Top Gear R32 v 130i (hatch)
10-29-2007, 08:52 PM
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I'd take the bimmer wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy before that R32!
Heck I'd take a regular E36 M3 over the R32. The E36 M3 is superior to the R32 in every performance category.
Heck I'd take a regular E36 M3 over the R32. The E36 M3 is superior to the R32 in every performance category.
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10-29-2007, 11:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Jacques79,Oct 29 2007, 08:52 PM
I'd take the bimmer wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy before that R32!
Heck I'd take a regular E36 M3 over the R32. The E36 M3 is superior to the R32 in every performance category.
Heck I'd take a regular E36 M3 over the R32. The E36 M3 is superior to the R32 in every performance category.
The US spec E36 with the S52, sorry... I wipe up those poor M3's from Streets of Willow regularly, they don't know what blew past them. Less torque, less power, less than optimal gearing. It's definitely a dumbed down car from the euro version, that we got here in the shape of an E36.
Even the E46 is pretty even in a race with a Mk4 R32 around Willow, it's a driver's race. E46 has the high end power and balance, R32 has the grip in the corners and the low through midrange torque.
Now as for that 135i, it's a VW killer in every category. I humbly tremble in its presence.
10-30-2007, 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by g60racer,Oct 29 2007, 11:06 PM
The european E36 with the S54 motor and its accompanying six speed Getrag gearbox, absolutely.
The US spec E36 with the S52, sorry... I wipe up those poor M3's from Streets of Willow regularly, they don't know what blew past them. Less torque, less power, less than optimal gearing. It's definitely a dumbed down car from the euro version, that we got here in the shape of an E36.
Even the E46 is pretty even in a race with a Mk4 R32 around Willow, it's a driver's race. E46 has the high end power and balance, R32 has the grip in the corners and the low through midrange torque.
Now as for that 135i, it's a VW killer in every category. I humbly tremble in its presence.
The US spec E36 with the S52, sorry... I wipe up those poor M3's from Streets of Willow regularly, they don't know what blew past them. Less torque, less power, less than optimal gearing. It's definitely a dumbed down car from the euro version, that we got here in the shape of an E36.
Even the E46 is pretty even in a race with a Mk4 R32 around Willow, it's a driver's race. E46 has the high end power and balance, R32 has the grip in the corners and the low through midrange torque.
Now as for that 135i, it's a VW killer in every category. I humbly tremble in its presence.
It's lighter, it has just as much HP and Torque, (I don't know why you said the R32 has more power) it's RWD so it loses less HP through the drivetrain: in fact the dyno numbers for the E36 USDM engine show that it should read about 250HP at the crank because the dyno shows around 210WHP on average.
The brakes on the E36 M3 are great.
Handling wise, a stock E36 M3 is less of an understeering beat like the R32 is and has tremendous feedback through the steering wheel compared to the R32 which is more numbed down.
Now I know you have an R32, I have driven it and like it a lot, it's a great GT car, but if you're passing E36 M3 cars on the track with a lot of ease, than that's just a case of you being a great driver and the guys in the M3s being average, because it should be much closer than that.
As for gearing, with a 3.23 final drive ratio, it's perfectly suited for the car's powerband. If you want to talk about stupid gearing, check out my S54 M Coupe's 3.15 final drive. Now THAT blows...
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