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- Canberra
- Unwired-Eddie
BMW Battleground
Welcome, once again, to the tune-up challenge. Part six not only finishes my 'ring cycle of German manufacturers but will also be the last in the current series of head to head tests.
This round will be fought out by 5 of BMW's best. The 330i is our entry level car, the M3 and M3 CSL as our midfielders, and the M3 GTR facing off with the M5 for top position.
The Contenders
BMW 330i '05
Cost: CR 48,040
Power: 255 HP
Torque: 299.78 Nm
Weight: 1525 kg
BMW M3 '04
Cost: CR 74,560
Power: 339 HP
Torque: 364.46 Nm
Weight: 1570 kg
BMW M3 CSL '03
Cost: CR 113,610
Power: 355 HP
Torque: 370.24 Nm
Weight: 1385 kg
BMW M3 GTR '03
Cost: CR 340,900 (est.)
Power: 375 HP
Torque: 389.84 Nm
Weight: 1350 kg
BMW M5 '05
Cost: CR 116,650
Power: 501 HP
Torque: 520.28
Weight: 1715 kg
Method
All vehicles were bought from the showroom with 0 km on the odometer or won as-new from the relevant racing series. As the most expensive car, the M3 GTR will be test driven by B-Spec Brett at Nurburgring and the fastest lap time recorded. B-Spec Brett will then try to beat this time using the other vehicles. Total cost of car and tuning may not exceed the cost of the M3 GTR. TCS and ASM must be set to 0 and B-Spec will be set to 3.
Track
Nurburgring
Results
First up is the M3 GTR. As this car has no purchase price, I used the valuation price to estimate the cost at CR 340,900, making this by far the most expensive of the bunch. Many forum members seem to like this car and I have had requests to try it before, so I sent B-Spec Brett out for a few laps to lay down our target times. 8'03.887 later I was scratching my head wondering what was up with this car. Surely it should be faster. But with the target time set I ventured forth to see what I had to work with in the other cars.
The 330i is one of my favorite cars to go racing in. Unfortunately my current car is already tuned for drifting so I purchased a new one and let B-Spec throw it around the track a few times. 8'54.491 is a decent time and with plenty of money to spend tuning it I should have some fun later. Next was the base model M3 which came across the line in 8'16.730. A solid performance and looking good to meet the target with only minor modifications.
The fourth car to post a time was the M3 CSL - this is where things started looking bad for the GTR. 8'05.575 puts it less than 2 seconds behind the leader. I instantly put the M3 GTR back on the track and watched it post a new set of times. B-Spec Brett did get the time down, but only to 8'03.874. It looks like the GTR is not going to live up to all the hype.
Just to rub salt in to the wound, I now send the BMW M5 out for it's set of stock times. I still find it amazing that a car this heavy can handle this well, but I'm not a big fan of the looks. But this is not an artistic competition and the M5 blew away the rest of the field with a lap of just 7'50.628. This already beats the GTR - a car that costs almost 3 times as much. At this point in time I change the rules - the GTR is eliminated from the competition and the M5 becomes the target vehicle.
Now, with the margin a lot greater and the results not as clear, I set about tuning the CSL to knock 15 seconds off its lap time with only CR 3,040. First efforts see a stage 1 weight reduction and sports exhaust. Now with only 1260 kg and a few extra HP the CSL runs 7'59.602 - 6 seconds down, 9 to go. Next I purchase a second CSL to try a full weight, high power assault - racing flywheel and chip with an oil change gives me 389 HP. This new CSL records a 7'57.931 to leave me with a 7 second gap. Looking in the workshop leaves me with only one more alternative - back to the first car and the exhaust is removed and racing flywheel and oil change go in. The 378 HP CSL still only manages 7'55.390 and I give up on it as a lost cause. The M3 CSL cannot beat the M5 for the same money.
Now I bring out the M3 - favorite among many GT4 racers. Not wasting any time I give the beast the full load of accessories; custom suspension, stage 1 weight reduction, NA tune stage 2, racing chip, triple clutch, racing flywheel, semi-racing exhaust, and an oil change. Just scraping in under budget the M3 now packs 432 HP and looks a lot meaner with a lower stance. On the track it pulls 7'51.5xx three laps in a row. Some minor suspension tuning sees the time drop to a best of 7'51.343. Looking back over some previous test data I soften the spring rate back to standard at front and only slightly stiffer at the rear and the M3 now hauls across the line in 7'50.271 - a win by 0.357s and a fistful of dollars (or CR's as the case may be).
