but he has alot of bias towards british and italian cars.

Just take everything he says with a grain of salt...

I do tend to agree with him the e90 is better then the e92 which is better then the e93.

rai · 06-30-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ersin

But if you're willing to give up some of the performance for the open air and don't really care much for the seats or have much use for the trunk then it does make sense.

his point and my point is the M3 is a performance car, all the bits that is added to the 3-series: LSD, big brakes, engine etc.. are put in for the performance and to add 400 lbs seems to go directly against performance.

that does not mean the M3 vert is bad but just IMO it's the worst thing that can be done to a M3 for the sake of style over performance.

It's be like having a Corvette dump-truck (as an example) that would be a nice dump truck but really going against the core of what a Corvette is designed for.

for performance the weight is key (the most important facet of a performance car IMO) and adding 12% weight while keeping the power/brakes etc the same is clearly the opposite of performance.

Voltigeur · 06-30-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by news 4 u

theres nothing wrong with iDrive, people just dont want to try to learn to work it. i love mine

Agree! I used it in Germany this month and it was GREAT and easy to use; got me past a A-bahn pile-up and found an alternative route - and even got me to the front door of a small hotel in the Renaissance town of Cesky Krumlov - no problemo. That trip made me change my preference from one to two humps

this comment by Clarkson was good:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarkson

Best of all, though, you no longer have to be a pushy oik to buy one [a Bimmer]. Today, people with Take That haircuts, Oakley sunglasses and short-sleeved shirts are to be found in fast Audis, leaving BMWs to people who simply want a fast, practical means of getting from A, via Dorset, Aberdeen and the Kamchatka peninsula, to B.

ersin · 06-30-2008, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rai

his point and my point is the M3 is a performance car, all the bits that is added to the 3-series: LSD, big brakes, engine etc.. are put in for the performance and to add 400 lbs seems to go directly against performance.

that does not mean the M3 vert is bad but just IMO it's the worst thing that can be done to a M3 for the sake of style over performance.

It's be like having a Corvette dump-truck (as an example) that would be a nice dump truck but really going against the core of what a Corvette is designed for.

for performance the weight is key (the most important facet of a performance car IMO) and adding 12% weight while keeping the power/brakes etc the same is clearly the opposite of performance.

Maybe they shouldn't call it an M3? BMW thinks that they can sell an M3 convertible. They're probably right. But for us "real enthusiasts" there's still the coupe and sedan so it's all good. I think the target is those who want a convertible, but with more performance than other convertibles. Does that make sense? Call it the M3 of convertibles.

If I were a dump truck driver, I would definitely want that Corvette dump truck. Make it a Z06 please!

Davinhci · 06-30-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by news 4 u

theres nothing wrong with iDrive, people just dont want to try to learn to work it. i love mine

+1

TheBry · 06-30-2008, 05:41 PM

Aaahhh what does Clarkson know anyway?! Feehhh!!

And so what if it's 400lbs heavier than the coupe. The stock 3-series convertible is 400lbs heavier than it's coupe counterpart as well. It makes absolutely NO sense to compare a convertible to a fixed-roof coupe (or sedan for that matter).

I, for one, am soooo looking forward to having this car!

What absolutely kills me is that Clarkson reviewed an M5 wagon not so long ago and loved it. I'm sure that car was heavier than its sedan sibling. His logic baffles me.

ersin · 06-30-2008, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBry

...
What absolutely kills me is that Clarkson reviewed an M5 wagon not so long ago and loved it. I'm sure that car was heavier than its sedan sibling. His logic baffles me.

The touring (wagon) M5 is 100 kg heavier than the sedan M5, according to BMW. And the wagon can carry 15 kg more weight (maximum permissible load). It looks ordinary but that car is a real sleeper -- that sucker is fast. Can you believe a wagon that outruns 95% (or more) of all the other cars out there?

SlammedR8 · 06-30-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ersin

The touring (wagon) M5 is 100 kg heavier than the sedan M5, according to BMW. And the wagon can carry 15 kg more weight (maximum permissible load). It looks ordinary but that car is a real sleeper -- that sucker is fast. Can you believe a wagon that outruns 95% (or more) of all the other cars out there?

