The numbers:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/...2_05_bmwm3.pdf

 

I dunno man... that's an almost half-million dollar car, and it doesn't even go under 11 seconds in the 1/4 mile? So why would I pay another $420k??

 

heh, race car vs. street car...


On the street I'd rather have a normal M3.

On the track I'd rather have the GTR.

definetly worth the extra cash if you are racing for $$ on the track.... You can't view the GTR as a street car...

 

GTR....pay careful attention because that engine will probably be in the new M3.

 

M3 gtr is using V8 engine which is different story to the stock M3... and actually stock m3 is pretty cool enough for me..no matter E30, or E36 or even E46 model..all are my favorite cars

 

It is a road course car! BMW does not build drag cars. That car is meant to turn and stop too :o

 

BMW built a few for the street

 

 

I can see why 0-100 in 7 seconds!

 

The GTR has a V8 in it and it is still 1000 LBS LIGHTER!!! Holy shiet!!!!!!!! 15 inch front discs!!!! Oh gawd!!!!! I wish they would have had the the lateral G's for the GTR, I bet is WAY over 1G on the skidpad!!!!! 11.3 in the quarter is pretty fast, a couple of tweaks and your in the tens. Twin turbos and you will have a low 9 second car that will run by you on ANY race course!!!! Is it worth 1/2 a mil???? If you got 1/2 a mil to waste then yes!!!!!


For comparison, what is the fastest PRODUCTION car in the 1/4 mile?????? I am not talking twin turbo vettes or supras that run in the nines, I am talking bone stock!!

 

I'll take one of each

 

i'd rather have a GT2 for 180K
then an M3 conv for the sun
and then an M5 for hauling people around

 

ya, but it's not $420k, nor a racecar...

 

For those of you that don't know BMW raced this car in 2001 in the American Le Mans series. BMW kicked so much butt with it ALMS banned it in 2002. Porsche racers complained because the 911 race car was a version of their street car, but a V8 3 series did not exist for the street. ALMS told BMW if you want to race that car you have to homolgate 250 street versions. The 3 series GTR above was BMW's respose to the homologation demand by ALMS. Now that BMW has met ALMS' rules I can only assume we'll see the V8 3 series back on the track in 2003. Of course now that Porsche knows it's coming they will counter with some tricked out 911. In either case the consumer as well as ALMS race fan WINS!

 

LMAO - I actually got too "up close & personal" at their last race (Petite LeMans October of 2001 - Road Atlanta). Me and 5,000 other idiots are all standing in the middle of the garage lane when these guys started pulling out. Anyway, while trying to get out of the way of another car, I practically stepped in front of Herr Stuck and damned near got my foot run over. Practically bounced off the fender anyway and very glad I didn't get my foot crushed by "only" 2700 lbs.! :P Great race, the M3's won the GT class that night finally - along with the constructer's & driver's trophy. Fuggin' shame that ACO booted them out. Was nice to see someone giving the GT3's hell! And, Hans was nice enough to sign a hat for me (it's nice having your Swiss buddy along so that he can smooze all the German & French drivers) plus spray loads of cheap champagne all over the place. Glad I didn't get pulled over driving back to Greenville at 4:00 am - that would have been a tough sell to the highway trooper

 

I think the Diablo is close to being the fastest if not the fastest.

 

Just to add one more thing to that story which is 100% true:

Initially BMW was running with an uptuned version of the 3.2 liter engine in the production M3. They lost to 911 every time.

They then adimted that the higher displacement of the 3.6 liter flat 6 in the 911 race car (borrowed from the production cars) was out-torquing the M3s in mid revs and they would never beat them. Hence the strategy shift to a 4 liter V8 in the race car.

 

Also, notice how long 1st and 2nd gears are and how long 3rd and especially 4th are. Interesting.

 

Finally, think about this. A regular/base 2002 Corvette makes more torque than that race car. 354 vs 375 pounds. Just a thought.

 

base 'Vette (2002 C5 coupe) = 3246 lbs, M3 GTR = 2700 lbs. The GTR's V-8 is a flat out, purpose built racing V-8 - flat cranks, ultra light reciprocating internals, dry sump, aluminum flywheel, etc. Plus the LS1/LS6 is, by nature, one torquey SOB :P The Bimmer's motor is just an aural delight though. Trust me - I've listened to the suckers for 10 hours at a ALMS race and they're wonderful. The Porsches are a big fart flying by you, the Panoz - well, don't know how to describe it other than a 5,000 lb. bumblebee doing 200 mph? and of course, the F550 Maranello is just pure joy. Coming over the top of the hill down to the front straight at Road Atlanta, you don't even have to ask what car is approaching - every car nut needs to hear one of those bitches wound to the redline through the gears once in their life. Personally, I'd rather drive one through the gears though .

 

The E43 M3 engine (3.2L) sounds pretty unpleasing though. Almost like nails being shaken in a coffee can.. (hard to explain, but that's how a co-worker who has a M3 Convertible explains it)

Actually almost sounds like that - strange

 

You have to admit though that panoz is awe inspering as u feel the ground vibrate as it passes. for it's degisgn it is a fast car (front mounted engine) The Vett's spound nasty, nothing remotely pleasing...

 

The Panoz is definitely unique and a crowd favorite almost everywhere. Hell, they were the only LMP900 team that really made Audi work last year. The C5-R does sound nasty - horrible even through earplugs. The reverse horseshoe spoiler ruins the looks in person also - although obviously form follows function :P

 

The Vette's are real American and the Panoz is rowdy, but IMHO nothing beats the sound of a 5 liter normally aspirated V12 Jaguar going through the Daytona tri oval at 210 mph. Although a Ferarri 5.0 liter V12 comes close. I sure miss those IMSA GTP days!!!