BMW M3 Competition - at an impasse?

How would it look if the new generation was weaker than the previous one? If it were slower? This would be unacceptable. The car, of course, would receive less attention. Only if it's that bad? We'll take a look at this in the BMW M3 test with the Competition package.

We are lazy by nature. We need the right stimulants to get us going. Without them, we would probably spend the whole day in bed. This inner laziness manifests itself in various areas of life. How many times do we skim through an article instead of reading it cover to cover? How many times are headlines the source of our information?

It's the same with cars. We could delve into the technology behind them. Manufacturers often describe every element that makes their car even faster - better. Only now, many buyers, instead of delving into the topic, in the case of sports cars, look at two quantities - power and time to “hundreds”. This will allow you to brag to your friends and humiliate other racers in close quarters races. Talking about balancing, active differentials, smart materials, active dampers or thoughtful cooling systems will be meaningless to those who are less versed in the subject. The car must be stronger and faster than the previous one. That's all. It doesn't even have to be laziness - perhaps the people who can afford these hundreds of thousands of cars are working so hard for money that they don't have time to go into details.

Out of this lack of time arises the cult of power and acceleration. Engine power is decreasing, so you need to clearly convey that the new car is no worse. The RS6 engine lost 2 cylinders and 20 hp, but wise engineering allowed it to reach 100 km/h in 0,6 seconds faster than its predecessor. We are still talking about a car that has 560 hp. The new E-Class from AMG should already have 612 horses, twice as many as the WRC cars!

Instead of investing so much in engines, you might as well consider handling. Let's get back to the RS6. So what if it's a damn fast car that rides great up to a certain point, but in really tight corners, its understeer is just annoying?

Will all sports cars look like the Bugatti Chiron in a moment? How about driving? Will there be a wave of legal dragsters that will race straight ahead at the speed of light? Quo vadis, automotive?

Development in all matters

Let's start from the very beginning. The picture of the automotive industry is changing. Sports cars today are also kind of outside. It's because BMW M3 looks so aggressive. Those flared wheel arches and quad tailpipes are just brilliant. A little for show, a little for better handling. After all, a wide wheelbase is always more stable in turns.

Also inside. The cockpit looks interesting, and the materials or fit make it impossible to object. With the Competition package, we're taking it one step further by offering lighter seats. The BMW cab is centered around the driver. As it should be in a sports car. Ergonomics are at an excellent level, and there is nothing to complain about the audio system or the space inside the car. The seats hold turns well, if you don’t brake with your left foot, then you start to move around the seat. Let's not forget that the M3 is a sedan that we can take on vacation with 480 liters of luggage in the trunk.

Although the Competition version has perfected the work of the active differential, exhaust system and suspension, it is still a car that can move in a civilized manner. Does not tire with excessive noise and does not knock out teeth on bumps. Despite the fact that he rides on beautiful 20-inch wheels.

We go to the track

We were lucky to test BMW M3 on the road. The Łódź route, as we are talking about it, is a technically very difficult section of asphalt. Lots of turns, variable pace. We took advantage of the courtesy of the owner of the track, who took the operator on board his Lancer Evo X and thus recorded moving footage. But when I picked up the pace, Lancer couldn't keep up. By no means was it the driver's fault, the owner of the Evo probably had more track experience and would have won the time trial for sure. This BMW stuck, none of the tires squealed, unlike the Evo tires. A lot of that has to do with the incredibly stiff front end and wide tires. There is virtually no understeer. Servotronic steering is direct, which, combined with all that stiffness, gives us instant response to every movement of the steering wheel. The M3 allows us to recognize ourselves, we immediately get an idea of ​​​​what the machine is capable of. And he can do a lot.

The new 3-litre R6 engines won't reward the sound of its predecessor's naturally aspirated V-3. The current generation uses a twin turbocharger for the first time in the history of the BMW MXNUMX. I don't know what spells these magicians used, but the new engines behave very much like naturally aspirated units. This is largely due to their speed characteristics. The reaction to the gas is only with a minimal delay - barely noticeable.