Ya....true!
but... its A WAGON!!!!!!

JMD0977 · 06-30-2008, 08:40 PM

"But there’s no getting away from the fact that if you want a convertible, you are better off with an Audi RS 4 or a Mercedes" Jeremy Clarkson is a f*cking Idiot .There somebody had to say it cuz its true. And yes, I'm one of those who want a high performance vert. He said "You can feel the floppiness as you drive along"

I've driven the coupe on a test drive and a vert on a test drive and pushed the both to about 145mph to 150mph both MT (I'm getting DTC E93)on the highway and drove like a maniac through the city to see the difference on how the car reacted in hard turns,the performance difference is slighty felt not as much as other people state and the metal roof is a major improvement from the E46 ragtop vert,I know its 100lbs heavier compared to the last gen coupe vs vert but handles better that the last gen e46vert vs e46coupe, the E93 felt very rigid compared to the last gen. This guy is a f*cking joke.Remember, the 400 lbs is only a .5 second in performance difference compared to the coupe,and for most of those who spent 10k extra (80k car)on a vert ,its nothing to throw something extra $ in real mods to make up atleast that 0.5 second difference

so, we're not worried about it.

ismelllikepoop · 06-30-2008, 09:00 PM

jesus, taking a performance vehicle and adding 400 lbs and chopping off its roof isnt going to make it a better drive. it is a great car yeah, but that's a lot of weight especially without a ton of torque to help out. It's not like he's singling out bmw, he said the same of porsches. it's not as if he's spreading lies, it is what it is and he wasn't a fan.

