Two Greatest BMW M Cars Ever Made
Posted by in BMW on June 30, 2011
BMW is perhaps one of the most well known and sought after luxury automotive manufacturers in the world, and for good reason too. The German automaker has made a reputation through building high performance daily drivable cars as well as high performance race cars that turn out to be fierce competitors on the track. We have taken a look at the greatest cars ever made by the company’s Motorsport division.
It would simply be a crime to create this list without including the BMW M1, the car that started it all. The M1 was the first BMW ever to sport the M badge at the rear, and it is also the first and only mide-engined BMW to ever be mass produced. The M1 was purely built by the BMW Motorsport division as a homologation special for sports car racing; this was a car built for the race track. The street version of the M1 came with 273 horsepower, but the racing version was able to produce an astounding 850 horsepower. This is also one of the rarest BMW’s to ever be built as the company only made 455 of them, each one hand made.
The next car on our list is the legendary BMW E30 M3, the very first M3 ever produced by the automaker. The M3 was also another car that was made to allow BMW to enter into several different racing series where the car shined and became on of the most successful cars in racing history. The E30 has long been praised has one of the ultimate drivers cars which gave the driver the ultimate connection to the road. Later models of the M3 are often criticized for straying too far away from the cars racing roots by making too many comfort feature compromises. It is of course important to recognize the fact that BMW is in the business of making money and the company must appease the majority even if it displeases the smaller population of racing enthusiasts. The company does often make special versions of the M3 which are supposed to be more race track oriented just like the original E30 model.
The author has recently been doing a lot of writing in the automotive industry and about automotive racing. Auto racing is a growing sport in the United States and a new industry supplying safety gear such as racing helmets is starting to thrive. Don’t forget to take a look at the authors latest work on Auto Racing Helmets. Read the rest of this entry »
BMW M3 Parts – Getting Great Upgrades for This Legendary Car
Posted by in BMW on June 30, 2011
First produced in 1986 with the E30 Chassis, the BMW M Division revolutionized the performance street vehicle category with the E30 BMW M3. The E30 BMW M3 was first offered in a street version to allow the BMW M Division to qualify for the touring racing series that was further popularized by high end race teams such as Hamann, AC Schnitzer and Pro Drive.
The BMW M3 was so wildly popular among BMW enthusiasts that the M Division was established and the next generation BMW M3 was produced with the E36 M3. The M3 tradition continued with the revolutionary 333HP S54 Powered E46 M3 and now the new S65 V8 powered E90 M3, E92 M3 and E93 M3. The M division specializes in taking standard BMW 3-Series models and tweaking them for maximum performance and lightweight design. While the M division is very good at producing gains, they do leave room to increase power, decrease weight and improve handling for the BMW M3.
There is a whole range of BMW M3 Parts available that improve performance, handling and looks over the standard BMW M3.
BMW M3 Performance Parts
To improve flow, performance and sound, many owners opt for high flow cold air intakes and free flowing exhaust systems for the BMW M3 from the likes of aFe, Remus, Eisenmann, Vorsteiner and Akrapovic. Performance air intakes for the BMW M3 are crucial to maximize flow and maximize the volume of cold air taken in by the S54, S65 and other high performance engines.
BMW M3 exhausts are a great way to improve the sound and add to the performance of a BMW M3 cold air intake. Remus exhausts for BMW are the standard for performance exhaust systems for the BMW M3. In addition, the Eisenmann exhausts for the BMW M3 are a great German made alternative for maximum quality and flow.
BMW M3 Exterior Parts
The BMW M3 comes stock with upgraded aerodynamics from the M division to maximize downforce and reduce drag. However, there are many options from BMW Matte black grills to BMW M3 side gills to BMW shadow badges to make your BMW M3 stand out from the crowd.
In addition, the Vorsteiner line of aerodynamics for the E46 M3 and E92 M3 will provide functional design and lightweight carbon fiber construction. The Vorsteiner Aero Bootlid for the E92 M3 is a popular addition that reduces weight and improves downforce due to the increased rear spoiler. Vorsteiner has raised the bar with the Vorsteiner GTRS3 Widebody kit which is a custom lightweight widebody kit for the E92 M3. This kit will allow for wider wheels and improved drag coefficient for maximum performance on or off the road. Read the rest of this entry »