1M vs. M3 New Comparison Test by Auto Bild

[ozinaldo]

I don't remember that anyone has posted this one yet. Sorry, if it is a repost. I came across to this one when I was checking some numbers in the "fastest laps" site, a user recently posted this there. It looks like it is from the March issue of Auto Bild and the M3 is with DCT and Comp. Pack. You can see how they rate both at the end. I hope there won't be any useless 1M against M3 fights, just enjoy:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9...scarskicsi.jpg

[BFD99]

What I was able to figure out from the google translate of the little bit of wording there. Do you have the entire article? One page is hard to figure out everything.

Although 7000 is the turbo spins. but
shows after the switching process of the
Loader inhibitions and need
Ianger urn, the print again voUen
produce. Who in spiitestens
6500 rpm in the next higher
Speed ​​changes, avoids this
Problem.
Its advantage is the learning M
then no longer ago, it follows
Close this book nor the cost chapter.
Above 17 000 € cheaper - because
go one's arguments Iangsam
from. At the Zapfstiule Uegt
SechszyUnder gleichfaUs before
VS, in front of AUEM partial load
arbeitel he efrnienter. YoU driven
However, both just suck except their
Super-Plus-sized Vorriite
greedy, and be empty after a few
Hundreds Kilometem for easy
Prey FiiR the TDI Group.
This could, however, most FiiR
Fans have a minor matter. therefore, the
Judgment, short and pain it 'going on - the
Ler M offers more driving dynamics FiiR
less money. Surprisingly little,
Considering the gene donor.

An M-car us a real Schro1
and grain-fast, agile and with
unmistakable sound. who
seeking superior comfort!.
is wrong here. Oaffir is the 1
unbeatable value for money.

Long distance, the M3 ·
times better. But his uplifting ·
clear added price it can not in
much better performance
, ummUnzen on the race ·
route, he is even behind the 1 Series.

[ozinaldo]

I think it was posted originally with a page or so missing and I am kind of busy at work to find out the rest now. Maybe someone from here has this issue? Dackel comes to mind.

[mPlasticDesign]

Ohhh this is good stuff! ***** vs ****1/2

[Moo]

Hmm, why does the M3 stop in shorter distance than 1M, despite being heavier? I thought they use the same braking hardware?

[///M1]

Hmmm, why didn't they pair it up with the 6-spd M3, would've been a better apples-to-apples comparo

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by Moo

Hmm, why does the M3 stop in shorter distance than 1M, despite being heavier? I thought they use the same braking hardware?

Brakes, tires, wheels are all same and yes 1M is a lot lighter. Might be the longer wheel base + adaptive dampers working slightly better or simply margin of error of this test. Plus, 1M stops better from 200km/h according to the data.

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by ///M1

Hmmm, why didn't they pair it up with the 6-spd M3, would've been a better apples-to-apples comparo

I think they wanted to choose those options to the M3 in order to make it as much performant or quick as possible. An M3 with manual would still be faster but only after hitting 180 km/h or so and not before, not all the way to maybe 160-180 km/h, they would be too close or probably the 1M staying slightly ahead all that way and when it comes to in gear acceleration the gap would be much larger, we see here that even with DCT the M3's relative lack of torque is felt in comparison to the 1M. The same goes with the EDC and Comp. Pack, without them the M3 wouldn't be feeling and looking (maybe not even performing) as hardcore or sporty as the 1M. Maybe, it is just saying that this is the best performing E92 M3 we can have (in stock) and this is the best 1M (there is only one version anyway), the result is like EVO said before in their comparo of the two, the M3 is still a great car but the 1M is maybe even better, of course depending on what your comparison is based upon.

[Artemis]

My German ain't what it used to be anymore (eighties' high school days). Nevertheless, here's my take:

"Hence the verdict, brief and painless - the 1M offers more driving dynamism/dynamics for less money. Not quite surprising, given its genetics."

Evaluation:

"1M: An M-Car from real grist and grain - fast, agile and with unmistakable sound. Who's looking for upscale driving comfort, is at the wrong place. Therefore, the 1er [1M] is unbeatable value for money.
Star rating: 5/5 = 'fantastic' ["traumhaft"]."

"M3: on long stretches [or in the long run?] the M3 can easily [perform] better. However, it cannot translate/convert its extra price-tag into better driving performance, on the race-track it's even lying behind the 1er [1M].
Star rating: 4.5/5 = between 'turning on' ["macht an"] and 'fantastic' ["traumhaft"]."

Just to rub some extra salt in: "traumhaft" is translated as "dreamlike", "fantastic(al)", "heavenly" or "magnificent". Feel free to serve yourself.

Austrian or German forum members (hello Dackel !) can undoubtedly help us out. Anyway, the message got across.