06-30-2008, 03:45 AM	#1
dar2008 Major 303 Rep 1,171 Posts Drives: E93 M3 and E92 M3 Comp Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Clarkson review of new M3 Convertible... http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol...cle4224357.ece __________________
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06-30-2008, 03:58 AM	#2
booforty Major General 337 Rep 8,811 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 E92 M3 [0.00]	Good find!
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06-30-2008, 06:18 AM	#3
Ross08E93M3 Private 5 Rep 52 Posts Drives: 2008 E93 M3--AW/Fox Red Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Jersey Shore iTrader: (0)	I disagree with Clarkson, for once. I've driven both the Coupe and the Convertible, and I can say there is a difference but it's not so significant. The convertible is still very rigid, especially with the top up. __________________ 08 E93 M3 6MT--Alpine White / Fox Red 08 VW Touareg V8--Black Uni / Sienna
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06-30-2008, 07:17 AM	#4
BRDHNTR Ground Pilot 41 Rep 548 Posts Drives: e92 BMW M3 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Waverly, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2002 M3 [0.00] 2008 e92 M3 [0.00]	Wow, thank god I don't live in the UK. I would be screwed with speeding tickets. __________________ "The laws of physics cannot be repealed, even with DSC." - BMW Owner's Manual
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06-30-2008, 08:11 AM	#5
ihyln Banned 85 Rep 3,384 Posts Drives: M3post sucks Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: M3post sucks iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 M3 [0.00] 2002 530i [0.00]	Another happy iDrive nav customer!
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06-30-2008, 10:49 AM	#6
ersin Brigadier General 126 Rep 4,144 Posts Drives: 17 YMB F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (1)	There's a question that his article raised in my mind -- is it true that US M3s do not get brake regeneration but the rest of the world does? And, is it really brake regeneration, or is it just clutching in the alternator only when the car is coasting/slowing down/braking? __________________ 2017 F80 YMB.
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06-30-2008, 11:10 AM	#7
SlammedR8 Major General 521 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: 2019 X5 40i/2020 R8 V10 Spyder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toronto iTrader: (2)	I like Jeremy Clarkson, I cant believe he didnt have much good to say about the M3 cab. Oh well... I think he is way off on this one, but doesnt matter much coz I love my M3 __________________ Current: 2019 BMW X5 40i - Carbon Black/Tartufo Individual Leather 2020 Range Rover HSE - Black/Black 2020 Audi R8 V10 Performance Spyder 6MT - Ascari Blue/Black
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06-30-2008, 11:17 AM	#8
rai Captain 55 Rep 649 Posts Drives: M3 coupe with DCT Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: maryland iTrader: (0)	Just like some people (myself included) believe.. Q:what's the worst thing you can do to a performance car? A:Chop off it's roof, add 400 lbs and take away what little rear seat room and trunk room it has. I believe it's the recipe for destruction of a great car. It's not like the M3 is a lightweight car to begin but the M3 vert has to weigh as much as a V8 5-series wagon (ish). Can't be a good thing.
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06-30-2008, 11:19 AM	#9
dar2008 Major 303 Rep 1,171 Posts Drives: E93 M3 and E92 M3 Comp Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Another Clarkson edict on the M3 this week occured in last nights Top Gear episode... the "Cool Wall" has returned, and he moved the M3 from being 'un-cool' to being 'cool', on the basis that all the c*cks that bought one last year have now moved on to Audi's, leaving sensible people who really want an M3 to move in. So there you have it, the M3 is officially a 'cool' car,... as if we didn't know that already ! __________________
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06-30-2008, 01:16 PM	#13
Serious 1M advocate 214 Rep 878 Posts Drives: 2018 S4. 2011 M3. 2012 S1000RR Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	dont take clarkson's opinions too seriously... most of the stuff he says is for entertainment and usually isnt that accurate. Dont get me wrong his opinion on cars is good... but he has alot of bias towards british and italian cars. Just take everything he says with a grain of salt... I do tend to agree with him the e90 is better then the e92 which is better then the e93. __________________ 2012 BMW S1000RR 2011 BMW M3
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06-30-2008, 05:41 PM	#18
TheBry Major 139 Rep 1,020 Posts Drives: 2016 G12 750i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: San Francisco, California iTrader: (0)	Aaahhh what does Clarkson know anyway?! Feehhh!! And so what if it's 400lbs heavier than the coupe. The stock 3-series convertible is 400lbs heavier than it's coupe counterpart as well. It makes absolutely NO sense to compare a convertible to a fixed-roof coupe (or sedan for that matter). I, for one, am soooo looking forward to having this car! What absolutely kills me is that Clarkson reviewed an M5 wagon not so long ago and loved it. I'm sure that car was heavier than its sedan sibling. His logic baffles me. __________________ Past: 2008 M3 (E93) naturally aspirated V8 realness! Past: 2012 740Li (F02) M-Sport (European Delivery) Present: 2016 750i (G12) M-Sport
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06-30-2008, 08:40 PM	#21
JMD0977 Captain 69 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 2010 GT3 and .... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: I-95 iTrader: (6)	"But there’s no getting away from the fact that if you want a convertible, you are better off with an Audi RS 4 or a Mercedes" Jeremy Clarkson is a fcking Idiot .There somebody had to say it cuz its true. And yes, I'm one of those who want a high performance vert. He said "You can feel the floppiness as you drive along" I've driven the coupe on a test drive and a vert on a test drive and pushed the both to about 145mph to 150mph both MT (I'm getting DTC E93)on the highway and drove like a maniac through the city to see the difference on how the car reacted in hard turns,the performance difference is slighty felt not as much as other people state and the metal roof is a major improvement from the E46 ragtop vert,I know its 100lbs heavier compared to the last gen coupe vs vert but handles better that the last gen e46vert vs e46coupe, the E93 felt very rigid compared to the last gen. This guy is a fcking joke.Remember, the 400 lbs is only a .5 second in performance difference compared to the coupe,and for most of those who spent 10k extra (80k car)on a vert ,its nothing to throw something extra $ in real mods to make up atleast that 0.5 second difference so, we're not worried about it.
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06-30-2008, 09:00 PM	#22
ismelllikepoop First Lieutenant 26 Rep 365 Posts Drives: m3 Join Date: May 2008 Location: pooptown iTrader: (1)	jesus, taking a performance vehicle and adding 400 lbs and chopping off its roof isnt going to make it a better drive. it is a great car yeah, but that's a lot of weight especially without a ton of torque to help out. It's not like he's singling out bmw, he said the same of porsches. it's not as if he's spreading lies, it is what it is and he wasn't a fan.
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