The Hindu Business Line : BMW M3: Synthesising speed and luxury

There are a few discerning, obsessed fans of speed who have had to go to great lengths to import the sports versions of their favourite German car brands.

Cars revered for their performance from the stables of the M Division, AMG, Alpina, Brabus, etc., are all there in small numbers in the major metros of the country.

But, earlier this month, BMW India gave these enthusiasts reason to cheer, when it announced that its M (short for Motorsport) cars are officially being launched here. BMW has been studying the market’s potential for its super luxury, super high performance M cars, and the results should have been encouraging enough for BMW. So, the M cars and BMW Individual models will make their India entry, even though the German company is still a bit undecided about bringing in the Mini.

The vehicles from the BMW M range have racing in their blood. Originally started for developing new engines and technologies for BMW’s racing programmes, the M subsidiary has been building street legal cars for buyers who want the feel of racing-style performance, even as there is no dilution of the level of luxury that BMW cars are known for.

Comfort and speed

As BMW says, M cars are a successful synthesis of an unobtrusive yet powerful appearance, the German marquee’s trademark understated elegance, with a high-performance power unit. A true-blooded sports car featuring the fruits of BMW’s Formula 1 technology perfected over the years. But M cars aren’t just ‘souped up’ freakily fast sports versions, they also offer the premium comfort that BMW cars are famous for, continuing to keep the M user ensconced in comfort even as he burns some serious rubber.

The heart of a BMW M car is its high-revving, naturally aspirated, lightweight engine that offers the driver oodles of power on tap even at low engine speeds. BMW M cars are tuned to offer turbine-like performance, instant responses at all engine speeds, and a steep yet smooth power curve, very akin to race-cars. There is no compromise on refinement levels, which are maintained at the highs that is expected of a BMW.

Being so much more powerful than the regular production variants, M cars are effortlessly powerful and promise breathtaking speed whenever the driver needs it. M GmbH, the outfit that was created to specially develop M cars uses every trick in the trade to ensure that its cars are really fast.

Intelligent construction

But the main focus continues to be on intelligent lightweight materials for construction, for the engines. Some of the elements that BMW uses in M cars include all-aluminium construction, carbon fibre panels/roofs, etc. And, of course, the focus is also on adopting racing technology for boosting the performance of relatively small engines in the M cars. Combining the two features, M cars manage to maximise the power-to-weight ratio to a whole new level enabling the driver to draw on the engine’s power like few other street legal cars would.

BMW India is debuting with the new M3 coupe and statistics of this otherwise compact looking sedan are staggering. Combining everyday practicality with sports performance, the stunning new M3 coupe is the fourth generation of this motorsports legend, whose history started 21 years ago.

The new M3 coupe features a four-litre V8 high-rev engine, which is full of this car’s sports coupe personality. Every component has been carefully optimised to result in an impressive set of figures — a maximum output that goes all the way up to 8,300 rpm, with 309 kW of peak power on tap and a top torque of 400 Nm at 3,900 rpm.

Compare that with the most powerful regular 3-Series petrol sedan — the 325i — currently available in India. The 325i’s, 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, engine produces a peak power of 158 kW at 6,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 246 Nm at 4,000 rpm.

Optimised aerodynamics

And that’s not all, in the M3 coupe, individual throttle butterflies, normally only found in race-cars, allow for faster response and additional performance benefits. Gearshifts in the M3 are timed at a few hundred milliseconds! Top speeds are usually electronically limited to be within 230-250 kmph. The India-spec models that will be imported from Germany may have a different setting.

The optimised aerodynamics in the BMW M3 Coupe ensures that downforce is both cooled and increased at the same time. The left opening near the ‘powerdome’ channels additional air to the intake air plenum. The M rear apron with diffuser ensures controlled airflow along the car’s underbody. And the M front air dam with integrated air inlets cools the engine.

The expressive front is designed to accommodate the V8 high-rev engine. The muscular rear allows for the wider track and four tailpipes. Even the shape of the exterior mirrors adds to the overall aerodynamics of the car. The suspension in all M cars are also tuned to be sporty and dynamic, even as they provide the comfort levels that the driver is used to experiencing in the regular model.

More to follow

BMW India is introducing the M3 first, but the others too will be beelining the company’s showrooms later. The M5 sedan, the M6 coupe and the M6 convertible, each with its own character and ardent following will all be making it here. The M3 coupe is priced at Rs 75 lakh (ex-showroom).

The M5 sedan, the M6 coupe and the M6 convertible are priced at Rs 1.02 crore, Rs 1.25 crore and Rs 1.32 crore respectively.

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