Chris Harris talks about the new BMW M3

[Kevlar]

https://grrc.goodwood.com/road/drive...ing-new-bmw-m3

For starters it’s massively lighter than the car it replaces, and yet it has more power and torque. This means it will sprint from rest to 100mph in a little over 8sec. That places it in a completely different performance category to the previous V8.


Yes, the steering is lifeless but then so was the E92’s. And for that matter the E46’s. And the E36’s. In fact the only M3 to ever steer particularly pleasantly was the E30. And that ended production in 1992. On bumpy Portuguese roads I found the damping superb, so long as you were in the softest setting. Most of the time I couldn’t tell the thing was turbocharged because throttle response was immediate and the thing wanted to rev right to the limiter. The noise was pretty uninspiring, but I find it hard to severely criticise that in a modern M3, when the original, never-to-be-bettered E30 M3 sounds about as appealing as a lawn tractor.


Furthermore, as a 4-door, I think it’s the best-looking M3 ever. That’s subjective, but I have to allow myself some margin for baseless opinion!


It’s also hugely more economical – the cost probably won’t bother too many M3 owners – but being able to cover 300 miles on a tank certainly will. The optional ceramic brakes are immense, the one-piece front seats (again, optional) are ace and, you know what, I’m actually struggling to think of bad things to say about a car that’s taking quite a kicking in the media. Either I’m out-of-touch, or my colleagues are looking for things in an everyday, discreet but crazy-fast saloon car that I am not.


Maybe I’m just wrong? Wouldn’t be the first time. But if I was spending my own money on a fast car for 2015, it would be an M3 saloon. Maybe a red one.

[sullypants1]

I didn't hit the link but does he elaborate on why he doesn't like the e36, e46, e92 steering? I hear many people say weight=/= communication however I find my e36 steering extremely communicative, very easy to drive on the limit, etc. Maybe I can't separate chassis communication form steering communication I'm thinking he can't get past the slow rack rate. I also have nearly 8 deg caster and delrin fcabs. Find it strange that he is criticizing a car that is universally praised for communication.

[M3C]

The E36 M3 is actually the most steering communicative from all other models, there was an article belive in Car&Driver "Why does BMW's E36 M3 steer so well".