Last, but not least, is the economy pack BMW 330i. With CR 68,610 to spend and more than a minute to make up, I knew I was in for a lot of testing. In the workshop the car was fitted with race exhaust, race brakes, race flywheel with a carbon drive shaft and triple clutch, sports suspension, port polish, engine balance, race chip, NA tune stage 2, and weight reduction stage 2. One oil change later and it hit the track to post some decent times in the high 8'05 region. Some tuning on the suspension saw the time come down to 8'05.464 - still 15s off the pace.
With no more power upgrades available for the set budget I fitted the semi-racing suspension and tuned the hell out of it. The 8'05 laps finally dropped, but only to 8'04.987. Only one option remained - put the sports suspension back in and purchse a customisable LSD. With all parts tuned and tested the 330i was now 1296 kg and running 389 HP. Back on the track and no matter how hard we tried, B-Spec Brett could only get the time down to 8'04.531. Like the CSL, the 330i cannot beat the BMW M5 for the same budget.
Conclusion
I was hugely let down by the GTR. Many people swear by this car - I can only swear at it. It looks good but just doesn't perform what it should - BMW even left off the GTR badging, instead putting M3 badges on the side grills. The M5 made for an excellent replacement leader and saw off two of its challengers; the 330i and the M3 CSL. Both were good cars but just not up to the high standard the new M5 sets. It must also be remembered that I did not use parts such as wings or tyre / transmission changes as these would change the vehicles in such a way as to no longer be comparable - if you do change this items then you will get different results.
The M3 performed brilliantly to score a win and it is easy to see why so many people love driving this car. It also looks the part - a huge bonus in anybodys books. Given my choice of these cars the M3 will win hands down from now on.
See posts below for update info
Welcome, once again, to the tune-up challenge. Part six not only finishes my 'ring cycle of German manufacturers but will also be the last in the current series of head to head tests.
This round will be fought out by 5 of BMW's best. The 330i is our entry level car, the M3 and M3 CSL as our midfielders, and the M3 GTR facing off with the M5 for top position.
The Contenders
BMW 330i '05
Cost: CR 48,040
Power: 255 HP
Torque: 299.78 Nm
Weight: 1525 kg
BMW M3 '04
Cost: CR 74,560
Power: 339 HP
Torque: 364.46 Nm
Weight: 1570 kg
BMW M3 CSL '03
Cost: CR 113,610
Power: 355 HP
Torque: 370.24 Nm
Weight: 1385 kg
BMW M3 GTR '03
Cost: CR 340,900 (est.)
Power: 375 HP
Torque: 389.84 Nm
Weight: 1350 kg
BMW M5 '05
Cost: CR 116,650
Power: 501 HP
Torque: 520.28
Weight: 1715 kg
Method
All vehicles were bought from the showroom with 0 km on the odometer or won as-new from the relevant racing series. As the most expensive car, the M3 GTR will be test driven by B-Spec Brett at Nurburgring and the fastest lap time recorded. B-Spec Brett will then try to beat this time using the other vehicles. Total cost of car and tuning may not exceed the cost of the M3 GTR. TCS and ASM must be set to 0 and B-Spec will be set to 3.
Track
Nurburgring
Results
First up is the M3 GTR. As this car has no purchase price, I used the valuation price to estimate the cost at CR 340,900, making this by far the most expensive of the bunch. Many forum members seem to like this car and I have had requests to try it before, so I sent B-Spec Brett out for a few laps to lay down our target times. 8'03.887 later I was scratching my head wondering what was up with this car. Surely it should be faster. But with the target time set I ventured forth to see what I had to work with in the other cars.
The 330i is one of my favorite cars to go racing in. Unfortunately my current car is already tuned for drifting so I purchased a new one and let B-Spec throw it around the track a few times. 8'54.491 is a decent time and with plenty of money to spend tuning it I should have some fun later. Next was the base model M3 which came across the line in 8'16.730. A solid performance and looking good to meet the target with only minor modifications.
