KnightRider

just thought it might interest you...read it in the mag today, racing dynamics installed tuned m5's v8 with 450 hp into a 3 series coupe.
4.5 secs 0-60 and 0-125 in 9.5 secs...not too sure about last figure, looks too fast. i'll check it tomorrow and correct it if wrong.
would really be interesting to drive a car with this engine but lighter than m5, must be nothing short of amazing.
some probably remember the wild thing they had...E36 compact with 427 hp V12 from 750 under the bonnet.



[This message has been edited by KnightRider (edited 14 January 2001).]

bobafett

How the hell did they fit a v12 into the compact e36 body with room for a passenger and decent weight balance?

--Dan

MEnthusiast

kind of like driving a Z8............ also much more precise steering...........

ME

KnightRider

i checked the mag about e46 with an m5 motor and they had 0-125 mph in 9.5 secs, which is absurd, might have been 19.5 but it doesnt make sense either, because then m5 is faster with a time of 18.6 secs...they must have mixed something up.
in the same issue there is an article in which michael schumacher drives the present ferrari range on the racetrack, opinizing on it...Dan, i thought you might be interested to read it, i could scan it, but its in spanish, if you still want it, let me know
as for the compact...i dont think they are supplied to the us, are they? but you must have seen one.
anyway the article about racing dynamics compact was in the uk magazine called BMW Car 4 years ago...id strongly recommend this magazine to everyone, its a bit bmw biased obviously but still a lot of interesting read.
they said it was a lot of a challenge to fit this engine in...it is 5.5 V12 with 427hp@5900 and 398lb/ft@4100, they claimed 4.5 secs and 190 mph top speed with 6 speed manual. outside the car looks like a subtly modified compact with 18" wheels and twin tailpipes, otherwise pretty much a sleeper.
they also had to modify extensively the car, suspension, huge brakes, fit some m3 mechanicals, etc. the boot is smaller, but otherwise inside the car is not changed much. they achieved a decent weight distribution of 54/46.
all this lot of an expensive manual labour comes up with an exclusivity guaranteeing price of $140000. more expensive than a msrp z8



[This message has been edited by KnightRider (edited 14 January 2001).]

jsh/AZ

That is what I am talking about! Excuse me but Damn! !Hartge has a 5 litre fitted into a E46 also..that is amazing. Too bad the price is so High.

jsh

randy

Saw an e46 with m5 engine at the la car show!!!

Erik

Racing Dynamics presented a version of the Compact a few years ago with this engine but it was, as far as I know never put into "production"
The weight balance was terrible and it was completly overpowered.
Another tuning company called Breyton tried the same with an Z3 Roadster. The car was presented at IAA but they gave up, they could not make it work.
If you look at some auto shows you will find Tuners present cars that never have been started or never will work. In some cases they present things they hope will work just to get the attension, but in many cases they fail.
If you look at the V8 engine it is 2 companies that have sucseded very well and that is AC Schnitzer, Hartge and off course ALPINA`s B8 version.
AC Schnitzer have made 1 Z3 Roadster with V8, 315 Hp and Hartge have used that engine for the E 36 and the E 36 Compact with 350 Hp

Nice consept by the way......

KnightRider

Erik,
they said in the article that it has a 54/46 weight distribution and they actually testdrove it and said it was very nimble and made as if it were a v12 compact produced by bmw.

------------------
SL

Erik

Hi

I have seen 2 articles, in one of the them they describe a race agains a 911 Turbo on the Freeway, guess who got smoked
When you put a big V12 in this small car you will get a car that are difficult to drive.
I know because I put in a M3 3.2 engine in an 316i Compact. I used all the parts form M Coupe, front achsel, rear achsel Adjustable suspension M Breakes ........
The car was like an Go cart but the car quite an handfull. I clocked it to 288 khp on the stop watch and you fellt every kph !!!!!!!
On full braking from that speed you had to adjust the car all the way below 200 kph.
( a little scary)
This car was made buy an very god German tuner with all official aprovals.
My car had 750 kg on the front and 630 kg in the rear ( 54/46), so I really doubt that the the V12 could achieve the same weight distribution.
But even if they did, this is an engine whith a lot more power and torque so I would still claim that this is an difficult car to drive unless you are a pro.....

MichaelB

I have seen an article in Autosport today which just about confirms that BMW will be putting the M5 engine in the E46 M3.

The article reports on the BMW M3 American le-mans series car, which is powered by a V8 unit. This series is for production cars only - and hence the organisers have requested BMW to confirm whether they will be releasing a production M3 with a V8 engine within the next 12 months. BMW have yet to reply.

I personally can think of only one V8 unit that is likely to work well!