Un-branded M cars

[Geeman]

At the Ferrybridge meet on Sunday, I was talking to someone, think it was Kedge, and he was on about the Sport actually being a non-badged ///M-car...

Reading this months TBMW, it turns out he was right!

"The 325i Sport was developed by BMW Motorsport and this, along with the 850 CSi, is one of the few unbranded ///M cars"

So there you have it, Sports are ///M cars in disguise, and therefore deserve to wear the ///M badge proudly... (although technically they ain't ///M cars, as we all know ///M cars have Motorsport engines in really...)

Food for thought...

Giles.

[karlp]

So what bit makes it an M car.

engine - no
gearbox - no
body - no
brakes - no
bootlid - no
petrol tank - well they are similar

sounds like the sort of thing the NOVA boys would say down the pub to justify why the small 'M' is stuck next to 325 on the bootlid.

karl

[AndyG]

M division may have had some input into the suspension but that's about it really! The 850's engine has the tri colour flash over it with the M div log in front of you as soon as you open the bonnet, as they helped develop the engine.

The other car that gets mistakenly called an M car is the early e23 South African 745i as it had an M6 engine in it c/w LSD etc etc, only available there, some called it an M7! but it never went near the M premises. it was a parts bin special (typical of SA cars and outlets)

[Geeman]

Hey Karl... calm down. Was just relaying what the article on the "History of the M Power Division" stated in Total BMW this month.

I agree that the 325i Sport isn't an M car, but like the article says... "How much do you know about the M Power house?"

Quote: "The 850CSi is a six-speed manual 380bhp rocketship and a Motorsport product, though just like the 3-litre CSL, it was never branded as such."

Thought this might be an interesting topic to discuss... no need to bring Novas into it!

[Splondike]

So what bit makes it an M car.

engine - no
gearbox - no
body - no
brakes - no
bootlid - no
petrol tank - well they are similar

sounds like the sort of thing the NOVA boys would say down the pub to justify why the small 'M' is stuck next to 325 on the bootlid.

karl

I am not so sure - drive a standard 325i and a Sport and you will notice the difference.

The suspension uses shorter stiffer springs combined with firmer dampers and thicker anti roll bars which the is the M-Technic suspension package also there is close ratio gearbox raising the 1st and 2nd gear ratios which eliminates the nasty gap between 2nd & 3rd gear which spoils the standard car. Also there is the 3.91 Limited slip differential to further emphasise the closer ratios of the box.

It's not an ///M car by any means but the division apparently had some limited input.

[Splondike]

Also read somewhere else that it was a UK dealership concoction to create a special edition.....

I'd rather believe the former as I have one - those without would probably rather believe the latter...

Now where's the keys to my Nova

[motorsport]

My previous 325i sports have had little m stickers all over the place from factory too. steering wheel/gearshift/bodykit etc.
There is obviously a difference between the mtech and Mpower variants but are the Mtechnic/Mpower from the similar design house in any way?
Some dealerships used to stick the rear bootlid 'M' badges on their sports until BMW required the proof of a 'M3' chasis number to sell or affix them.
As can be seen on the back of my Nova...!
Andy

[Kedge]

Yes it was me Giles, glad i hadn't miss read the article.

I doubt they actualy worked on the car i think they probably just had some input on the parts BMW used to set it apart from the standard 325i.

[Toby_Unna]

well i reckon it's at least as much of an m car as my m535i (which admittedly ain't quite in the same league as an m5 )

it's a similar spec. m535i has uprated bilstein suspension, recaro mtech interior, mtech bodykit, faster steering box, LSD... but a standard lump.

should have called it a 535i sport really!

[billgatese30]

did you know that there was no m power 8 sieres. there was one in development at the m technic house but the design of the engine was robbed for the maclaren f1!!! and thus the M8 never saw the light of day.

[Kedge]

How cool would an have M8 been!!!!

[billgatese30]

especially with the maclaren f1 engine

[6potWil6pot]

Hmm all this talk got me thinking, does that make my old 318iS a genuine ///M as its just a 325i Sport with two less cylinders, infact you could argue its alot more like the M3 because of that!