The M3 basically developed 431 hp, and with the Competition package already 450 hp. It's not the most powerful machine on earth, it's not even the strongest in the M line, and yet I find it too strong.

450 HP on rear-wheel drive, it's power that evokes emotion, but is also a significant limitation. This is guaranteed oversteer. In excess. On dry pavement, not to mention wet, you have to gently press the gas all the time. The active differential can be locked from 0 to 100%. On the straights and into corners, it stays open for better maneuverability in the first phase of the corner, but just past the top of the corner, as we accelerate again, it gradually locks up. Thus, the wheels turn at the same speed, which ensures a stable exit from the turn. But this is also a wink at the driver - “you know, it seems stable, but if you give more gas, then the skid will be stable.” Like this, BMW M3 Allows precise control of sliding. As if he was prepared for this kind of game.

M3 is a huge opportunity. The driver who can drive it will have a great time on the track and will have even more fun when he decides to doom a full set of rear tires to death. It will also be good during acceleration, because acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h takes only 4,1 seconds.

The problem is that we are constantly provoked to raise the bar. This entails a very high risk that something will go wrong.

... and then you have to go out on the road

Exactly. What if we are out of control? No one with a sufficiently developed imagination will drift on public roads. The speed gets too fast very quickly. It's not even about the speed dictated by road signs. He's too quick when it comes to common sense.

On public roads, we will not be able to use the full range of turnover. On two we accelerate to 90 km / h, on three we reach 150 km / h. On a winding road, we have one or two gears at our disposal. That's part of the fun too.

The possibilities are huge, but it is difficult to use them anywhere.

Details we forget

BMW M3 It does not look like a simple muscle car. This is a very high tech car. Many body parts are made of carbon fiber, which significantly reduces the weight of the car. The wheel arches, roof and seats are made of carbon fiber, the aluminum engine block is also a few kilograms less.

The engine develops 550 Nm in the range from 1850 to 5500 rpm. That's what's impressive. The engine does not have enough "steam", even when it is very warm outside and we climb somewhere high. Intercoolers usually cool the air by about 40 degrees Celsius. The colder the air in the intake system, the better - the fuel-air mixture burns much better under such conditions. The intercooler in the M3 cools the air by as much as 100 degrees Celsius. Hence, the engineers say, such a quick reaction to the movements of the accelerator pedal. Fuel consumption has also been reduced thanks to the use of direct fuel injection and the VANOS system known to BMW fans. But give up all hope - the M3 doesn't smoke that little. On the track at 15-20 liters in the tank, the spare wheel lamp was already on.

Gear shifting is handled by a third-generation dual-clutch manual or automatic transmission. Gear shifting occurs overlapping - when the first clutch is released, the second one is preliminarily engaged. As a result, when shifting gears, we feel gentle jolts in the back, which indicate that the car also pulls forward when shifting gears.

The steering is the first to feature electric power steering, but it has only been developed from the ground up for the new M3 and M4.

Good or not?

like this with this BMW M3 - is it good or not? This is cool. Phenomenal. This is a car built for fun. Releases a lot of emotions. It gives you adrenaline.

However, it's a bit like playing with someone's pit bull. He is very sweet, well-mannered, you can stroke him, and he will gladly follow your commands. Only somewhere in the back of your head you still have a vision of jaws clenching with several hundred pounds of force that could pinch your leg if something goes wrong.

And that's why, while the M3 is a great car, I think the best BMW M we can buy right now is the M2. The M2 is the model that opens up the M offering, but at the same time it has the most characteristic features of the old sports BMWs. Totally strong, not “too strong.” And BMW wants 100 less for them!

However, if you're looking for adventure in a practical sedan, the M3 is a great choice. You spend these 370 thousand. PLN, you add the M Competition package for 37k. PLN and you can go crazy on the slopes. Or show up in the city in the hope that observers will notice you.