BMW M3 GT4 - The real M3 race version

Folks, This is the real racing version of the m3. It's was entered for the 24-hour Nurburgring race. The BMW works drivers Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE) and Andy Priaulx (GB) lined up for the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife on 23rd/24th May 2009.

For those who want to mod to the real thing, below are some of the kit you can add on. Just make sure the wallet is big enough.

• Race bodyshell GT4, alpine white body paint
• Carbon roof , Makrolon rear and side windows
• S65 8-cylinder engine with single mass flywheel, race clutch and release bearing

• Optimized race exhaust system
• 6-speed H-pattern gearbox (series ratios)
• Final drive = 3,85 with lamella differential and cooling
• 100L FT3-fuel tank system 
• Air condition system of series car
• Optimized suspension with adjustable ÖHLINS race shocks, stiffer anti-rollbars and
suspension mountings
• AP racing brake system 385 mm (FA) and 355 mm (RA) with monoblock calipers
• ABS race spec.
• BBS rims 9,5x18” and 10x18” with Dunlop tyres
• Quick-release steering wheel
• Race seat Recaro Pro Racer SPG Hans and safety belt
• Fire extinguisher system and necessary safety devices
• Basic display with laptimer
• Xenon headlights
• Airjack system

Price: 120,000.00 EUR (excl. VAT) in Malaysian RM 591,189.54  

Options:
• RECARO seat Pro Racer SPA Hans 950,00 EUR
• RECARO seat Pro Racer size XL 1.050,00 EUR
• Deletion of FT3- fuel tank system minus tba
• Deletion of airjack system minus tba
• Spare engine in flight case tba
• Set rims BBS 9,5x18” (FA), 10x18” (RA) 1.180,00 EUR

NEW BMW M3 Edition models announced

Powerful, aesthetic design, supreme performance and exclusive style - the unique characteristics of the BMW M3 are now available in highly attractive Edition Models focusing on the most outstanding highlights of these outstanding cars.

Based on the BMW M3 Coupé, the M3 Edition Models offer a choice of no less than four highly individual cars boasting perfectly harmonised modifications in body design and interior features as well as special light-alloy wheels and an even lower chassis.

The BMW M3 Edition Models will be entering the market worldwide in July 2009 in Alpine White, Black, Dakar Yellow, and Monte Carlo Blue. In the interest of supreme exclusivity their production period is limited to just six months.
Individual highlights both outside and inside.

On the BMW M3 Edition Models the exterior paintwork and interior design are individually matched to one another. Depending on the respective Edition model, the body comes either in Alpine White Non-Metallic, Black Non-Metallic, Dakar Yellow Non-Metallic or Monte Carlo Blue Metallic. The combination with BMW Individual High-Gloss Satin Chrome accentuates the truly sophisticated character of the Edition Models.

The openings on the engine compartment lid on all models are finished in black, the BMW kidney grille, the side gills and the dual tailpipes on the exhaust system come in dark eloxy-plated chrome. The caps on the special BMW M exterior mirrors are likewise finished in black and are connected to the A-pillars by dual arms extending out of the mirror base finished in body colour.

Special colour highlights add an individual touch also to the interior of the BMW M3 Edition Models. The surfaces on the centre armrest, the centre console and the armrests on the door panels are finished in White on the Alpine White and Black models. At the same time these Edition Models come with interior trim in Carbon Structure Leather with white contrasting seams. The seats in Black Novillo Leather feature bespoke contrasting seams as well as vertical trim stripes on the upper section of the backrest and at the front of the legrest. On the Alpine White and Black models, these features come in white, on the Dakar Yellow and Monte Carlo Blue models they are in the appropriate exterior colour.

As a further feature the armrests and door closing handles at the inside on the Dakar Yellow and Monte Carlo Blue models come with yellow and, respectively, blue contrasting seams. And last but certainly not least, entry trim bars in Checkered Flag Design bearing the "M3" model designation give all Edition Models yet another highlight.

Special rim design and lowered suspension.
To optimise the looks of the car, all four Edition Models come with specially designed light-alloy rims and a unique suspension: On all models the 19-inch forged M light-alloy rims in double-spoke design are available either in black or in the classic rim colour. And on the Alpine White, Black and Monte Carlo Blue models, the same rims are also available in a special white contrasting colour with polished spokes.

The suspension of the BMW M3 Edition Models adds to the sporting style of the cars, lowering the entire body by 10 millimetres or 0.4".

