~~~ Home of the M3 ///M Power ~~~: August 2007

The BMW E30 M3 A True Race Car

In 1986 BMW introduced a new race car to compete in “Group A” European Touring Car Championship racing. The only problem was that in order to compete, you had to have a road version on the car, hence the BMW E30 M3.

What makes the E30 M3 so special is that it was almost an exact replica of the race car used in competition. The engine was a high revving inline 4 cylinder that produced 192 hp and 170 lbs of torque (at 4750 rpm). From 1986 till 1991 the BMW E30 M3 evolved to remain competitive on the track. In the USA we only saw the 192 hp version, but in Europe they where privy to a 238 hp version (1990 E30 M3 Sport Evolution). They are extremely recognizable with their flared fenders to accommodate the oversized tires.

According to Car and Driver the USA 192hp version of the BMW E30 M3 sprinted 0 – 60 in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 141 MPH. The 238 hp European version made the 0 – 60 run in 6.2 seconds with a top speed just over 150 MPH.

Availability of these used production race cars is limited. Their performance is no secret so take caution if you are looking to purchase one of these machines.

The Return of the Legendary BMW M6

For 2007 BMW will be returning to production a legendary model that has not seen production since 1989, the BMW M6. The 2007 BMW M6’s body is based off of the new E63 645 coupe. The M6 will share the same V10 500hp engine as the new E60 BMW M5.

BMW claims the new M6will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The braking should be anything less than steller with high-performance brakes with cross-drilled compound brake discs. For 2007 the BMW M6 will only be available with a 7 speed SMG gearbox which is also the only option currently available in the M5. There are talks of offering a 6 speed manual in the future.

BMW has also taken care to cut the weight where ever possible by including a carbon fiber roof. Actual numbers speak louder than words and I look forward to experiencing the return of this legend.

BMW M5 Generations E28, E34, E39 and the New E60: The Super 5 Series

In 1986 BMW introduced what would soon become a legend among BMW enthusiasts the M5. This special 5 series BMW was introduced to the world in the 1984 Amsterdam Motor Show.

1986-1988 BMW M5 E28

The first of these special sports sedans was the BMW M5 E28 which came with an inline 6 cylinder that produced 286 hp at 6500 rpm (the North American model had 256 hp at 6500 rpm) and 251 lb/ft or torque at 4500 rpm (the North American model had 246 lb/ft torque at 4500 rpm) . The BMW M5 E28 weighs 3153lbs and came standard with a 5 speed transmission. The E28 M5 European version rocketed 0-60 mph in about 6.1 seconds and the ¼ mile in about 14.6 seconds at 85.7 mph.

1989-1995 BMW M5 E34

This second generation BMW M5 upped the performance to 315 hp. After 3 years of production, BMW upped the E34 M5’s hp to 340 at 6900 rpm and the torque to 296 lb/ft at 4750 rpm. The E34 M5 weighs 3788 lbs and came standard with a 5 speed transmission. This version managed 0-60 mph times less than 6 seconds.

1999-2003 BMW M5 E39

After a couple of years in hiatus the new BMW M5 appeared. This celebrated version of the BMW M5 has a v8 power plant with 394 hp at 6600 rpm with 368 lb/ft of torque at 3800 rpm. The E39 M5 weighs 4024 lbs and came standard with a 6 speed transmission. With 0-60 mph times under 5 seconds, the E39 M5 held the title as one of the best production sports sedans for several years. This example of the BMW M5 is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

2005-present BMW M5 E60

The new E60 BMW M5 is an absolute monster among sports sedans. The new E60 M5 has a 500 hp at 7750 rpm V10 engine that has 384 lb/ft of torque at 6100 rpm. It weighs in at 4050 lbs and currently comes standard with a 7 speed auto clutch manual transmission (rumors are that they will be offering a standard manual transmission in the coming years). The new E60 BMW M5 will jump 0-60 mph in about 4.5 and do the ¼ mile in about 12.6 seconds hitting 115mph. The new BMW M5 E60 is a 4 door supercar!