[Broncho]

M5 thread got me thinking, where do you think the sweet spot is?

My Z4M was more than quick enough if not imo too quick to exploit fully on the roads, didn’t stop me trying though.

I’ve driven quicker stuff than that but as a long term ownership prospect it was about as far as I personally needed to go, things are different now though as I spend 90% of the time with the mrs and kids in the car so for me the sweet spot in terms of performance was my 330d, plenty quick enough.

Funnily enough the most difficult car to fully exploit was either of my S2000s but that was the nature of the engine.

The most fun was probably my brothers Elise and that was a bog standard mighty 118bhp!

A friend has a 720s that’s 12 months old and he’s not got a clue, I think he’s scared to go past 5000rpm

[JustChris]

As most of us have BMW's here's a good way to depress yourself as to how over engineered your PCP deal is.

1) Set off
2) Put Sport Displays on iDrive
3) Cry as you realise all you use is torque and you barely ever use over 170-200 Hp

[Broncho]

Originally Posted by JustChris

As most of us have BMW's here's a good way to depress yourself as to how over engineered your PCP deal is.

1) Set off
2) Put Sport Displays on iDrive
3) Cry as you realise all you use is torque and you barely ever usevover 170-200 Hp

I bet you have as much fun in the MX5 as the M135i

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Broncho

I bet you have as much fun in the MX5 as the M135i

Nope, way more fun in the Mx5. Had it 2-3 months less and mileage is higher.
Logic goes:-

10 If Rain = 0 GOTO 30
20 Drive M135i
30 Drive MX5

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Broncho

M5 thread got me thinking, where do you think the sweet spot is?

I’ve driven quicker stuff than that but as a long term ownership prospect it was about as far as I personally needed to go, things are different now though as I spend 90% of the time with the mrs and kids in the car so for me the sweet spot in terms of performance was my 330d, plenty quick enough.

Agree you don’t need anything quicker than a 330d on UK roads. Mines remapped to 325bhp and It blows away most cars on the road if I put my foot down. The Mrs hates it if I floor it, she says it pins her back in the seat and makes her stomach feel funny

The combination of performance and economy has to be the sweet spot if you don’t require any small penis compensating exhaust pops and bangs like the boy racers require.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by JustChris

As most of us have BMW's here's a good way to depress yourself as to how over engineered your PCP deal is.

1) Set off
2) Put Sport Displays on iDrive
3) Cry as you realise all you use is torque and you barely ever usevover 170-200 Hp

As much as I love my 440i, I generally use a fraction of the performance.

I'm seriously considering a Mini JCW with a manual for my next car. Think that will be more enjoyable for the majority of the driving I do.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

As much as I love my 440i, I generally use a fraction of the performance.

I'm seriously considering a Mini JCW with a manual for my next car. Think that will be more enjoyable for the majority of the driving I do.

I think a JCW Mini is probably a good shout; Mrs JNW1's Cooper S DCT is fun to drive and I imagine a manual JCW would be better still. I was almost tempted to look at a JCW Clubman to replace my F31 but in the end decided we didn't really want two Minis in the household!

I'm still running-in my M340i but once it is I doubt I'll use all the performance very often - wouldn't keep my licence long if I did! However, for me a big part of the B58's appeal is the smoothness and refinement and you can appreciate that regardless of the speed you're doing; it's certainly nice to have the performance available when you want it but for me it's not the only reason for having a 6-pot petrol.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by JNW1

I think a JCW Mini is probably a good shout; Mrs JNW1's Cooper S DCT is fun to drive and I imagine a manual JCW would be better still. I was almost tempted to look at a JCW Clubman to replace my F31 but in the end decided we didn't really want two Minis in the household!

I'm still running-in my M340i but once it is I doubt I'll use all the performance very often - wouldn't keep my licence long if I did! However, for me a big part of the B58's appeal is the smoothness and refinement and you can appreciate that regardless of the speed you're doing; it's certainly nice to have the performance available when you want it but for me it's not the only reason for having a 6-pot petrol.

Your are right, the smoothness and refinement of the engine is important. Plus we need to buy these 3.0 litre 6 cylinder engines whilst we can!

