BMWS are best known in these parts as cosseting conveyances for the pampered behinds of a select few. And why not? They’re smooth, confident automobiles suitable for whisking away an Apec delegate or two. But underneath each serene twin kidney grille lies the soul of a much more aggressive machine.
Those machines, created from the chassis of the regular BMW series cars, were in full force at the Clark International Speedway. Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC), BMW’s official Philippine distributor, took the opportunity to offer to current and potential owners the BMW Driving Experience. The event rounded up all the cars carrying the coveted M badge and let them loose on the track for a couple of days of hard driving.
The M cars that went on track were the M3, M4, X5 M and
X6 M. Also included were the M Performance Automobiles, the M135i and M235i.
On hand to guide the participants were BMW-certified instructors, led by JP Tuason of Tuason Racing School, the country’s first and only BMW M-certified driving instructor.
The BMW M3 sedan carries the name of the legendary homologated racing version of the 3 Series coupe, first seen in 1986.
The current M3 packs a monster of an engine, with 431 horsepower and 550 Newton-meters. The car returns to the favored BMW engine configuration, an inline-six.
M’S AERODYNAMICS package: remolded front and rear bumpers, wheel arches and side sills
The 3.0 engine packs twin turbos, enabling a sprint from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.1 seconds. The M4 is the two-door twin of the M3, carrying the same performance and mechanical configuration.
The M3’s engine rumbles invitingly from the outside but is all silent at idle when sitting down in the driver’s seat. It roars back to life once we peel out of the Clark’s pit lane.
The dampers, steering wheel response and traction control can be toggled from Comfort to Sport to Sport Plus modes, depending on whether you want to go to the mall or clip an apex.
INQUIRER Motoring writer Alvin Uy all set for his ride
Since we were aiming for the red and white stripes today, we were in Sport Plus. The traction control remained firmly on, as turning them off was not only verboten but also imprudent, given the rain-slicked track.
BMW paid special attention not only to the power aspect but also the handling, specifically as it related to the car’s weight. Thus the choice of a smaller six-cylinder versus the previous M3’s V8 engine. The twin turbos clawed back some of the power deficit, and the lighter engine made the car more agile in corners. Taking Clark’s long turn one at high speed, we were no doubt being kept in line partly by the car’s electronics. If the car allowed us to dump all 550 Nm to the rear wheels without intervention, we might have ended up facing the wrong way.
Yet the cars behaved mostly transparently, with no undue interference from the traction and stability controls.
THE BMW Driving Experience rounded up all the cars carrying the coveted M badge. alvin uy
When JP took us on a taxi ride in an M3 with the traction control off, we could appreciate just how much work the computer and motors were doing to help us stay out of trouble.
The M3 and M4 are by no means stripped-out track cars. They carry a full complement of creature comforts, from electric leather-wrapped seats with memory function to climate control to a Harman Kardon sound system.
To help lower the weight after those features were added, BMW used carbon fiber for the main roof section. This helps to lighten the car where it’s most crucial: with a lightweight hardtop, the center of gravity is lowered, benefiting handling. For buyers who want a more track-focused experience, the M3 and M4 are available in a Pure Edition, which comes with a six-speed manual transmission.
AT THE CLARK International Speedway, current and potential BMW owners were offered a unique driving experience.
Manual transmissions are nowadays slower than their computerized automatic counterparts, and the M3 and M4 are no exceptions. What the manual version does offer versus the seven-speed dual-clutch version is a more involving driving experience. Braking, then revving the engine to match revs while downshifting, requires more thought and consideration than just clicking a paddle or letting the transmission pick the gear.
Some weight is saved by swapping out the motorized front seats for manually-adjusted ones, and deleting features like the keyless access system, adaptive headlamps, and the bespoke audio.
THE M3 and M4 still carry a full complement of creature comforts.
The M badging is no longer limited to sports cars and coupes. Perhaps after taking too many swigs of weissbier, the engineers at BMW M decided to apply the same treatment to a pair of SUVs.
The X5 M and X6 M are the company’s midsize SUVs that have undergone the $6-million-man treatment. We have the technology to make 2-ton vehicles dance on the track.
The X5 M and X6 get some extra oomph from their V8 engines, getting 575 HP and 750 Nm. The power is coursed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. They are quick: 0-100 kph in 4.2 seconds.
The steering and handling are also given a workover, letting them have more grip and response. The X5 M acquitted itself behind a convoy of lighter, more nimble cars, its surfeit of torque allowing it to catch up quickly on the straights.
M BADGES on the side
Aside from the full-blown M vehicles, there were also a pair of compacts modified as M Performance Automobiles: the M135i and M235i. The M pair get visual upgrades such as M badges on the sides together with the M aerodynamics package: remolded front and rear bumpers, wheel arches and side sills. Eighteen-inch wheels are paired with M Sport Brakes in Estoril blue finish.
These aren’t just for show, as the M compacts are equipped with 3-liter turborcharged inline-six engines. Power output is 326 HP and torque 450 Nm. That’s good enough for a 0-100 kph time of under five seconds, with a top speed of 250 kph.
THE M3’s engine rumbles peeling out of the Clark’s pit lane
On the track, the M135i and M235i proved to be agile and responsive. That, together with their small footprints made them ideal for the slalom exercise. Even in pouring rain, the pair of Ms always felt confident and in control through the cones.
With every premium automaker going into performance as a product differentiator, BMW has wisely not gone into the horsepower wars with all cylinders blazing. An approach that considers overall weight and purity of handling, and not just outright tire-shredding power, puts the driver in better control.
It’s an appropriate formula from one of the originators of the track-oriented road car.
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