BMW M3: supreme performance with eight cylinders and seven gears.
The BMW M3 Edition Models give this high-performance athlete a particularly striking look also reflected by the car's supreme driving dynamics based on a unique all-round concept and drivetrain/suspension technology inspired by motorsport. The V8 high-speed power unit of the BMW M3 develops maximum output of 309 kW/420 hp from 4.0 litres.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels either through the six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard or through the optional M double-clutch gearbox with Drivelogic enhancing both the dynamic performance and the all-round efficiency of the BMW M3 all in one. In this case acceleration to 100 km/h comes in 4.6 seconds (six-speed manual: 4.8 seconds) and average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 11.9 litres/23.7 mpg imp (six-speed manual: 12.4 litres/22.8 mpg imp)/100 kilometres.

The BMW M3 comes as standard with a lightweight carbon roof, while the options include Electronic Damper Control and the M Drive menu enabling the driver to configure individual, M-specific suspension and drivetrain functions just right for his personal style.

Source - BMW.

Little details that mean big

Sometimes when you least expect it, it's the little things that matter most. When I first got the car, it was how well the car handled, the way the engine roars, the look of the car, the smell of new leather. 

Soon after when you have a little more time to sit back, you then start to notice the little details and feel even more amazed at what the engineers and designers have done.

Here are 4:

1.LED signals. The lights are designed to light up in tandem with the foot pressure. The harder you brake the louder it gets. 

2. Bigger wing mirrors and best of all they fold.

3. Great sound doesn't have to come with big woofers and amps. Subtle notes and quiet whispers amidst the loud engine roar. Nice touch.

4. Strainers to keep dirt and rubbish out. No more feeling helpless to see dirt you cant reach in the engine bay.

LCI review feedbacks welcomed

I've been writing based on my experience of using the car. Please feel free to comment and ask me any questions you may have regarding the LCI or this blog. I will try and answer them in. Thank you for viewing. 

10 things you hate driving the 325 E90 LCI Msports

 

1.     Is there good parking? – Small tight spaces are a big no no. Door dents and bumper rash are a big worry.

2.     Is the destination safe? – Excuses automatically pops up with dodgy areas.

3.     Is getting there too congested? Not being able to exercise the engine is torture.

4.     Will the valet attendant know how to drive it?

5.     Can so many people fit in the car. Only 1 passenger is allowed at anytime. Back passengers would offset the 50-50 weight distribution.

6.     Driving the car gently. This is harder than anyone thinks.

7.     Driving the car hard. This is tough too.

8.     Some idiot is always tailgating me to race with them.

9.     Other drivers are always too slow.

10. And their cars look ugly.

Detailing - When is the best time?

E90 - first detailing job

 When do you start detailing your car? After reading many posts on auto sites, 1 firm answer came back. Not 1 month, not 3 months nor is it 6 months. 

Answer: As soon as you drive it out of the showroom.

 Reason being the car paint is not protected and it’s not free from residues from the factories. From the factory to the dealer and until it finally reaches the poor buyer, it’s anyone’s guess how long that process took. Usually the cars are parked at the dealer’s yard until a buyer decides it’s time to go. So the poor car could have potentially sat there under the harsh sunlight, the dust and the acid rain for …god knows.

 So you can imagine how much abuse the paint job could have gone through. The dealers do clean up and give it a mild polish when they get it ready for the buyers.

 So the best time to do it is when you take delivery of the car.

 The DIY way:

 1 Wash and clean up the car

2 Clay bar helps immensely as it lifts a lot of the unseen dirt laying on the paint job

3 After clay bar-ing, use a a good polish

4 Don’t forget to apply a layer of sealant to seal up and protect the paint job

5 The car is ready for the drive rain or shine.

 Or easy way - the auto detailing shops

 Just make sure you bought a package that includes polishing, waxing and final detailing.

e90 LCi vs pre facelift - new features

1.   With comfort Access, open and lock doors with just a touch of the door handle.

2.   Start car without slotting in the key.

3.   2 USB ports for importing and playing songs straight from memory sticks.

4.   Bluetooth feature sync contacts, history with hand phone.

5.   Voice activation feature shortcuts a lot of functions.

6.   Map includes latest road data from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

7.   Map includes estimated time of arrival.

8.   Map can also links to the address in contacts' profiles.

9.   Map can retrace the route used.

10.  8 radio station buttons are also touch sensitive. This feature allows links with in built features like engine management, map, fuel consumption etc.

