Utter the phrase M3 and a couple of visions come to mind: That of a clueless customer who thinks a “Bimmer” is cool, and will never drive it to its full potential. (It’s not a Beemer – it’s a BMW). The other is the enthusiast. Now indulge us a step further and imagine an enthusiast who has enjoyed the M3 Coupe in the past, but now has a family to contend with. Family Man, meet the 2011 BMW M3 Sedan.
Legendary since nearly the beginning, it’s nearing a refresh based on the new-for-2012 3-Series, so we thought the current model worthy of one final look before it is led out the door. Put on the Piloti driving shoes and hop in as we take a last look at the 2011 BMW M3 Sedan.
What is it?
The M3 was originally introduced in Europe in 1986 as a homologation special to qualify the car for the DTM Race series. All comes to he who waits and we North Americans finally got ours in 1988. Trivia fact: BMW has offered only two four-door M3s, that based on the E36 platform of the mid-1990s and the current E90 model.
This E90-designated four-door is a hot rod for those who have outgrown the coupe lifestyle but not the desire for stellar handling and acceleration in a midsize package. With room for a driver and four passengers, you can have your friends and drive them, too, if that’s your taste.
Way back when, the original M3 was equipped with a 192-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine. Accelerate to the future and we find a 414-horsepower V8 for motivation under the hood. It’s the first time for that sized engine.
What’s it up against?
Locked in the Texas Cage Death Match of Motoring with the M3 Sedan are the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and the Lexus IS-F, with their 416 to 451 horsepower range.
Lagging slightly behind is the Audi S4 with its supercharged V6, a model that competes better with the standard 335i.
All are naturally aspirated, with the exception of the Audi, which tries to equalize with its huffed V6.
Any breakthroughs?
In addition to the first naturally aspirated V8 engine for the line, new for the 2011 model year is the Competition Package, which includes a 10 mm lowered suspension and 19-inch wheels, in addition to the already standard programmable driving dynamics controls. Able to be recalled by way of the “M Drive” button on the steering wheel, the driver can adjust and save preferences relating to suspension, steering and stability.
Additionally, while not exactly a breakthrough, the new and improved fourth-generation iDrive is no longer an issue, save for the somewhat obscure icons that are less than transparent as to their specific function.
How does it look?
Built out of the typical three-box design, the M3 Sedan appears like it has been taking some of that bad medicine while working out at the gym. Starting with the front and its gaping holes that run nearly the width of the front fascia, topped by the twin kidney bean openings, the M3 looks like a cross between Uga, the University of Georgia Bulldog and Big Mouth Billy Bass.
The hood is sporting an obscenely large power bulge to give the big V8 some clearance under the bonnet. Absent from the front end are under-bumper fog lamps which are abused and overused in the first place. Instead, BMW chose to use every available inch of space for engine and brake cooling.
The stance looks more menacing by way of the wide track and the huge Continental meats on the BMW M series alloy wheels. Familiar side gills with M color designations show this is more than the average 3-Series. The rear is more subtle in appearance with a discreet lip spoiler and a pair of dual exhausts from under the vented lower rear end.
And on the inside?
If anything, the interior of the M3 is where the car really falls short. In the case of our tester, it was an amalgam of light blue/grey leather for seating surfaces contrasting with black leather and carbon fiber weave where normally brushed metal panels would appear.
The seats are nicely bolstered and hold you well in place inside. We just feel that BMW designers dropped the ball on what is one of the preeminent sports sedans in the business, opting to go with interior materials and a general appearance that seem to belong more in a rental car.
But just in case you should forget which car in your fleet you are driving today, there are “M-power” reminders everywhere from the doorsills to the gauge faces and shifter knob. Speaking of gauges, we like the variable nature of the M-Tachometer, which shows the redline climbing as the engine’s oil temperature heats up. The leather-wrapped steering wheel offers correct orientation as well as good placement of the paddle shift levers to operate the M Double Clutch Transmission. Operating like a manual, it can be shifted using the console-located shift knob, or the paddles on the wheel.
But does it go?
The 4.0-liter V8 is truly a case of less being more. The new engine, which appeared first in 2010, weighs seven-percent less than the engine in the previous six-cylinder-powered M3, yet makes 24-percent more power. By the numbers, that’s 414-horsepower at 8,300 rpm, and 295 lb-ft of torque. For those keeping track, that’s 12:1 compression, with an 8,400 rpm redline. A wet sump oiling system uses two sumps – one ahead, and one behind the front axle assembly to insure proper oiling while in track or heavy breaking situations.
A standard auto start/stop function is now included to cut unnecessary engine runtime and in the process, save on fuel usage. Not as disconcerting as when in a manual transmission-equipped car, it’s a cause for a small fuel savings. Regardless, the EPA says to expect mpg around 14 city and 20 highway, with an average of 16. In our exuberance behind the wheel, we saw an average of 14 mpg.
