Quote:
Originally Posted by Finnegan
Good question. Answers, if I recall correctly for the 335is vs. M3: massively heavy exhaust to tame the S65's tendency to drone (I'm replacing mine with a full Akrapovic, saves 50 pounds); different seats (more bolstering, as they're heavier as well); additional sub-frame rigidity; other pieces that add weight (and rigidity); heavier duty "M stuff"; additional sound-deadening; oil and transmission coolers; and I believe larger rotors as well.
I agree Porsche has kept the weight down, but it's still creeping up over there generation to generation, just not at the pace of other cars. I looked at that about a year ago and noted that while moving more slowly, weight had really gone up. So I just looked again tonight: a 911SC circa 1983 weighed ~2,500 lbs; the 993 weighed in at just over 3,000 pounds, and the 997 S weighed in 3,100 pounds. Safety equipment makes up a lot of that weight, and Porsche does tend to focus on performance not comfort. But the reason Porsche hasn't increased at the same rate as other manufacturers is, as Jeremy Clarkson puts it, "Porsche has the laziest design team in the world". They haven't increased the size of the 911 variants (look at a 911 SC vs. a 997), unlike BMW who keeps going bigger and more bloated.
I saw an E34 M5 last weekend at EuroSunday. It was actually smaller than my E92 M3! The E92 is bigger than the E46. At the rate we're going the 3er is going to look like a 7 series soon. You'll need a license to drive a truck for the series of the future. I can hear it now "excuse me sir, you have to put money in two meters for that 7 series since it takes up two parking spaces, so you're getting a parking ticket."
So of course these cars weigh more (safety improvements notwithstanding). It's the size of the vehicle BMW is putting out. IMO this reflects the change in people who are growing larger as well, and it's a side effect of the popularity of the land barge sized SUVs which have accutomed the public to having a living room on wheels.
The next generation of BMWs will, I'm sure, prove to be even bigger and more bloated than this one. They'll produce more power, but a 4,000 - 4,5000 pound car, no matter how much power and suspension tricks it has, is just not going to be as much fun as a 3,200 pound car due to the laws of physics.
And that's what makes the Z4M and Z4 (and Z3s) so special. They're light, nimble, and have just enough "luxury" and comfort to be livable while at the same time delivering great performance. It's why the Z4M is a keeper in my book.
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agreed agreed! plus combined with the simple weight reduction (wheels, seats, battery, exhaust) + an ess supercharger, you got yourself a REAL keeper =)