11. Motorised foldable wing mirrors.

12. Service alerts built in.

13. LED signal lights.

14. Brake led light up correspondingly with pedal pressure.

15. Parking assist via idrive screen

16. Parking assist alerts driver of pedestrians walking too close to car.

17. Idrive plays DVD movies (only when the vehicle is stationary).

18. Idrive monitors tire pressure, oil level, brake fluids, front and rear brake disc.

19. BMW Assist feature available via BMW Malaysia.

20. Steering wheel gear change paddle

21. Sports leather seats with side, lumbar support, thigh support, memory functions

22. Left and right individual dirt strainers below windscreen

23.  Automatic windscreen wipers detects raindrops

24. Seat Belt warning alert that doesn’t go away until the passenger is buckled up

25. Back seats foldable.

 This list will be update in the near future…

E90 BMW PERFORMANCE KIT for LCI 3 series

BMW seems to keep the interest on the LCi going. Soon after launching the M-Sports Kits, there's a another edgier kit. Even though I'm still in love with the new car I have to admit the new kit looks tempting. Then again I'm sure it ain't cheap. Let's hope the good people at BMW will have a show car with the full kit on. 

More info on the new kit:  http://www.bmwinformation.co.uk/dg/bmwas/dld/bmwas/a3194432/digi-pdf.pdf

Review LCi 325 e90 - after 1 month

1ST IMPRESSIONS 

The car came with all the kit any bimmer lover want. There's no desire to even look at other souped up 3s. BMW Malaysia seems to have gotten this right with this package. The only thing that I would rant about is the price. Good thing the interest rate makes it a lil less painful.

IDRIVE

I love this lil gadget. Makes driving a lot more engaging. Lots to impress any passengers. Fav amongst the features is the bluetooth interface. I use the 2.5g iphone and it works great. No cops are gonna ever catch me driving using the hp. The map is good too but certain areas in KL dont come up. What I dislike about the map is the long process of typing in certain roads. The map records your journey. There must be a shorter cut of using the map. The bluetooth connects directly to my iphone. It's a great feature. All phone calls are stored there. The phone contacts are within easy reach. 

IPOD INTERFACE

I'm a bit pissed with this feature. In US forums they say u need a Y cable to connect. But the service guys here keep saying you can connect straight to the interface. I haven't been able to do so. Again maybe some bmw owners can enlighten me how to do this without the Y cable. I took the next easy way of just pluggin in the 4 g m stick. I think this is better. You can store a lot of songs with 4g.

SOUND SYSTEM

Can't complain really. As long as the mp3 file has got great bit rate the music is sweet. I recommend nothing less than 192 bit rate.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

The suspension and the RFT aren't the best combination I have to say. It makes the ride too firm for my liking. I suppose it's hard to compromise on looks and performance. On twisty roads, this is the king. Very planted and gives any driver the utmost confidence. 9/10 here. Speeding on the highways feels a bit on the edge especially when you have passengers in the rear. Funny i could reach 210kph with the 06 325 faster than with this one. My best effort got me close to 195kph b4 the road runs out. Maybe the engine is not run in yet. 

Things I dislike about the LCI after 3 months.

Dashboard noise (I havent bothered to send it in becos I really dont believe the service guys can cure it)
The creaks from door sills (Ingress was kind enough to solve that for me using tape) but it still comes back every now and again.

The drive by wire accelerator pedals is not engaging enough. BMW must solve this. 

some pics of the journey Kuantan + Sg Lembing

E90 LCi Roadtrip Kuantan + Sg Lembing

Where should I go for my very first road trip after getting the car. Melaka? Getting there is a bit boring. Seremban? Too near. It's like driving to Shah Alam and back. Mmmm... Need some twisty bits, some nice sceneries... 

After much thinking about the destination I decided on Kuantan. Why? Couple of reasons. The last time I went there was a good 5-6 years back. I have an uncle who lives in Kuantan who I've not seen for some time. I've heard about the highway that cuts the journey down to about 2+ hours. Not many speed traps (we'll see) apart from Karak. Apparently the sceneries aren't too bad getting there.   

Quick scan on my diary if there's any important meeting on the weekend. None... perfect! Call up a friend and away we go. 

We started the journey early...5.30am. Had a quick toast and coffee. Switched on the idrive navigation. Punched in Kuantan and evrything came up. The route, the next junction, estimated time of arrival. Driving in the wee hours have always been my favourite time. The journey form KL to Karak was rather quiet. Not many cars at all. Since the car was still fairly new I didn't want to push it pass 3-4k on the rev. The highway's not too bad either. Passing Karak we hit a valley of sorts and from the distant it look rather strange on Malaysian roads...FOG! I couldn't remember exactly the name of the area. It was a hilly area and the fog was thick. Felt like driving in Europe. 

