"BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine"

BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm

In article .com>,
Mike > wrote:
> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm

Road test of it in this week's Autocar. Reckon it's as fast as an M3 in
day to day conditions - you don't have to wring its neck to get some
performance.

--
*Always drink upstream from the herd *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Mike wrote:
> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm

Article says:
" BMW says that it has deliberately gone away a little bit from a pure
sporty character and that a lot of attention has been given to comfort
"without giving up sportiness." " wrt its softer suspension....sounds
like a "Mercedes" compromise! Hehehe.....not sure if this is the way to
go, as this is a BMW coupe not a sedan....but I guess it has to appeal
to different segments and clientele to maximize marketability

Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?

In article .com>,
RichAsianKid > wrote:
>Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
>electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
>correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
>specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
>the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
>racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?

Pretty much.

My understanding it, and I don't have an authoritative source for this,
but I understand it's a gentlemens agreement to limit top speed for
the reason stated above.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"RichAsianKid" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Mike wrote:
>> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
>> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm
>
> Article says:
> " BMW says that it has deliberately gone away a little bit from a pure
> sporty character and that a lot of attention has been given to comfort
> "without giving up sportiness." " wrt its softer suspension....sounds
> like a "Mercedes" compromise! Hehehe.....not sure if this is the way to
> go, as this is a BMW coupe not a sedan....but I guess it has to appeal
> to different segments and clientele to maximize marketability
>
> Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
> electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
> correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
> specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
> the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
> racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?
>

I'm not sure I understand the premise of your question. The speedometer has
no bearing on the Top Speed. The speedo simply reads what you are telling
the car to be doing. The speed limiter kicks in with or without an
electronic speedometer.

Why spin a speedo needle with a cable when you can pick up the data
electronically from the main computer and display it? Speed is needed by the
computer for many different functions, collecting speed data electronically
makes it easier to distribute the data to the places where it is used. I
don't know about Porsches, but I would be surprised if they do not use an
electronic speedo.

And, if one bothers to actually work the numbers, one would find that top
speed and red line arrive at pretty close to the same time. Limiting engine
speed to below red line seems to make lots of sense to me, doesn't it make
sense to you?

"Richard Sexton" > wrote in message
...
> In article .com>,
> RichAsianKid > wrote:
>>Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
>>electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
>>correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
>>specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
>>the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
>>racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?
>
> Pretty much.
>
> My understanding it, and I don't have an authoritative source for this,
> but I understand it's a gentlemens agreement to limit top speed for
> the reason stated above.
>

Well, there is an interest at the factory to not blow the motor into tiny
bits. The motor is protected at red line, and top speed in 5th gear is
pretty close to red line. I think it's about 250 rpm below red line.

"RichAsianKid" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Mike wrote:
>> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
>> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm
>
> Article says:
> " BMW says that it has deliberately gone away a little bit from a pure
> sporty character and that a lot of attention has been given to comfort
> "without giving up sportiness." " wrt its softer suspension....sounds
> like a "Mercedes" compromise! Hehehe.....not sure if this is the way to
> go, as this is a BMW coupe not a sedan....but I guess it has to appeal
> to different segments and clientele to maximize marketability
>
> Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
> electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
> correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
> specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
> the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
> racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?
>

The sensible mass market German manufacturers have sort of agreed not to
compete on this, and if the cars are limited their government does not bring
in an overall speed limit...

In article >,
R. Mark Clayton > wrote:
> The sensible mass market German manufacturers have sort of agreed not to
> compete on this, and if the cars are limited their government does not bring
> in an overall speed limit...

However, the agreed Euro 'limit' is 155 mph.

--
*I get enough exercise just pushing my luck.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
>
> "RichAsianKid" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>
>> Mike wrote:
>>> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
>>> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm
>>
>> Article says:
>> " BMW says that it has deliberately gone away a little bit from a pure
>> sporty character and that a lot of attention has been given to comfort
>> "without giving up sportiness." " wrt its softer suspension....sounds
>> like a "Mercedes" compromise! Hehehe.....not sure if this is the way to
>> go, as this is a BMW coupe not a sedan....but I guess it has to appeal
>> to different segments and clientele to maximize marketability
>>
>> Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
>> electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
>> correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
>> specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
>> the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
>> racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?
>>
>
> I'm not sure I understand the premise of your question. The speedometer
> has no bearing on the Top Speed. The speedo simply reads what you are
> telling the car to be doing. The speed limiter kicks in with or without an
> electronic speedometer.
>

Maybe I missed something, but where is "speedometer" mentioned in this
thread?

> And, if one bothers to actually work the numbers, one would find that top
> speed and red line arrive at pretty close to the same time. Limiting
> engine speed to below red line seems to make lots of sense to me, doesn't
> it make sense to you?
>

For some (but not all) the current BMW cars limited to 155, this is close to
redline in 5th, not the OD 6th.

Tom K.

"Tom K." > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "RichAsianKid" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>>
>>> Mike wrote:
>>>> BMW 3 Series Coupe gets new engine
>>>> at http://www.washtimes.com/autoweekend...2226-5661r.htm
>>>
>>> Article says:
>>> " BMW says that it has deliberately gone away a little bit from a pure
>>> sporty character and that a lot of attention has been given to comfort
>>> "without giving up sportiness." " wrt its softer suspension....sounds
>>> like a "Mercedes" compromise! Hehehe.....not sure if this is the way to
>>> go, as this is a BMW coupe not a sedan....but I guess it has to appeal
>>> to different segments and clientele to maximize marketability
>>>
>>> Also I have a question he why is it that BMWs and Mercedes have this
>>> electronic speed limiter? Porsche AFAIK does not have one, is that
>>> correct - although there is a 'top track speed' in its
>>> specifications....Not sure if this is right... does it have to do with
>>> the tires, or is it an agreement between the BMW-MB to prevent people
>>> racing down the autobahn at insane speeds?
>>>
>>
>> I'm not sure I understand the premise of your question. The speedometer
>> has no bearing on the Top Speed. The speedo simply reads what you are
>> telling the car to be doing. The speed limiter kicks in with or without
>> an electronic speedometer.
>>
>
> Maybe I missed something, but where is "speedometer" mentioned in this
> thread?
>

Sorry, I read Electronic Speed Limiter as electronic speedometer. My bad ...