The Auto Channel-Sports Car International Magazine

Bastard Out Of Carolina
BMW M-3 Coupe

Looking like a mutant offspring of the Z3 roadster the M coupe has limited appeal to many, but limitless appeal to few.

Among the thousands of production sports cars that have made it past the red tape and bean counting and into production, there are thousands more that never lived beyond a running prototype, clay mock up, or even a passing thought in an engineer's head. What if, for example, Pontiac had developed a decent engine for the Fiero? What if Mercedes actually produced its rotary - powered C-111 prototype? Or, what if the Miata had spawned a whole line of different two-seat sports cars?

One look at the ever-expanding Z3 range and it is clear the engineers at BMW have been asking "what if?" a lot lately. Not satisfied to simply ponder ways of making the Z3 different, they have managed to convince the powers that be to turn their ideas, however far-fetched, into actual product. First they asked, "What if it had two more cylinders and more aggressive bodywork?" Result: the Z3 2.8. Then they asked, "What if it had an M engine and chassis?" Result: the M roadster. Then, in easily the boldest maneuver of all, they asked, "What if it had a fixed steel roof and an open cargo area instead of a trunk?" Result: the new Z3 2.8 coupe and M coupe.

Actually, that's pretty much how these new hardtop Z3s came to be, according to BMW Special Projects leader, Dr. Burkhard Goschel. Inspired by the GT coupes of the past, such as the MGB GT and Jaguar E-Type, Goschel's team built a mock up, based first on a dismantled example of the original, narrow-bodied four-cylinder Z3 roadster. After further refinements to the styling, helped by the decision to base the car on the wider six-cylinder roadster body, the idea was presented to the higher-ups. Though it was obviously never going to be a volume seller, the team pitched the coupe as a vehicle for the enthusiast's enthusiast; a very narrowly-focused machine with just one goal - driving pleasure. "We had to fight very hard for this car," admits Goschel. In the end, their argument must have appealed to someone, since you can now walk into your local dealer and pick up a Z3 2.8 coupe for $36,200 or an M coupe for $41,800.

The advantage of the coupe, and the very reason it exists from an engineering standpoint, is stiffness. With the roof now acting as a structural member, static torsional rigidity is up 2.6 times over the roadster, while dynamic torsional rigidity has increased 1.5 times. A stiff structure, any chassis engineer will tell you, is the prerequisite for a truly dialed-in chassis. None of the roadster models, not even the rip-snortin' M version, can maximize the potential of its MacPherson strut/semi-trailing arm setup because chassis flex is always there to spoil the fun. With the coupes, much of the bump and crash of poor road surfaces is absorbed by the body, so BMW has been able to retune the springs, shocks and roll bars for a more aggressive, yet still controllable attitude. Plus, thanks to the extra bodywork, weight distribution has improved one percent to an even 50/50.

The M coupe uses the same 240 hp 24-valve inline-six and ZF five-speed gearbox that M roadster owners have been enjoying for almost a year. Power is now sent to the rear wheels via both a mechanical limited slip differential and, for the first time on an M-powered Z3, BMW's ASC+T traction control system, albeit a new Teves version developed just for the M coupe (and '99 M roadster). All the other hardware carries over, from the M-specific variable-ratio steering, to the reassuring four-wheel vented disc brakes (12.4 inches in diameter in the front, 12.3 in the rear).

Sitting in the driver's seat, the inability to see the sky above is the only real tipoff to which Z3 variation you are in. Headroom is decent for most, though NBA players will probably not want to work one of these into their contracts. A power tilting glass moonroof is one of the M coupe's only two factory options (the other is an in-dash CD player), but it does not retract. It also lacks a separate shade, to keep the heat from piercing the tinted glass panel on the hottest days. After two days in the Southern summer sun, this feature was sorely missed.

The dash, door panels (now fitted with airbags) and seats all are exactly as they are found in the M roadster. That means two-tone trim (all black is an alternative), and splashes of chrome around the gauges and shifter. Speaking of gauges, the 1998 M roadster's unsightly black plastic cover that protruded from the space reserved for the European-spec car's outside temperature gauge has thankfully been replaced by an actual voltmeter. Though surely not as useful in this age of reliable electrics as an ambient temperature readout, it beats having nothing at all. Then again, it is likely many M coupes will sit for days in their garages, awaiting weekend playtime, so keeping an eye on battery drain could come in handy.

