2019 and part 2 in November 2019 of Straight Six, Anthony Shilson takes us through his next line of M3 modifications

There is undoubtedly an art to would tend to be a little more powerful and latest models become widow makers, driving well, it will contain a handle a little better so that incrementally and so very politely these clever guys in fluidity and smoothness where one’s experience would grow bit by bit to research and development have quietly swift progress can be made adapt. helped out the cause by incorporating without drama. I recall my first ownership Eventually you would come to learn electronic devices to keep us safe, experience with the E30 M3 Evo 2 back in most of the vehicle’s and your own particularly traction control in all its many the early 1990s, it was a step up from the dynamic, the trust and intimacy is then guises. And, incidentally, has it been preceding E30 325i Sport. The handling optimized. In other words, you’d learn noticed just how wide and grippy modern was more stable, the steering faster and how to get the most out of the car, and I tyres have become? more direct, the braking more powerful and wonder if that really happens these days? It was only when driving the E34 M5 the engine would scream to the rev limiter. Back then, initially the car might have from Munich back to the UK following the

My local main dealer was polite, for been overwhelming, but as one became 2001 Club factory tour that I actually came it took them three replacement sets of familiar with the limits it would be you to truly understand the dynamic of that cracked front discs under warranty (in riding the horse rather than the other car. Being able to drive at maximum speed under 4,000 miles) to quietly suggest that way round, and then you were ready for on the autobahn one can immediately perhaps I was over driving! They were another step up the performance ladder. appreciate the engineering principles of exactly right for I didn’t have the experience Has there come a time when this comfort, stability, power, braking and or confidence to carry speed through the area of the relationship has moved out of component integrity. corners, so it would be maximum power whack? Has the cake been over baked? Let’s face it, the M Power cars are out of the apex and stand it on its nose in Why does one hear with increasing not designed for UK roads or typical UK the corners! frequency that cars are lacking in soul driving, and most of the car’s dynamic

It took the Club’s track days to sort that and boring to drive? Has the technical capabilities are underutilized in every out and to learn how to go faster by driving ability to keep us safe actually denied us department on our island. The stiff smoothly and with less drama. At that time the involvement? suspension that is so necessary at 150mph it was the way one learned, each new car It wouldn’t help new car sales if their on billiard smooth autobahns is dreadful on

WHAT MIGHT WE WANT?

Words: Richard Baxter Photographs: BMW Press, BMWBlog

our small, bumpy roads where it is helping neither stability nor comfort.

The effortless power to overtake swiftly and safely in Germany is compromised by our low national speed limit, by the everblocked so called ‘overtaking lane’ on our motorways and that the low inertia required for snappy overtakes in the UK is now thwarted by the ever increasing weight of new M Power cars, even though the 0-60 times are simply otherworldly!

1986 E28 M5: Weight: 1410kg, 0-60: 5.7secs. 2020 F90 M5: Weight: 1990kg, 0-60: 2.8secs. If one were to have the opportunity to have a spirited drive in either of the above what would you choose to drive in the UK? And what would you choose to drive in Germany? For myself it would be the E28 – UK, and F90 – Germany, simply because their disparate dynamics would be in far better harmony in matching their respective environments and for driver enjoyment and purpose.

To my mind and probably why the modern classic car scene has become so popular was very well summed up by one of our clients at my car storage facility. A young professional owns a Porsche Cayman GT4 which he uses for track days, a BMW 7 Series for work and smiling from ear to ear turned up last week in his latest acquisition; a left-hand drive 1981 E21 316!

“It’s just so much fun because it’s so simple and I’m in control of everything, the Porsche is great but it can be very scary.”

This comment reminded me of my experience driving the M4 GTS, wonderful in the dry but unnerving in the wet and the feeling that this could catch you out and bite hard. On the one hand I wanted one as a challenge to try and get to grips with its many talents, but I left with the impression that it too can be very scary, especially as the turbos produce so much spiked power in a way that makes a normally aspirated engine simply more predictable!

My mind was on a journey; what is

it that I liked so much about M cars and have had my fascination changed over the past 30 years?

In no particular order; I didn’t like the advent of traction control with the E39 M5. The normally aspirated engines were simply a marvel of engineering with their unique sound, predictability and urgency and the turbocharged motors can’t replicate it. Piping a false soundtrack through the speaker system is a major no no. The weight: Colin Chapman of Lotus was so right - to increase performance, add lightness. Clutch and gearbox are an involving art form and better for it, not least when maneuvering in tight spaces. The M seat fabrics with their creative designs, grippy texture and immediate warmth are very special. The feel of rack and pinion steering, engaging.

All these intimacies are sending little messages to your senses and stimulating them, creating a fascination. We all have different needs and interests and I got to thinking; what if we landed in the M Power storage facility with a shopping trolley and the promise that we could raid the parts bins and put together a car to fit our purpose, how would we individualise it?

An E36 and E46 Touring could be built up as an M3 making it a compact, versatile performance machine with practical space. Or a four-door E46 M3 because the E39 M5 was too large a car for your needs. A right-hand drive E30 M3 so one’s wife didn’t have to be hung out on the overtake, a Z1 with an S50 B30 engine installed to give it the go it so misses.

One might also play around with the final drive ratios to provide sharper acceleration in the speed range that suits our roads rather than compromising it for economy at the higher speeds we never use. Fit a tyre with slightly less width to feel the break point more readily.

We could also use parts from the Motorsport parts bin such as lightweight seats, and removing the back seats entirely which might never be used. Replace the standard heavy exhaust system for a lightweight titanium one from Akrapovic, fabricate the heavy front bumper unit in carbon fibre.

I would be tempted into building an E31 8 Series that looked like the fabled M8; it would lose around 450kg by ditching the armchair seats, pop up lights and complicated wiring system. It would have an S62 engine from the E39 M5 but with a five-speed dogleg gearbox and a high ratio diff to give it scorching acceleration, the suspension would have Schnitzer style qualities of comfort in the straight line but would then weight up nicely for good cornering.

What would your fantasy build from the BMW M Power parts bin? And could its simplicity and tactility bring back the missing fascination in driving?

The interior of the E31 M8 Prototype