[int2str]

[I'm German...; my attempt at a less literal translation]

Summary:

BMW 1er M COUPE
An "M car" through and through - fast, agile with that unmistakable sound. Those looking for elevated driving comfort will not find it here. In turn, the 1er is unbeatably low priced.
Overall: 5/5

BMW M3 COUPE
Long distances are simply much better handled in the M3. But it's significantly higher price does not translate into much better performance; on the race track it even trails the 1er.
Overall: 4.5/5

Article snippet:

The bi-turbo revs to 7000, but there's some turbo lag on the upshift as it takes longer to restore full boost. Shifting up at around 6500 avoids this problem though.
The 1er M does not relinquish it's advantage anymore from this point forward - especially when it comes to cost. More than 17000 Euro less - hard to argue that away. At the pump the 6 cylinder also trumps the V8, especially at partial load it is more efficient. At full throttle both cars will sap their small Premium grade fuel supply dry in a hurry and will be easy prey for TDIs after only a few hundred kilometers.
Most fans won't care about that though. Therefore the verdict is short and simple - the 1er M offers better driving performance for less money. Which is unsurprising given it's DNA.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by int2str

[I'm German...; my attempt at a less literal translation]

Amazing how a nimble car like the 1M keeps mesmerizing all sorts of car enthusiasts. Also for owners of exotic cars "just a 1er" got street cred. Worth its salt. Guess some folks at BMW struggle to wipe a big grin off their faces.

[int2str]

Kind of funny to see them call it "low priced" though
They mean compared to it's performance of course, but still...

[MrRoboto]

Why don't the test the M3 with manual gearbox?

[doug_999]

and people wonder why they only brought 740 of them to the states

[Zuzu]

I love my 1M..

[EmmDrei]

Originally Posted by MrRoboto

Why don't the test the M3 with manual gearbox?

Simple, a 1M would win when they do acceleration sprints. My M3 had the DCT gearbox and no way in the world can you shift that fast by hand if you set everything to max. (Btw that even goes for the BMW works race drivers according to a BMW Motorsport race engineer.) And since the sprints need at least 1 shift... the DCT car will be faster than the same car with MT. AND... DCT equals launch control. Another advantage when performing standing starts. BMW very simply wants to make quite sure, that the 1M does not outperform the M3 in the "relevant" categories. "Relevant" being the categories everyone talks about.

It really amazes me, that they still test the two cars against each other. The result is obvious and no one that knows both cars and that isn't completely nuts, would expect a different outcome.

Oh... and the braking distance... yes, I would expect an M3 to win there. Why? The stock suspension setup is simply better. A 1M will lose ground when the suspension has to start working while braking. And... imho the ABS setup in the M3 is better too. A locked wheel in the 1M happens faster and stays locked longer than in an M3.

Oh... and just for the records... no way in the world would I trade my 1M back for an M3! I'm surprised they don't yet charge me "entertainment tax" when driving my little black bulldog.

[///M1]

Originally Posted by EmmDrei

Simple, a 1M would win when they do acceleration sprints. BMW very simply wants to make quite sure, that the 1M does not outperform the M3 in the "relevant" categories. "Relevant" being the categories everyone talks about.

Agree with you on all counts, but isn't this an 'independent' magazine, not a BMW publication, so technically they should be 'free' to do whatever test they like.

Now of course I can see how they don't want to ruffle feathers with BMW, but if they wanted a 6-spd manual, tough to see BMW saying no to them. Perhaps it is as someone eluded to earlier: they wanted to test the 'best specimen' of both variants.

[flavush]

Why does BMW say that the 1M does 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds if he will do it a lot faster?

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by flavush

Why does BMW say that the 1M does 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds if he will do it a lot faster?

I don't think that I have missed one single serious test of the 1M, in any major language that I can follow good enough to understand what a number means, what I recall from all of them is the fastest 0-100 km/h is 4.5 and slowest 4.7 (I am talking from memory, correct me if I am wrong). So, why BMW tells us 4.9:

1) Almost all BMWs are released with conservative performance numbers as the official data, so maybe it is just that.

2) BMW maybe actually did test the car with a better time but they in turn took a politically correct decision and located the 1M 0.1 sec. slower than a M3 coupe with manual (4.8 sec. officially), and 0.2 slower than a M3 DCT (4.7 officially) and a M3 sedan is 4.9 but a DCT equipped Z4 is 4.8 (in US, Z4 and 1M are identically quoted, 0-60 mph in 4.7). Like a "rank" that they wanted to impose. Obviously the tests reveal that the 1M is on par to 100 km/h with a DCT equipped M3 and it is slightly faster than a manual M3. For me all these are just normal, expected and mean nothing special at all but they know that a lot of people buy a car for things that the car "represents". A likely 1M buyer wouldn't care to be slower than an M3, after all that is a more expensive car with a bigger and more powerful engine etc. But because of the very same reasons (more power, more expensive) there was no need for BMW to "intimidate" their loyal and more important customer base (the M3 buyers).

Others may give you other explanations, this is mine

[m3dragon]

My buddy had 2 E92 M3's. Started with the vert and then changed to the coupe. He sold them after driving with me on back roads and not being able to keep up with my E46 M3. He now is in a Z4 M Coupe.

The E92 is more GT than prior BMWs according to his experience. It does not get fun unless you are doing triple digits. If you are not doing that it is to tall and to heavy.

With that said, comparing the M3 to the 1M is not really seem like a correct comparison. They are in 2 different classes IMHO. GT vs Toss around racer. I guess Audi TT vs 1M would be a more class vs class comparison.