I didn't come to work yesterday, and one thing I did with my free time was to take a real drive in our 2009 BMW M3. I've made far too many laps on the freeway in our sedan not to get it on a proper back road.
Well, my first choice for a back road (the northwestern-most section of Mulholland Highway) was strewn with rocks that had fallen from the cliff-faces during the weekend storms. After gingerly picking my way around those, I decided to check out Yerba Buena. This little road is rougher, tighter and narrower -- but has fewer canyon walls looming over it.
Well, I have to eat a slice of humble pie now. The M3 was not as much fun on this road as our departed 2008 BMW 135i, a car I often said was boring. Partly it was an issue of size. The M3 sedan is significantly longer (180.4 in. vs. 171.7 in.), wider (71.5 vs. 68.8) and heavier (+ 300 pounds), and just did not fit as well on the road. I felt less comfortable diving into blind corners.
The other factor was suspension tuning. Our 135i had a soft setup for a BMW, and this allowed it to smooth out a lot of the roughness on Yerba Buena. Our M3's ride felt brittle by comparison. I didn't touch the EDC button, so the adaptive dampers remained in their default, least sporty setting, but the damping was still too aggressive for this road and the car felt nervous.
I couldn't end the day on at note, though, so we finished up on a smoother road where the M3 was happier. I enjoy the howl of the 4.0-liter V8 on its way to its 8,300-rpm redline, and I love the exhaust snort upon a smoothly executed heel-and-toe downshift.
The car is so quick coming out of corners, and there's so much grip, that it's almost a little too much for public roads littered with rocks and shared with cyclists. Perhaps my next personal day will find us on a racetrack.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 17,792 miles
joefrompa says:
12:20 PM, 03/ 9/10
I really hope and pray this engine turns out to be robust enough to handle that redline. Reading that last paragraph, I just remembered the rash of failures of BMW's 2001 M3 engine with it's ~8000 rpm redline (which was slightly too high for the initial engine build).
stingray454 says:
12:42 PM, 03/ 9/10
Yeah, take this thing to the track already. It's begging you to.
mihai says:
12:46 PM, 03/ 9/10
That is by far my most favorite place to take my EvoIX.
Topanga Canyon Blvd -> Mulholland Dr -> Mulholland Hwy -> Encinal Canyon Rd -> PCH North -> Yerba Buena Rd -> Circle X Ranch -> Little Sycamore Canyon Rd -> Mulholland Hwy -> Neptune's Net
:thumbsup:
bimmerjay says:
12:58 PM, 03/ 9/10
The 135i also has the advantage of a shorter wheelbase on tight roads. However, I think the 1's heavy run-flat tires hurt it when it comes to mid-corner bumps and remaining on its line, I think the M3 does better here despite the lesser suspension compliance. Still I think the 135i is a little too soft. BMW needs to add firmer dampening to the M Sport option.
desmolicious says:
01:06 PM, 03/ 9/10
For anyone who hasn't driven on Yuerba Buena road, it is a tiny beat up goat track of a road.
The vehicle of choice on a road like this would be a supermoto or dual sport motorbike.
There are sections of it where a car like a BMW 3 series is almost as wide as the entire road.
equ says:
01:52 PM, 03/ 9/10
Kind of surprised, that must be some road. I never felt an 18" e90M in a non-stiff setting would be overly stiff for a bumpy, twisty road. And the 135i handling generally feels all over the place. Interesting.
lazyhater says:
02:23 PM, 03/ 9/10
equ says: "Kind of surprised, that must be some road. I never felt an 18" e90M in a non-stiff setting would be overly stiff for a bumpy, twisty road. And the 135i handling generally feels all over the place. Interesting."
Surprised here also, 18" e90M in a non-stiff setting is very compliance!
lionheart4 says:
03:30 PM, 03/ 9/10
Erin, next time make sure you have EDC on 'normal', not 'comfort', which seems to be the setting you had on by default. Normal is suppose to be more adaptive to the road conditions and will be a better fit then 'comfort'. I usually stay on 'normal' but have the M Settings to 'Sport' for the EDC when I'm driving agressive.
lionheart4 says:
03:31 PM, 03/ 9/10
Erin, next time make sure you have EDC on 'normal', not 'comfort', which seems to be the setting you had on by default. Normal is suppose to be more adaptive to the road conditions and will be a better fit then 'comfort'. I usually stay on 'normal' but have the M Settings to 'Sport' for the EDC when I'm driving aggressive.
cr_driver says:
05:04 PM, 03/ 9/10
joefrompa says:
12:20 PM, 03/ 9/10
"I really hope and pray this engine turns out to be robust enough to handle that redline."
Really? Why all the devotion?
e90_m3 says:
07:52 PM, 03/ 9/10
That is interesting. I find the ride in my M3 better than in my old E90 325i without Sport Package. The RFT makes the ride a lot firmer and is outright harsh in bad roads. The M3's normal tires have a fair bit of "give" over bumps, while the normally firmer suspension provides great control in body motions. The exact opposite is true for normal BMWs with RFTs.
Which is not to say the ride for normal BMWs suck. It's just a bit jarring on bad roads and the suspension still does a great job controlling leans and dives.
adrean8j says:
09:01 PM, 03/ 9/10
@equ: "And the 135i handling generally feels all over the place. Interesting."
You sir...have NO idea what you are talking about. There is no possible way that statement and any sense....there is not a single BMW in the current North American lineup that feels "all over the place" in the handling department.....Please justify/prove your statement.....
stovt001 says:
10:26 PM, 03/ 9/10
And the "short trigger" award has now been swiftly pulled from 1487's grasp.
redwoodaggie says:
09:00 AM, 03/10/10
My wife and I felt the same way about the 135i vs. E92 M3 when flogging them back to back. The 135i felt more tossable and felt I could place it on a dime, though the M3 ultimately had more grip. The steering was more telepathic in the M3, but I felt I could only place it on a silver dollar. It was mostly due to the size/weight. The 135i reminded me of my '99 M3, except with more power, slightly better brakes, and a nicer interior. It's may understeer at the very limit, but a serious track junky would replace the springs/shocks and dial that out.
themiddleroad says:
12:17 AM, 03/11/10
I'd be hard-pressed to choose between an M3 and a M1, but the x35 engine can't be trusted. I'd take the M3 over the 135i in a snap. Natural aspiration is just awesome.