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By
EWAN KENNEDY
15 December 2008
Take it to the theatre on Saturday night, then to a track day on
the Sunday. The versatile new BMW M3 sedan really is a car for all
reasons. Packing the same 4.0-litre V8 engine that we have already
admired in the M3 coupe and convertible, the just-released BMW M3
sedan opens up a whole new world of practicality.
The
body forward of the windscreen differs from that of the standard 3
Series sedan, instead sharing its components with the coupe.
Including, of course, the power bulge in the bonnet with its
associated cooling slots. This means the M3 sedan gets a more
aggressive stance on the road that’s sure to meet the needs of
those who love their hot machines from Munich.
The
tail treatment falls into line with that of the just-facelifted 3
Series range, but a deeper bumper is used to separate it from its
more mundane brothers.
Also
adding to the appearance is the widening of the wheel tracks to
suit the bigger wheels and tyres and to give even more grip on the
road.
From
a body point of view the biggest difference between the coupe and
the sedan is that the latter doesn’t have a lightweight Kevlar
roof. This is done chiefly to give the sporting coupe a point of
difference, but it’s also there because quite a few buyers will
opt for a sunroof in the sedan.
With
a mighty 309 kW at a sky-high 8300 rpm, and 400 Nm of torque at a
reasonable 3900 revs, the engine has no shortage of performance.
Using
the new double-clutch transmission, this compact four-door sedan
can slingshot from a standstill to 100 km/h in only 4.7 seconds.
The six-speed manual adds a couple of tenths to this time as
gearchanges are inevitably slower than in the double-clutch unit.
All
this performance doesn’t come with any real penalty on the
filling station. An Australian Standard consumption figure of 11.9
litres per hundred kilometres for the double-clutch is amazingly
economical for a car with full-on supercar acceleration.
Worryingly,
the full-manual gearbox uses an additional half a litre for each
hundred kilometres, ‘worryingly’ because we really do like
driving manual gearboxes in a sports car, but these performance
and consumption numbers show the two-pedal BMW transmission is
better in both of these important areas.
We
were able to give the new BMW M3 sedan a good workout at the
Phillip Island race circuit, the natural play place of a car like
this when you treat yourself to a day at the track. Something that
will not only add a smile to your face, but also let you hone your
driving skills. And a more skillful driver is a safer driver.
Leading
the BMW driving team at Phillip Island was Geoff Brabham, the son
of Sir Jack. Also there for a look at the hot machines from the
passenger seat was Geoff’s 15-year old son, Matthew. The young
fellow has already started racing a kart and is showing signs of
real promise. Who knows, this might be the start of a brilliant
career for another Brabham. Australian racing drivers are rare in
the international scene, in marked contrast to Australian
motorcycle riders who are here, there and everywhere in the global
leagues. Three-time world champion Jack Brabham has a huge amount
of driving talent, as do all three of his sons – it would be
great to see a new generation of successful drivers…
But
back to the new BMW M3 sedan. It was in its element at the
fearsomely fast track. You can choose to turn off various
electronic aids to handling, or leave them connected. But we found
them too obtrusive and overly-long in their intervention. We
suggest that most drivers should go for advanced driver training
– contact your BMW dealer for details – if you want to
maximise the enjoyment from your thoroughbred car. Or simply leave
them on and let the car get you out of trouble (but remember that
the laws of physics will always triumph in the end…)
With
near perfect balance, a huge amount of instantaneous action from
the engine and the double-clutch gearbox, and brakes that make
your eyes feel as though they are about to bulge out of your head
this latest BMW is a truly superb driving machine.
At
$145,000 (manual) $152,300 (double-clutch automated-manual) the
BMW M3 sedan is a bargain in performance car terms. Those who are
interested should move pretty quickly because even in these odd
times there seems to be no shortage of demand. Indeed, the
one-car-fits-all sports machine may be just the ticket at the
moment.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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