Power finds its way to the rear differential via a standard six-speed manual transmission. Boring, you say? Well not so fast, Pedro. Our test model had the seven-speed M-Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic. A $2,900 available option, it allows pedal-less shifting while using either the shifter or paddles on the steering wheel.
Acceleration is one of the sedan’s strong points. Stand on it, and the engine roars, but more importantly, it feels as though a size-12 work boot has been firmly planted in the middle of your chest and is pressing down hard. We loved the virtually imperceptible way the gears in the Getrag-built unit clicked off from one to seven. It was equally easy to shift via the lever but we have become more comfortable with the wheel-mounted paddles. While we didn’t see the M3 Sedan’s top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited), we did tick off 0-60 mph times of 4.5 seconds with our eyes closed.
The suspension is made of aluminum sub assemblies, front and rear, and feature a 52.2/47.8 front to rear weight bias. Struts up front hold the rack and pinion system in place, while a multi-link rear kit keeps the tires planted in what we call a firm, but satisfying ride. We’ve heard from our colleagues in the Snow Belt how jarring the ride can be, but down south, where the roads are generally of a smoother quality, we like it just fine. Finally, after we manage to build up a head of steam, the 14.2-inch cross-drilled and vented front and 13.8-inch rear rotors bring the action to a halt with no fade, as we found on Leftlane’s super secret test loop.
Like a go-cart, this is one of the best handling sedans in the business. Like a soon to be endangered species, you’d better hurry up and catch one now. With the model changeover just around the corner, you might not see the next M3 sedan for two or more seasons. That’s like no NBA and NFL, combined.
Why you would buy it:
The company calls it the ultimate driving machine. We’d have to agree.
Why you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, in this case):
Because you still think it’s a “Bimmer.”
Leftlane’s bottom line
A four-door machine with stellar performance and handling, this will be the last chance for a while to buy a naturally aspirated, high-revving M3 sedan, until the new M3 sedan arrives in a couple of years.
We look forward to the anticipated return of a couple fewer cylinders and the arrival of forced induction, but the outgoing M3 is still one hell of a ride.
2011 BMW M3 M-DCT Sedan base price, $55,400. As tested, $68,775.
Metallic paint, $550; Competition Package, $2,500; Premium Package, $2,000; Technology Package, $2,500; M Double Clutch Transmission, $2,900; iPod connector, $400; SiriusXM, $350; Destination, $875; Gas Guzzler Tax, $1,300.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
Review: 2011 BMW M3 M-DCT Sedan
Reviewed by
Mark Elias on
November 18
.
We give BMW’s hot-rod four-door one last hurrah before the curtain falls… for now.
Utter the phrase M3 and a couple of visions come to mind: That of a clueless customer who thinks a “Bimmer” is cool, and will never drive it to its full potential. (It’s not a Beemer – it’s a BMW). The other is the enthusiast. Now indulge us a step further and imagine an enthusiast who has enjoyed the M3 Coupe in the past, but now has a family to contend with. Family Man, meet the 2011 BMW M3 Sedan.
Legendary since nearly the beginning, it’s nearing a refresh based on the new-for-2012 3-Series, so we thought the current model worthy of one final look before it is led out the door. Put on the Piloti driving shoes and hop in as we take a last look at the 2011 BMW M3 Sedan.
What is it?
The M3 was originally introduced in Europe in 1986 as a homologation special to qualify the car for the DTM Race series. All comes to he who waits and we North Americans finally got ours in 1988. Trivia fact: BMW has offered only two four-door M3s, that based on the E36 platform of the mid-1990s and the current E90 model.
This E90-designated four-door is a hot rod for those who have outgrown the coupe lifestyle but not the desire for stellar handling and acceleration in a midsize package. With room for a driver and four passengers, you can have your friends and drive them, too, if that’s your taste.
Way back when, the original M3 was equipped with a 192-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine. Accelerate to the future and we find a 414-horsepower V8 for motivation under the hood. It’s the first time for that sized engine.
What’s it up against?
Locked in the Texas Cage Death Match of Motoring with the M3 Sedan are the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and the Lexus IS-F, with their 416 to 451 horsepower range.
Lagging slightly behind is the Audi S4 with its supercharged V6, a model that competes better with the standard 335i.
All are naturally aspirated, with the exception of the Audi, which tries to equalize with its huffed V6.
Any breakthroughs?
In addition to the first naturally aspirated V8 engine for the line, new for the 2011 model year is the Competition Package, which includes a 10 mm lowered suspension and 19-inch wheels, in addition to the already standard programmable driving dynamics controls. Able to be recalled by way of the “M Drive” button on the steering wheel, the driver can adjust and save preferences relating to suspension, steering and stability.
Additionally, while not exactly a breakthrough, the new and improved fourth-generation iDrive is no longer an issue, save for the somewhat obscure icons that are less than transparent as to their specific function.
How does it look?