I'm very tempted by the JCW Clubman. Nearly went for one last time but they only had 217bhp or so at the time and the reviews weren't great. Reviews of the new one with the M135i engine/gearbox are much more positive.

[SantaEugence]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Agree you don’t need anything quicker than a 330d on UK roads. Mines remapped to 325bhp and It blows away most cars on the road if I put my foot down. The Mrs hates it if I floor it, she says it pins her back in the seat and makes her stomach feel funny

The combination of performance and economy has to be the sweet spot if you don’t require any small penis compensating exhaust pops and bangs like the boy racers require.

I have the same. Mines at 312bhp and I know that's not much compared to many performance cars, but you can't put your foot down for very long before you're either in ban territory or it's no longer fit/safe for the road conditions.
That being said, it's nice to know the power is available and there aren't a great deal of things you're likely to come across that often that will totally obliterate you. Plus the brief seconds when the peddle is floored and I'm pushed back in my seat brings a smile to my face every time

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by SantaEugence

I have the same. Mines at 312bhp and I know that's not much compared to many performance cars, but you can't put your foot down for very long before you're either in ban territory or it's no longer fit/safe for the road conditions.
That being said, it's nice to know the power is available and there aren't a great deal of things you're likely to come across that often that will totally obliterate you. Plus the brief seconds when the peddle is floored and I'm pushed back in my seat brings a smile to my face every time

Agree, once you get above 300bhp only supercars (which I very rarely see on the road) will ‘blow you away’ at speeds below the UK licence losing 100mph.

I can only usually floor my car for a few seconds at a time at most on public roads, because I intend to keep my licence!

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Agree you don't need anything quicker than a 330d on UK roads. Mines remapped to 325bhp and It blows away most cars on the road if I put my foot down. The Mrs hates it if I floor it, she says it pins her back in the seat and makes her stomach feel funny

The combination of performance and economy has to be the sweet spot if you don't require any small penis compensating exhaust pops and bangs like the boy racers require.

Ahahahaha when I used launch control on the remapped 435d... mine gave me an earful and told me to never do it again!

#loveyouelicense
#youonlygetonelicense

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by Broncho

M5 thread got me thinking, where do you think the sweet spot is?

My Z4M was more than quick enough if not imo too quick to exploit fully on the roads, didn’t stop me trying though.

I’ve driven quicker stuff than that but as a long term ownership prospect it was about as far as I personally needed to go, things are different now though as I spend 90% of the time with the mrs and kids in the car so for me the sweet spot in terms of performance was my 330d, plenty quick enough.

Funnily enough the most difficult car to fully exploit was either of my S2000s but that was the nature of the engine.

The most fun was probably my brothers Elise and that was a bog standard mighty 118bhp!

A friend has a 720s that’s 12 months old and he’s not got a clue, I think he’s scared to go past 5000rpm

Funny you saying the 330d. For me, the 218hp that I've got in the 325d - along with the manual gearbox, makes for a great driving experience. Power enough to do some real acceleration and make overtakes ridiculously easy, the gearbox for involvement, adaptive suspension (normally suspension is left in comfort mode, engine in sport mode). Oh, and decent fuel economy.
If I had an M5, M3, even a 340i I think I'd realise just how little of the performance I was using, and hate it for that. Whereas this I can, to a far greater extent, have a hoot in.

Previous really good driving cars for me include a Z3 with the 2.2 straight 6 (170hp), and an MGB (80hp if it was lucky).

The most disappointing car I've ever owned to drive was a 2002 E46 330Ci Clubsport, which had a terrible SMG gearbox. Out on the open road it was ... OK, but anything in town it was hateful

[Tengocity]

I'm not sure power is the issue on the public road, rather size of car. When I had a go of a M5, I would agree that it was hard to use all the power, but boy was a few seconds of full throttle a blast! But an enjoyable drive requires a rhythm and flow that is very hard to achieve in a large car on many UK roads. My M4 is absolutely as big as I'd want to go for a 'drivers' car, and I certainly found my Boxster better in that regard. But I always wanted it to have more power, and I've never wanted the M4 to have less.
I think the other issue is modern cars are a little numb, and almost have too much mechanical grip on modern UHP tyres.

[JustChris]

How about the new Tesla Roadster.