(gets ready for the replies)

[billgatese30]

[Dom]

well they do call it the baby M3

[billgatese30]

coz its the only thing you 4 pot owners can find to try and make us superior 6 pot owners fell slightly less superior. however, that old chesnut never works

[Daryll]

PMSL @ this topic.....ok then lads so are we saying it is ethnically correct to stick an M badge on a 325i sport or is as big a no no as asking the wife to take her up the wrongun?

I've got M-Tech suspension on mine plus an M-Tech steering wheel/illuminated knob/gaiter etc etc to go on so does mine qualify for badges or will I just be poo pooed at meets and told to park in the corner of the car park with the Chav Nova's and blinged metro's??

[billgatese30]

poo

[Daryll]

poo

Wow....and I thought the wife was harsh and unfair!!!

Guess I will have to get some put them on and then take them off for any Zone pics and meets!!! hahahaha you'll never know!!! sneaky sneaky

[billgatese30]

no no mate, not the badges i was talking about.

just the word seemed unbelievbly funny for some reason when i read it out loud. thats all. m badges are ok, just not m3 ones

but poo....what a word

[6potWil6pot]

On a more serious note than 4cyl ///M Sports ( )
Im not a fan of the badge anywhere on my car, i cant avoid it with the M-tech II wheel or the gearknob.

[6potWil6pot]

just the word seemed unbelievbly funny for some reason when i read it out loud. thats all.
but poo....what a word

Your probably imagining him at his PC saying out aloud "POOO!"

[billgatese30]

how did you guess mate

[6potWil6pot]

I thought of the same thing, i just didnt post anything and laughed it up to myself

[Daryll]

Just for Billgates then POOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[motorsport]

Daryll do not despair, you can park next to mine.

[Dom]

coz its the only thing you 4 pot owners can find to try and make us superior 6 pot owners fell slightly less superior. however, that old chesnut never works

nope, we can also find corners

[CaesarBob]

i've always thought that the ///M badge represented a car with a few choice goodies from the options list such as the sports suspension, M-Tech bodykit, sports seats, etc.

The true ///M-branded cars were either the M3, M5, etc with the M635i being the awkward one.

At the end of the day, if it was hand built by Motorsport GmbH then it's a true car. Otherwise it's a specced up standard BMW.

[gazza]

can i join in....i have the build papers from bmw for my car that clearly states its a motorsport edition it has m tec 2 wheel,m tech gear knob recaros 15inch bbs etc all fitted at the factory but wait for it .....its a 318 cab........

[6potWil6pot]

This thread is gonna turn sour even without the additional 4cyl bashing
Some zoners are fans of the old ///M badges.

[Geeman]

Is it a 'Design' cab...? Limited Edition, last of the line E30 convertible...

[bryang]

A hot topic this one, usaully ends up in a furious debate.

I dont think its helped by the fact that BMW themselves slap the "M" branding everywhere on non "M" cars...

I cant see whats wrong with a plain "M" badge on a sport derivative car myself, but there are some purists out there...

[Karan]

forget the god damn badge.... a cars a car whether or not it has an m badge or not..... and in my opinion a non-m car can be made much better than an m car... just look at Ians car!!!

m badge snobs really annoy me (apart from Imran and Rags-LOL)... ive had the oppurtunity now twice in the past month to swap mine for an m3..... and i said NO cos it really wwasnt that much better if better at all....

in know that somedays id rather have a 325 sport than a m3... different horses for different courses.....
its just suspension geometry, brakes and an engine really isnt it...

Karan

[Karan]

to add to this id also somedays prefer to be driving round in my stock iS than my sport they are great cars...


Karan

[Jesus325iTouring]

There are two types of badges;

First is this.......... //M

Second is this........... //M3

First IMO denotes a car with M-Tec bits and pieces,if it hasn't,go join the Nova boys.

Second denotes an M3.

Second badge on first car would make you a twat.

First badge on first car says,I've got a 3 series with some extras.

Second badge says i've got an M3,and it's real.

Well thats my opinion,hence why my Tourer has an //M badge,and i've no intention of removing it