One Z3 feature that has not changed on the coupe is a lack of seat angle adjustment. In the roadster, this is understandable, as the seat can only recline as far as the edge of the trunk, minus the space needed for the folding convertible top. But with no trunk behind the driver, the seat should be able to recline all the way back, right? In this case, BMW has fitted a plastic division between the seats and the storage area, from which a parcel net can be extended to keep heavy objects from bonking you on the head under hard braking. This, in itself, is a good idea, if only the whole thing could be moved back about eight inches.

Start the engine and all the side effects involved in the conversion from roadster to coupe become trivial. While this motor sounds great from inside an M3 or M roadster, it has reached its symphonic high point in the M coupe. The noise from the quad pipes fills the small cabin, allowing the occupants to hear every glorious note. It starts with a deep, rumbling idle that harks back to the old "big-block" twin-cams of the M1/M5/M6. Then, as the revs rise, a higher, more eager and mechanical tone supplants it. The last time 3.2 liters sounded this good was under the hood of a late '80s 911 Carrera.

The first thing you notice once on the road is that turn-in happens NOW! Where the M3 hesitates for just a split second when asked to change direction, the M coupe seems to get there before you even asked it to. This makes the car feel a little darty at first, but it becomes natural once you get used to it. The steering's also a bit light around center, a quality that is not as noticeable on the M3.

The next thing you notice is that, though the suspension is firm, the car stays planted over bumps and the ride is surprisingly good for a short car with 40-series tires. No doubt this is another benefit of the tight structure. It feels like it would take some serious off-roading to produce any moans, groans or other unwanted noises from the chassis. There is also surprisingly little complaining from the rear suspension, despite the use of semi-trailing arms. Though perhaps not as au courant as today's ubiquitous multi-link setup, the combination of the M coupe's rigid shell and BMW's renowned chassis tuning excellence has all but eliminated any nasty habits inherent in this design.

This was especially apparent at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where some laps on the infield road course demonstrated the M coupe's tossable yet entirely controllable nature. With only 3131 pounds to throw around (47 more than the roadster), a low center of gravity, and not much rear overhang, the M coupe really does feel like a shifter-kart. A couple of comparison laps in an M roadster exhibited just how much sharper and more planted the coupe feels, despite their shared platform. While 240 hp provides more than sufficient grunt on the street, at the track it was obvious that the awesome capabilities of this chassis could easily handle another 100 horses or so (European-spec 321 hp M coupe drivers can likely attest to this). The brakes, identitcal to the ones that have been praised for years on the M3, are superb. Despite some mild understeer in the tightest corners and a few traces of body roll, there has not been a street-legal BMW that can hustle itself around a race track like this in a long time. Expect to see a lot of M coupes at weekend autocrosses and track events.

So the mad scientists at BMW have delivered what they promised; a tin-top Z3 that outperforms its open-air sibling in every way. But what about those looks? It's been said before about numerous vehicles, but this is truly a machine whose form cannot be fully understood in pictures. Aside from a few unflattering angles, the stylists have done a remarkable job of integrating the Z3's long snout with the short, yet tall hatchback in the rear. What could have resulted in a very top-heavy and awkward shape has actually turned into a muscular and aggressive design that really does look better the more familiar it becomes.

Much harder to justify is the M coupe's relative lack of practicality. The roadster can get away with a small trunk and minimal storage space because it is a two-seat convertible, and we've come to accept these as impractical, even though tens of thousands of Miatas, Boxsters and SLKs find happy homes each year. The addition of a solid roof and a hatch changes the equation completely, as it brings with it the expectation of a certain level of practicality. Yes, the M coupe will hold more luggage than the roadster, but it still won't be able to transport Mom, Dad, Bobby, Suzy and Spot around the Nurburgring at full speed, like an M3 can.

So if you can't lower the roof like on an M roadster or throw your kids in the back like in an M3, then what is the point of the M coupe? BMW argues that the point is in the driving, a hard item to dispute once you've spent some time behind the wheel. But, then again, you could say the same about an M3. Instead, the unique appeal of the M coupe lies in its tightly-focused execution, in its success in making the Z3 platform shine as brightly as possible, and in its ability to tear up a race track like nobody's business. Though these may mean little to the average consumer, BMW hasn't designed this car for them anyhow. Instead, the M coupe is BMW's reward for asking "what if?" and then having the guts to actually find out.

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