Quote:
Originally Posted by mjr24
Arguments like this are stupid. No, M Sport cars are not real M cars. However, I love when people say basically no car has been a real M car since "one of those models from like 30 years ago" that the poster probably has never even seen in real life let alone driven.
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Mostly agreed.
E46 M3 had ~340 hp and did 0-60 in 5.2s.
M340/M440 have 382 hp and do 0-60 in ~4.3s.
E46 M3 could handle 0.89g of cornering w/ a 49/51 front/rear weight distribution.
M340/M440 can handle 0.91g with a 53/47 weight distribution.
Track times have improved, handling has improved, reliability has improved, interiors have improved, everything.
Welcome to evolution - the definition of "M" is not set in stone nor static, it is merely representative of performance.
I think if we didn't have like 5 tiers of M cars it would be more widely and easily accepted that the M340 / M440 count as M cars, but when you have the M340 > M3 > M3 Competition > M3 CS > M3 GTS it admittedly makes it a bit difficult with all the variants.
If it were simply 330 > M340 > M3 I think it'd be fine as far as the M340 / M440 being publicly accepted as M cars. I get comments from non-BMW owners of "ooooo you got an M car?!" and I just sort of inwardly sigh at this point - too much to try and explain the nuance and differences to nontechnical, non-enthusiast people who are just trying to show some appreciation for a nice car. I just say something like "yeah pretty much, just a different engine...hah...". Might as well lean into it and roll with it.