We've lost half a star

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Wait til you drive one mate. Best handling car i've ever driven. Gorgeous.

 

Seriously?

 

I've owned a few E30s over the years.....325i coupe x 2, 1 x 325is, 2 x 325i Touring and 1 x 318is.

 

I personally felt they were one of the worst handling cars ever and had nasty, nasty, vague, horrid steering with too many turns lock to lock. I loved the Tourers though, the first compact estate to look cool imo, espesh with the 15" BBSs 8) :lol:

 

The 318is was OK round corners, ish, but gutless.

 

The M3 E30 must have had some SERIOUS chassis mods to make it so good!

[corozin 0]

Wait til you drive one mate. Best handling car i've ever driven. Gorgeous.

 

The M3 E30 must have had some SERIOUS chassis mods to make it so good!

 

It's probably worth mentioning that the E30 M3 was designed completely as a racing car. The road versions were proper homologation specials. In particular the suspension was specifically designed so that all the suspension geometry would be spot on when the car was set up (lowered) for racing, as changing wishbones etc wasn't allowed under the competition rules of the time (unlike today where Touring cars have bespoke suspensions allowed)

 

And looking back it's hard to really make a case that the E30 M3 was a poor handling car given that, as it's competition record in Touring Cars was both long and successful, often against far more powerful opposition.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I wasn't trying to make a case for the E30 M3 being a bad handler, which is why I said it must have been completely different underneath to the regular E30s, which I owned and weren't an inspiring drive!

 

I have read over the years that the M3 does indeed have different steering (a good thing), VERY different suspension (5 stud wheels gives it away) and the only panels shared with the regular E30 are the roof and bonnet IIRC?

[double-6s 0]

I wasn't trying to make a case for the E30 M3 being a bad handler, which is why I said it must have been completely different underneath to the regular E30s, which I owned and weren't an inspiring drive!

 

I have read over the years that the M3 does indeed have different steering (a good thing), VERY different suspension (5 stud wheels gives it away) and the only panels shared with the regular E30 are the roof and bonnet IIRC?

 

 

Kev - not only is the M3 E30 mahoosively different to the rest of the E30s (have you ever read anything on the design - it's amazing what they actually changed for the 'M') but the particular one I have driven a few times was a bit of a beastie with a few tasty (Group N) suspension mods. You're right about most of the panels being totally different - even the boot was higher, resulting in a different angle for the rear screen to alter the aerodynamics! Suspension was massively altered for the Ms too. Compared to the newer M3s and the last gen 330 coupes etc, the steering and handling was a bloomin dream :) I personally hate the steering on the last gen 3s - feels like they're pitched up in the air at the front! Yuk!

 

But yeah the E30 M3 handles like a dream in my book - hideously under-powered for my taste, but fantasticaslly inspiring handling and road-holding.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Hmmmmm..... nice!

 

Things can be done about a lack of power though ;-) :lol:

[double-6s 0]

Hmmmmm..... nice!

 

Things can be done about a lack of power though ;-) :lol:

 

Indeed - tbh though, I think that was one of the reasons it felt like such a lovely car - chassis not overwhelmed with power etc. Maybe more grunt would ruin it.