Built out of the typical three-box design, the M3 Sedan appears like it has been taking some of that bad medicine while working out at the gym. Starting with the front and its gaping holes that run nearly the width of the front fascia, topped by the twin kidney bean openings, the M3 looks like a cross between Uga, the University of Georgia Bulldog and Big Mouth Billy Bass.
The hood is sporting an obscenely large power bulge to give the big V8 some clearance under the bonnet. Absent from the front end are under-bumper fog lamps which are abused and overused in the first place. Instead, BMW chose to use every available inch of space for engine and brake cooling.
The stance looks more menacing by way of the wide track and the huge Continental meats on the BMW M series alloy wheels. Familiar side gills with M color designations show this is more than the average 3-Series. The rear is more subtle in appearance with a discreet lip spoiler and a pair of dual exhausts from under the vented lower rear end.
And on the inside?
If anything, the interior of the M3 is where the car really falls short. In the case of our tester, it was an amalgam of light blue/grey leather for seating surfaces contrasting with black leather and carbon fiber weave where normally brushed metal panels would appear.
The seats are nicely bolstered and hold you well in place inside. We just feel that BMW designers dropped the ball on what is one of the preeminent sports sedans in the business, opting to go with interior materials and a general appearance that seem to belong more in a rental car.
But just in case you should forget which car in your fleet you are driving today, there are “M-power” reminders everywhere from the doorsills to the gauge faces and shifter knob. Speaking of gauges, we like the variable nature of the M-Tachometer, which shows the redline climbing as the engine’s oil temperature heats up. The leather-wrapped steering wheel offers correct orientation as well as good placement of the paddle shift levers to operate the M Double Clutch Transmission. Operating like a manual, it can be shifted using the console-located shift knob, or the paddles on the wheel.
But does it go?
The 4.0-liter V8 is truly a case of less being more. The new engine, which appeared first in 2010, weighs seven-percent less than the engine in the previous six-cylinder-powered M3, yet makes 24-percent more power. By the numbers, that’s 414-horsepower at 8,300 rpm, and 295 lb-ft of torque. For those keeping track, that’s 12:1 compression, with an 8,400 rpm redline. A wet sump oiling system uses two sumps – one ahead, and one behind the front axle assembly to insure proper oiling while in track or heavy breaking situations.
A standard auto start/stop function is now included to cut unnecessary engine runtime and in the process, save on fuel usage. Not as disconcerting as when in a manual transmission-equipped car, it’s a cause for a small fuel savings. Regardless, the EPA says to expect mpg around 14 city and 20 highway, with an average of 16. In our exuberance behind the wheel, we saw an average of 14 mpg.
Power finds its way to the rear differential via a standard six-speed manual transmission. Boring, you say? Well not so fast, Pedro. Our test model had the seven-speed M-Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic. A $2,900 available option, it allows pedal-less shifting while using either the shifter or paddles on the steering wheel.
Acceleration is one of the sedan’s strong points. Stand on it, and the engine roars, but more importantly, it feels as though a size-12 work boot has been firmly planted in the middle of your chest and is pressing down hard. We loved the virtually imperceptible way the gears in the Getrag-built unit clicked off from one to seven. It was equally easy to shift via the lever but we have become more comfortable with the wheel-mounted paddles. While we didn’t see the M3 Sedan’s top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited), we did tick off 0-60 mph times of 4.5 seconds with our eyes closed.
The suspension is made of aluminum sub assemblies, front and rear, and feature a 52.2/47.8 front to rear weight bias. Struts up front hold the rack and pinion system in place, while a multi-link rear kit keeps the tires planted in what we call a firm, but satisfying ride. We’ve heard from our colleagues in the Snow Belt how jarring the ride can be, but down south, where the roads are generally of a smoother quality, we like it just fine. Finally, after we manage to build up a head of steam, the 14.2-inch cross-drilled and vented front and 13.8-inch rear rotors bring the action to a halt with no fade, as we found on Leftlane’s super secret test loop.
Like a go-cart, this is one of the best handling sedans in the business. Like a soon to be endangered species, you’d better hurry up and catch one now. With the model changeover just around the corner, you might not see the next M3 sedan for two or more seasons. That’s like no NBA and NFL, combined.
Why you would buy it:
The company calls it the ultimate driving machine. We’d have to agree.
Why you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, in this case):
Because you still think it’s a “Bimmer.”
Leftlane’s bottom line
A four-door machine with stellar performance and handling, this will be the last chance for a while to buy a naturally aspirated, high-revving M3 sedan, until the new M3 sedan arrives in a couple of years.
We look forward to the anticipated return of a couple fewer cylinders and the arrival of forced induction, but the outgoing M3 is still one hell of a ride.
2011 BMW M3 M-DCT Sedan base price, $55,400. As tested, $68,775.
Metallic paint, $550; Competition Package, $2,500; Premium Package, $2,000; Technology Package, $2,500; M Double Clutch Transmission, $2,900; iPod connector, $400; SiriusXM, $350; Destination, $875; Gas Guzzler Tax, $1,300.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
Rating:
