M1, E30 M3 Sport Evo & E28 M5

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M1, E30 M3 Sport Evo & E28 M5

04-15-2020, 03:40 PM

BMW M1 / M3 / M5: Classic Cars
Rock-n-Ring with BMW M3, M1 & M5

For most fans of the BMW brand, the potent M models are the essence of the proverbial joy of driving. With the M1, the first M5 and the original M3 in the last stage of expansion, we asked three of the legendary M cars to dance in the Green Hell

"A company is like a human being. If it does sport, it is well-trained, enthusiastic, more efficient." These pioneering words were spoken by none other than the then BMW Sales Director Robert A. Lutz in 1972. The historic event was the founding of Motorsport GmbH, the subsidiary that was to bundle all of the Bavarian carmaker's racing activities from then on. Shortly after its founding, the first great successes began to emerge. 2-masters to Munich. That was just the beginning of a long success story. Over the years, vehicles with the white and blue propeller won countless races and championships, up to the Formula 1 title in 1983. But the racing programs alone did not last long. The BMW subsidiary, renamed M GmbH in 1993, soon began to develop independent road cars. With the BMW M1, the first M5 and the last expansion stage of the first M3, we have gathered three of the legendary and exclusive M models. The location for this high-octane meeting was only one place: the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

BMW M1, M3 & M5 IN THE TEST

We first approach the M1 - and with a healthy dose of awe. After all, the bolide is not only pecuniary, but also historically a very valuable piece of automotive history. The mid-engine sports car was the first complete in-house development by Motorsport GmbH. The project was actually a thoroughbred racing device that should have dominated the circuits of this world. The offshoot was born out of necessity to have a homologation basis for motorsport. The following quote from the M1 press kit fits this: "The limit of its performance lies in racing, not in everyday suitability; it was not fixed by 277 production car hp, but by 850 competition hp." "But the development was not delayed last because of the ﬁnancial problems, in which the development partner was Lamborghini.

This had far-reaching consequences for the M1: shortly before the presentation of the car, the regulations of various large international racing series changed, so that the M1 no longer really fit anywhere. The sports car had become superfluous almost overnight. In order to successfully market the street models already produced, a clever marketing move was devised: the Procar series. It was a spectacular one-make cup, the races of which took place in the European Formula 1 races from 1979 to 1980 and generated effective advertising attention with the participation of active Formula 1 drivers. The relatively tough sell-off of the pretty street offshoot made by Baur in Stuttgart, which should mature into a valuable investment over the years, but that changed little. Back to the here and now: To date, the design drawn by the Italian design guru Giorgio Giugiaro (Italdesign) has lost none of its sex appeal. Wide, flat and, in our case, sinfully painted red - the BMW M1 is still a type that makes hearts beat faster. This syndrome accelerates the turning of the ignition key. The M88 four-valve engine comes to life with a hissing hiss. 277 hp was enough to ensure that the M1 was the fastest German production sports car until the Porsche 959 appeared in 1986. Accompanied by a wonderful soundscape, the 300-kilo run accelerates the two-seater from a standing start to 100 km / h in just 5.6 seconds. The end of the finish line is only reached at 262 km / h. The elaborate chassis with double wishbones all around still enables a high level of lateral dynamics and a modern-looking driving behavior. But be careful; at the limit, the mid-engine athlete needs a knowledgeable and above all, firm hand. There is no power steering or even ABS in the precious hip flask.

A DARING IDEA BECOMES REALITY

Change to the M5. The contrast to the M1 could not be bigger: four doors, pleasantly upholstered seats, ample space, extensive equipment. The M1 and the first M5 are more similar than it seems, because the "Businessman's Express," as the M5 was quickly called, has the revised engine of the M1. But how did it happen that the engine of a high-performance sports car could end up in a well-behaved luxury class sedan? According to legend, the bodyguards of the former BMW CEO Eberhard von Kuenheim played a key role in the creation of the potent four-door car. They had to escort the corporate driver, who was chauffered in a 252 hp 745i, in inconspicuous 528i sedans with 184 hp. The bodyguards expressed massive security concerns about the difference in performance because they could not have followed their boss's car in the event of a car chase - after all, such a scenario could not be completely dismissed in times of RAF terrorist attacks. These concerns were brought up to Paul Rosche, developer of the M88 six-cylinder, with the request that some of his powerful sports engines be made available for the bodyguards' vehicles. This in turn did not fair long and planted "his" 3.5-liter six-cylinder in a conventional 5-car body. In this way, the engine’s developer also has a large share in the creation of one of the best BMW M models ever.

Clever marketing strategists then had the vision, that you could definitely make money with such a vehicle concept. From this, the M5 was developed to market maturity. The mileage of the M5, which is hardly distinguishable from an 86 hp 524d, sets standards. Assuming skilful manual work on the precisely guided gear lever, the M5 zooms from a standing start to highway speed in 6.5 seconds. The top speed is a good 245 km / h. No other contemporary sedan even came anywhere near such a performance like a sports car. It is also impressive how relaxed the turbine-like engine shakes its power from its sleeves. Accelerate out of the rev cellar in high gear? No problem! The oldie masters this exercise with great confidence. At the same time, the four-door car pampers its guests with absolutely polished manners. The space is good; the overall noise level is quite low, and the seats are very comfortable even on long journeys. In addition, the steering and gearshift are operated without too much effort, and the chassis is also very comfortably tuned, even by today's standards - with the consequence that the body tilts much more to the side when cornering fast than with the other two M-Boliden in this lap.

M3 IS A RACING CAR TAMED FOR THE ROAD

Such behavior is completely foreign to the M1, but also to the third party in the league, the highly dynamic M3 Sport Evolution. On every meter driven, the pilot feels that over the other 3s, which by today's standards are rather petite; it’s nothing more than a racing car tamed for the road. A look back at the mid-eighties: While the exit from Formula 1 after the world championship title by Nelson Piquet on Brabham-BMW was long over in 1983, M GmbH concentrated on developing a new racing touring car based on the then current 3 Series Series E30, which should comply with Group A regulations - the M3.

The homologated road vehicle, which was presented at the Frankfurt IAA in 1985, looks similar to the conventional 3 series,however, the vehicle was redesigned in many ways. In addition to numerous lightweight construction measures that reduce the weight to 1200 kilograms, the M3 has a far-reaching change in aerodynamics. In addition to the striking front apron and the exhibited side sill panels, the strongly redesigned rear area is particularly striking. There the M3 comes up with a flatter rear window, which favors the airflow to the standard rear wing. The latter sits on a trunk lid that is four centimeters higher than the normal 3 Series and is made of plastic. The massive widening of the front and rear also gave the M3 its characteristic fender flares.

A high-revving sports engine with digital control works under the hood, which is essentially based on the famous M10 four-cylinder. The four-valve cylinder head is a shortened component of the M1 six-cylinder. Without a power-guzzling catalytic converter, the 2.3-liter engine initially sent a smooth 200 hp to the driven rear wheels. Various, mostly strictly limited special series, such as the M3 "Evolution II", achieve up to 220 hp. The last stage of expansion of the M3, the Sport Evolution, which was produced in a run of 600 units, started with 2.5 liters of displacement and 238 hp. Special features of this version are the adjustable rear wing main blade, the more concise, also adjustable front spoiler lip and the special sports bucket seats with red belts. In addition, the special model has suede leather covers for the steering wheel, the shift knob, and the hand brake lever.

PERMANENT GRIN IS A BY-PRODUCT IN SUCH CARS

The first M3 was a huge success for M GmbH. After all, 17,970 customers warmed up for the sports car. The reason for the considerable sales figures was obvious: the M3 E30 embodies the proverbial joy of driving like hardly any other BMW. Especially as a Sport Evolution, it comes very close to the ideal image of a compact and perfectly everyday sports car. Thanks to the low unladen weight of 1200 kilograms, the two-door sprints to 100 km / h in just 6.5 seconds, and continues up to a top speed of 248 km / h. In addition, the trained athlete can playfully chase through every conceivable curve thanks to his excellently tuned chassis. The M3 Sport Evolution does not need any electronic helpers; a differential lock and the wonderfully precise, responsive steering are sufficient. A clear indication of the sustainability of the M3 concept: this winner is still the most successful touring car in the world.

BMW M1 (E26) (BJ : 1978-81 ): TECHNICAL DATA AND FACTS

Structure and Chassis
Tubular steel lattice frame | Plastic body with two doors | Front suspension: double wishbones, springs, dampers, stabilizers | Rear Suspension: double wishbones, springs, dampers, stabilizers | Rack and pinion steering | Brakes: disc rotors all around interior | Tires: V Rated, 205/50 R 15 front tires, 225/50 R15 rear tires | Wheels: Front 7 x 16, Rear 8 x 16

Driving performance ¹
Acceleration: 0 to 100 km / h in 5.8 s | Top speed: 262 km / h | Consumption: 15.3 l / 100 km

¹ AZ issue 11/80

BMW M5 (E28) (BJ: 1985-87 ): TECHNICAL DATA AND FACTS