Comparison: 2008 BMW M3 - Sport Sedans Comparison - There Will Be Blood - video Dailymotion

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Next onto the track in our Sport Sedan comparison is the 2008 BMW M3. Join us behind the wheel as we unleash BMWs first ever V-8 powered M3.

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00:00 Next up in our sports sedan 3-way is the BMW M3.

00:09 BMW has been building M cars for more than two decades, and they have this formula down.

00:14 This is the first one to feature a V8 engine, it's 4 liters, 414 horsepower, and this one

00:20 has a 6-speed manual.

00:21 Let's see what it does.

00:22 The

00:39 Lexus and the Mercedes are very similar cars.

00:42 They have automatic transmissions and big block V8s.

00:46 Well, the BMW is a different type of animal.

00:48 Its engine is a little smaller, doesn't put out as much horsepower nor nearly as much

00:52 torque, but it revs to 8,300 RPM, uses a manual transmission, so the driving experience is

01:00 completely different.

01:02 Also because of the engine's placement and the overall balance of the chassis, it's just

01:06 a lighter, more alive experience all the way around.

01:09 No place was this more evident than here at Reno-Fernley on the racetrack.

01:14 Of course, a racetrack synthesizes everything that a car's handling is all about, and this

01:19 is where the BMW really shine.

01:22 Its track time was about four seconds a lap better than the other two cars, even that

01:27 with the least amount of horsepower and torque.

01:29 So it's chassis balance and chassis grip that does it for the BMW.

01:35 Precise, clean all the way through the corners, minimal amount of dive, squat coming out of

01:41 the corners.

01:43 Very precise steering allows the driver to put the car right where he wants it every

01:47 time.

01:48 Now, not as much power to launch you out of the corners as the other two, but still plenty.

01:54 And again, a much wider rev range to deal with, and no power losses given the manual

01:59 transmission versus the automatic in the other pair.

02:02 You'll notice a lot less tire squeal too, because the BMW has by far the least average

02:08 chassis slip angle.

02:10 1.79 degrees for the BMW, 1.1 degrees for the Lexus, and 1.59 for the Mercedes.

02:18 So in so many words, the BMW isn't leaving as much of its power and its rubber on the

02:24 track as are the other cars.

02:37 You'll notice how little body roll too in these left, right, left transitions.

02:42 Very flat, very stable.

02:49 And our driver who is most familiar with places like the Nuremberg Ring and grew up racing

02:55 in the 70s and 80s, well he liked the manual transmission too.

02:59 He felt it still gave him the most control over the car.

03:05 Carries speed beautifully too.

03:06 This car just doesn't waste its energy whatsoever.

03:10 And by now, it's four seconds a lap faster than the other two.

03:15 That's the BMW M3.

03:17 [music]

03:22 (whooshing)

Comparison: 2008 BMW M3 - Sport Sedans Comparison - There Will Be Blood

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