An hour or so the sun came up to greet us. I have to say the scene is rather magical. Warm golden lights were hitting the hills. Unlike the north south highway you don't get to see much unless you're near the limestone hills near Ipoh. As we are driving in the Easterly direction the sun came up directly in front. 

Next we stopped at Maran rest area. Loads of truckers still soundly asleep. Nothing much to see or eat we pushed on. From Karak to Maran, no sign of any cops hiding under bridges. The handling was superb the whole journey. Silent, smooth and grippy. The lights are amazing. It's like using a huge spotlight and you can literally see anything on the road. At the most we cruised at 140kph. Using the 6th gear the rpm never really went past 3k. I must be grinning from ear to ear the whole time. The sport seats were great too. It fits so snugly and when we were passing the twisty parts of Karak, the seats just holds on tight to you. 

I also played with the cruise control as there were some really straight roads and I must commend the German engineers for it. An hour or so we made it to Kuantan town. The navigation was great. Took us to the centre of town at the estimated time.  Plus minus 5 mins. Fuel consumption was 11 litre per 100km. 

As we were in town I called my uncle...and guess what? He's not in Kuantan. He's in a lil obscure town called Sungei Lembing. A million thoughts went through my head at that moment...aaarrrgggrrr all the way up to Kuantan and he's not there. Hold on said my uncle... Sg Lembing is only half an hour's drive away. I said Ok. Time to use the navi for this. I punched in Sungei Lembing Pahang and walla... it came up. Amazing BMW. 

The trip's really something to write home about. The roads to Sg Lembing was twisty, deserted, monkeys by the road side, goats and the occasional old man on a bicycle. Again the navigation map was accurate. Took us to the town centre in the estimated time. 

If you are planning a road trip do give this a go. You won't regret it. The food's excellent. The small town ambience is great. Lot's of old shop houses and best part there's even a Museum about tin mining in this 1 big main street town. On weekends apparently tourist as far off as Singapore comes up in tour buses to view the sunrise and have breakfast in the market centre.

driving the new toy

Finally... i bid farewell to both the sales person and Mr Kenny Foo, the branch Manager. With the keys now firmly in my possesion, i made my way to the toy (rather urgently I have to say) With a touch of the door handle, the car unlocked. Sat in, adjusted the sitting position. Wrist over the steering, 4 fingers near the roof, arms bent. Satisfied, my eyes focused on the start button next...Ahh... the joys of hearing the engine as it starts up. I literally sat in the car for a good couple of minutes before I put it into D. The car moved without any noise at all. As I drove away... the warning from my sales person came back loud and clear... do not rev over 3000 rpm for the 1st 2k mileage. 

The car came with the sports package. It sits slightly lower than the regular. The ride is very firm. Active steering is not included and it makes the car feeling a bit stiff and heavy. At low speed the car feels sluggish and not as lively.

All that changed as I made my way to the highway. In no time the speed got up 120km. Stiff, heavy, sluggish was something that all disappeared as quickly as the rev counter made it close to 3000rpm. The joys of driving the ultimate driving machine came alive at that moment.

The journey from glenmarie to KL felt really short. It was for me the shortest long journey. 

To be continued...

the day my toy arrived

Approximately 7 days after putting in my booking, the toy arrived. Palpitations, sweaty palms, nervousness are just some of the symptoms that went through me that day . Nothing is quite like seeing your dream car right before your very eyes. Armed with my iphone I quickly took some snap shots of it as this comes in handy later when I wanted to see if there was anything that seemed out of place.

My sales person was really nice as she took her time to take me through all the paperwork without much hassle. After explaining all the documents that I have to sign, the exciting part came next. She took me through what the new LCI has to offer. Before getting this car I was using the 06 e90 325. That car came without the idrive and I thought why would anyone pay so much more for the idrive feature. Little did I know the idrive made driving the car so much more fun. All in all the whole briefing took about an hour. The idrive functions, the mp3 interface, the comfort access, the map, the bluetooth, the list goes on. 

next the driving experience....

My BMW LCI E90 m sports

I’m new to blogging. I’ve been driving the 09 LCI E90 325i for a few months now and I feel it’s a good time to share some of its secrets. Mine comes with the m-sports package. In the next few days I will upload and share with you all the joys of owning the new E90. I have read and seen many posts about the LCI but haven’t come across any owners who blog about the experience of driving the car. Hopefully bmw fans will get to know more about the e90.

All in all it’s been a great experience driving the car in the last few months. Stay tuned