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In Reply to: Re: New M Coupe / Roadster info posted by Jonathan on December 15, 2000 at 12:31:05:
The M coupe was conceived by the engineering team to be a stiffer platform optimized for fast driving. Adding "accessories" just adds weight and dulls the coupe's edge. If you're gonna add all that stuff then you might as well throw in more soundproofing, leather instrument faces, a bigger stereo, plush carpeting. To paraphrase a saying popular among the more extremist elements of the Porsche club (like your author): "M Coupes are for people who want to drive BMW's, roadsters are for people who want to be *seen* driving BMW's". Bigger rims - ok. But swoopy bodywork and satellite navigation? Save it for the cupholder & cappucino crowd.
Sorry to be so opinionated, butI've been waiting for two years for BMW to sell the coupe in the US with the European spec engine. As the US and European market cars both come off the same line in Spartanburg, I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner. According to a BMW rep I spoke with a year or so ago, the US spec M3 and M roadster and coupe were given the 240hp six (which is actually a hotter version of the standard 2.5l motor, rather than a "full-blown" M motor)for reasons of cost, the idea being that we uncultured Yankees wouldn't cough up the approx $15k difference in sticker price. I'll be interested to see where the hotter M Coupe is priced. I guess I'll have to wait until Detroit.
BTW - the reason the car comes only with the five speed rather than the M3's six-speed is because the six-speed simply won't fit into the coupe or roadster without significant (and costly) alterations to the bodyshell. The European coupes have had the 321hp motor all along, and only ever had the five speed.
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