The fourth car to post a time was the M3 CSL - this is where things started looking bad for the GTR. 8'05.575 puts it less than 2 seconds behind the leader. I instantly put the M3 GTR back on the track and watched it post a new set of times. B-Spec Brett did get the time down, but only to 8'03.874. It looks like the GTR is not going to live up to all the hype.
Just to rub salt in to the wound, I now send the BMW M5 out for it's set of stock times. I still find it amazing that a car this heavy can handle this well, but I'm not a big fan of the looks. But this is not an artistic competition and the M5 blew away the rest of the field with a lap of just 7'50.628. This already beats the GTR - a car that costs almost 3 times as much. At this point in time I change the rules - the GTR is eliminated from the competition and the M5 becomes the target vehicle.
Now, with the margin a lot greater and the results not as clear, I set about tuning the CSL to knock 15 seconds off its lap time with only CR 3,040. First efforts see a stage 1 weight reduction and sports exhaust. Now with only 1260 kg and a few extra HP the CSL runs 7'59.602 - 6 seconds down, 9 to go. Next I purchase a second CSL to try a full weight, high power assault - racing flywheel and chip with an oil change gives me 389 HP. This new CSL records a 7'57.931 to leave me with a 7 second gap. Looking in the workshop leaves me with only one more alternative - back to the first car and the exhaust is removed and racing flywheel and oil change go in. The 378 HP CSL still only manages 7'55.390 and I give up on it as a lost cause. The M3 CSL cannot beat the M5 for the same money.
Now I bring out the M3 - favorite among many GT4 racers. Not wasting any time I give the beast the full load of accessories; custom suspension, stage 1 weight reduction, NA tune stage 2, racing chip, triple clutch, racing flywheel, semi-racing exhaust, and an oil change. Just scraping in under budget the M3 now packs 432 HP and looks a lot meaner with a lower stance. On the track it pulls 7'51.5xx three laps in a row. Some minor suspension tuning sees the time drop to a best of 7'51.343. Looking back over some previous test data I soften the spring rate back to standard at front and only slightly stiffer at the rear and the M3 now hauls across the line in 7'50.271 - a win by 0.357s and a fistful of dollars (or CR's as the case may be).
Last, but not least, is the economy pack BMW 330i. With CR 68,610 to spend and more than a minute to make up, I knew I was in for a lot of testing. In the workshop the car was fitted with race exhaust, race brakes, race flywheel with a carbon drive shaft and triple clutch, sports suspension, port polish, engine balance, race chip, NA tune stage 2, and weight reduction stage 2. One oil change later and it hit the track to post some decent times in the high 8'05 region. Some tuning on the suspension saw the time come down to 8'05.464 - still 15s off the pace.
With no more power upgrades available for the set budget I fitted the semi-racing suspension and tuned the hell out of it. The 8'05 laps finally dropped, but only to 8'04.987. Only one option remained - put the sports suspension back in and purchse a customisable LSD. With all parts tuned and tested the 330i was now 1296 kg and running 389 HP. Back on the track and no matter how hard we tried, B-Spec Brett could only get the time down to 8'04.531. Like the CSL, the 330i cannot beat the BMW M5 for the same budget.
Conclusion
I was hugely let down by the GTR. Many people swear by this car - I can only swear at it. It looks good but just doesn't perform what it should - BMW even left off the GTR badging, instead putting M3 badges on the side grills. The M5 made for an excellent replacement leader and saw off two of its challengers; the 330i and the M3 CSL. Both were good cars but just not up to the high standard the new M5 sets. It must also be remembered that I did not use parts such as wings or tyre / transmission changes as these would change the vehicles in such a way as to no longer be comparable - if you do change this items then you will get different results.
The M3 performed brilliantly to score a win and it is easy to see why so many people love driving this car. It also looks the part - a huge bonus in anybodys books. Given my choice of these cars the M3 will win hands down from now on.
See posts below for update info
I personally like the M5 best out of all of them, although the M3s do look the best. Great writeup, nice job working with each car, and I can't wait for the next one 
