BMW M series?
 

well, where I park to walk to work (I'm too cheap to pay for parking) I sometimes walk passed a BMW M roadster. they are cute cars and are supposed to be pretty fast, so I'm always watching for the guy when I leave and hope I can follow him to a light.

well, I elave work and roll up to good ole M-Roadster at the light just before te highway.... a solid 2 mile stratch of 3 lane road that branches to the highway. well. I rev the engine, and look over. the guy laughs at me and makes a show of putting the car in first really hard. well light goes green and I rip from about 4k. well I lose traction being stock tires but they bite quick enough to prevent me from looking an ***. well, he gets about 1/2 car before my wheels dig in and I ripthrough first to catch him side by side. ease into second and hit it hard with zero wheel slip, he shifts and falls back a little, but starts slowly crawling up on me. knowing how my GT works I realized I was gone because after second I'm usually outguned if someone has more HP and stays close. Torque is great, but I need more upper end. he ends up taking me by about 1/2 car length before I had to shut down (going 130 is bad ) and he did as well. gave a nod then took my ramp.

I thought the M series was supposed to be really stellar. what happened? Anyhow, it was fun and knowing my car cost 1/2 as much for a better looking car, I was pleased.

Torinalth

What does your GT have in the way of mods?

The M roadsters run low-mid 13's.

Is that a Road and Track time, lol.

Ok, so I've never seen one run, who has(?), but I found some magazine numbers.

C&D ran a 13.1 @ 109 with a 2001.

for comparison

MT ran a 14.0 @ 100 with a 2001 GT.

Given what you would have to do to get those kind of numbers out of the M roadster, I would imagine they are only a little faster than a new GT when driven by a typical M driver. You know, older, doesn't want to drop the clutch and powershift, etc.

Once again, magazine times. I cant stand R&T and C&D.

So what does this thing run then?

I agree that magazine times are often crappy, but what else do we have to go on...the rich old white people who buy cars like this never go to the track, so I've got little to judge their performance.

Well I go by the fact that I raced one in a low 13 second stang and whopped it bad. The car is maybe a 14.0 at the most.

Depends some on what year the M Roadster is. Before 2002 (I think), they had 240 HP. The 2002's have 330 HP and are a good bit faster. I raced one dead even on the street when my car ran 13.97/100 at the track. I believe it was the 240 HP version (2000 or 2001).

Rev

I agree with Rev, the older 240 hp versions are high 13 cars with a good driver. I've seen a newer one go 12.94 with nothing but a K&N and a good driver.

That's why I posted both cars that were racing. Geez, I figure all the testers drive about the same, and lie about the same. I doubt that the guys at C&D are Bimmer humpers and lie down, while the guys at MT hate Ford and lie up. I've met a handful of the guys over at R&T at verious events, and they all seem like upstanding car nuts. So I'm not sure what you're problem with them is. I personally think no main stream guys are as good as Autoweek.

I raced one of the older versions(240hp) and was dead even we only went up to about 70 though... low 14's car I'd say.

Well Im also not so impressed with the way they test the vehicles. Especially the whole "Drop Clutch" average method.

I have a friend who has a 00 Vette & a 00 or 01 M5 sedan.. he took them both to the track & the M5 outran the Vette.......

a friend of mine in school has a brand new 2001 BMW M3 it is fast and sticks to the ground. Get this.....hes rich and has a 2001 GT and is scared to drive it. Never seen the GT in action but the BMW is pretty fast but i dont know about the roadsters

he has a 2001 GT and a 2001 M3...he isn't scared to drive the M3, but is scared to drive the GT? I am confused...

The best thing about street racing Bimmers (3 or 5 series) is that most of them won't do what's necessary for a good launch (dropping the clutch at 3000 RPM). They're afraid of hurting their expensive drive train. Most magazine guys are afraid to hurt the loaner because if they do, they may not get another one later.

That gives most of us an advantage off the line, but we'd better get it there, because these 3 and 5 series BMW's are awful fast. My $.02.

Rev

Yea he said he was driving it in the rain one day and spun when giving it to much gas. Im guessing to much hp to the rear wheels. He said he almost died but i dont know about all that

wow, my post exploded. the guys lisence plate was 02MRDSTR so I'm guessing 2002. and no he did not launch well, which is why I got him there, but just dont have the HP do get them after second. but my turbo will fix that..... just need a lil time.

and I'v raced the 33ci and the new 5 series and took them both easy.... nothing there at all. they look nice though.

personally I want to track down a Z8 and they one of them for size... after I have my turbo though :)

Torinalth

3 and 5 series are pigs, its the M series you have to look out for.

I actually was referring to the M3 and M5 (M Roadster has the same engine as M3). I should have been more clear on that.

Rev