The ebay thread

[Mito Man]

So just different mounts is as special as it got. Which you won’t even be able to tell what difference they make unless you drive it back to back with a regular 320 M sport.
The car no one asked for.

[Beany]

So just different mounts is as special as it got. Which you won’t even be able to tell what difference they make unless you drive it back to back with a regular 320 M sport.
The car the WTCC regulations asked for.

I imagine you'd be able to tell the difference in handling against a six pot, and maybe against a four pot, and the engine would be at least a bit more interesting.

You know, assuming it's not cracked it's block having not been kept below 3500rpm till it reached operating temperature, or one of the other dozen ways those engines can shit their biscuits.

[dinny_g]

But but but... carbonfibre cam cover init...

[Peterlplp]

I'd rather an Altezza RS200 for that type of thing.

[Swervin_Mervin]

So how is it any different to a 320 M sport? Just hard springs?

Coaster said earlier, engine mounted in a different position along with a chassis setup to accommodate.

Bog standard M-sport chassis setup - mechanical changes were limited to the engine, wheels and brakes as far as I can tell.

I don't see the appeal - it might be a homologation special, but it's not like it has thinner glass, lightened panels, different bodywork or anything notable, and while it might be a 'special' engine, 85bhp/litre is hardly pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Slightly less weight over the nose and less unsprung weight from the fancy wheels might improve the wheel control and ride, but given the reputation E90 M-sports have for riding like utter garbage I can't see it making a huge difference.

Honestly don't see the appeal.

??

They ride fine

Can't see the appeal of the 320 - forgoe the meh chassis "upgrades" and get one with a proper engine

[Rich B]

As Beany said - it exists for the World Touring Car Championship regs.

Aside from that though, it’s a faster, lighter (and was actually cheaper) alternative to the the normal 320i. It also has lovely wheels, an interesting story and an “exotic” engine.

Unfortunately none of that really matters because none of us would be particularly interested in a normal 320i either.

[NotoriousREV]

0-62 in 8.something. Meh.

[Beany]

??

They ride fine

I'm not thinking of the F-whatever three series am I? :/

Sure I was told - on here - that the E9x M-sports were unacceptably firm, perhaps I'm misremembering.

[Rich B]

??

They ride fine

I'm not thinking of the F-whatever three series am I? :/

Sure I was told - on here - that the E9x M-sports were unacceptably firm, perhaps I'm misremembering.

Doesn't stop you punting it on like it’s a fact though...

[Swervin_Mervin]

??

They ride fine

I'm not thinking of the F-whatever three series am I? :/

Sure I was told - on here - that the E9x M-sports were unacceptably firm, perhaps I'm misremembering.

GG always thought so. But he's either wrong, a fanny or a decrepit old fart. I had read the same before I bought mine. Immediately wondered WTF everyone was on about after I drove it back from Exeter. Mind, I did step out of a Cup chassis'd 197 - even an R26 owning mate through that 197 was incredibly stiff for a road car.

[Ascender]

"We can't say its jobby brown"...

"Rare?"

"Sorted"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M5-5-0-V ... SwY8NcvZ7R

[Beany]

??

They ride fine

I'm not thinking of the F-whatever three series am I? :/

Sure I was told - on here - that the E9x M-sports were unacceptably firm, perhaps I'm misremembering.

Doesn't stop you punting it on like it’s a fact though...

Eh, so be it. The reputation for them being hard riding was one I was aware of, and had heard repeated on here, and it's one Swerv had heard about too, presumably independently.

If it's bollocks though, it's bollocks. Won't argue with that.

[Mito Man]

They did have a reputation for having a hard ride as did every BMW of that era as it was the start of the run flat era combined with big alloys and they all had harder springs than the equivalent Merc or Audi.
Now it’s less noticeable and even soft as everything else is more sporty with 20” wheels.

[integrale_evo]

Yes, 18in first get runflats plus sports suspension got a bit of a reputation for being too harsh for something not particularly sporty, seeing as most were just sold to 'normal' people who don't really give a crap about on the limit handling finesse.

320si appeals because it was built specifically for Motorsport, much like an e36 318is saloon ( the only four door to get the 16v engine ) and Alfa 155 silverstone with its extendable wing and splitter do.

The wheels are lovely, it got bigger brakes, they took a normal 2.0 4parper, built it by hand, increased the bore, reduced the stroke, increased the compression ratio, fitted bigger intake and exhaust valves, used alloy liners instead of cast iron, removed the valvetronic variable valve gubbins and stuck a carbonfibre can cover on.

On paper it's nothing special, but I bet it feels and drives far better than it's on paper figures suggest. It might not be quick, it might not make sense, but there's still something nerdily cool about them.

The unfortunate thing is it makes less power than the de-tuned 2.0 192 bhp version of the e30 m3 engine they put in the e30 320is back in 1988

[nuttinnew]

"We can't say its jobby brown"...

"Rare?"

"Sorted"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M5-5-0-V ... SwY8NcvZ7R

[Swervin_Mervin]

They did have a reputation for having a hard ride as did every BMW of that era as it was the start of the run flat era

I'd completely forgotten about them being on runflats. Even so, mine was on fairly worn PS3 RFTs when I got it and I didn't think it was that bad

[Coaster1]

Another nice but flawed car.

[speedingfine]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 1126079004?

Anyone else like this

[Swervin_Mervin]

I see one every morning. Have always quite liked them. Can't see where that one's located?

[DeskJockey]

I walk past one every time I go to the station/take the eldest to school and it has a certain appeal. Not sure if it is the full fat 3.5, but it has a fruity exhaust on it.