I knew this was coming but had no idea the target specs were so...... other world!!!

My word:-

0-60 1.9s
4 seater
620 Mile Range (this one is the least believable)
The torque though, would any tyres actually cope with this 10,000Nm all from standstill of course!

https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/roadster

To boot it actually looks pretty fantastic. £168k with reservations being taken now. Makes 911 Turbo look pedestrian.

Yes.

This is how much real world performance we need.

[BBri89]

I'd agree with that, a smaller car is much easier to place on the right bit of road in the bends.

I went for a 40 mile cross-country drive today on rural roads, single lane As & Bs, and I couldn't go more than about 30 seconds without coming up against slow traffic, it's a nightmare.

The roads are so busy the last few weeks, loads of people still not back to work.


And my 320d was more than quick enough for those roads. Don't get me wrong I'm sure a 340 or M3 would have been more fun, but I could only floor it for several seconds before having to brake again for corners or coming up to another car. And I was taking the corners quick where I could do safely enough.


I think the roads are limiting now, and the good roads are becoming fewer and far between.
North Coast 500 is heaving. Evo Loop has cameras and police. Cat & Fiddle busy and has cameras on now I believe, Snake Pass routinely has police, marked and unmarked. Woodhead has average speed cameras.

Wouldn't it be good if there were one-way loop toll roads... 20p per mile or something, for a bit of safer and easier enjoyment without the full cost of a track day.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by BBri89

I'd agree with that, a smaller car is much easier to place on the right bit of road in the bends.

I went for a 40 mile cross-country drive today on rural roads, single lane As & Bs, and I couldn't go more than about 30 seconds without coming up against slow traffic, it's a nightmare.

The roads are so busy the last few weeks, loads of people still not back to work.


And my 320d was more than quick enough for those roads. Don't get me wrong I'm sure a 340 or M3 would have been more fun, but I could only floor it for several seconds before having to brake again for corners or coming up to another car. And I was taking the corners quick where I could do safely enough.


I think the roads are limiting now, and the good roads are becoming fewer and far between.
North Coast 500 is heaving. Evo Loop has cameras and police. Cat & Fiddle busy and has cameras on now I believe, Snake Pass routinely has police, marked and unmarked. Woodhead has average speed cameras.

Wouldn't it be good if there were one-way loop toll roads... 20p per mile or something, for a bit of safer and easier enjoyment without the full cost of a track day.

I'd agree, you could well argue it's the roads that are the limiting factor. It's also clear that other drivers are increasingly intolerant of any kind of spirited driving, especially overtakes. I've had countless flashes from drivers after making perfectly legal and safe overtakes, that I can only resume that many folk actually them them illegal now.

Unfortunately track days are almost the only solution, especially for those of us down south and surrounded by busy roads.... I've got Bedford, Anglesey, Donington, Silverstone and Spa all booked over the next two months!

[225]

I agree about the car more than power.
My old tvr "only" had about 280bhp and 300lb torque when I went on a rolling road. However it weighed just over a ton and so did go well.
A mega hatch these days would likely be faster but the feeling of booting a massive V8 with pretty much straight through pipes with the roof off was amazing. You could also boot it more but obviously had to be careful in the corners and the wet it being a TVR and all!

Obviously not having had a powerful car for a while now I'm hankering after horse power and so if and when I eventually do get an m340 its very likely it will get a bix as well.
I could use the old modified 340 quite a lot where I am so would certainly be back to grinning again.

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I'd agree, you could well argue it's the roads that are the limiting factor. It's also clear that other drivers are increasingly intolerant of any kind of spirited driving, especially overtakes. I've had countless flashes from drivers after making perfectly legal and safe overtakes, that I can only resume that many folk actually them them illegal now.

Unfortunately track days are almost the only solution, especially for those of us down south and surrounded by busy roads.... I've got Bedford, Anglesey, Donington, Silverstone and Spa all booked over the next two months!

Same here... it’s usually someone driving well below the current speed limit who takes offence to you having the power to safely overtake them when there’s no oncoming traffic.

I either ignore them or if I’m in a more confrontational kind of mood (I can be like that sometimes) I give them a quick flash back with my hazard lights in response to their flash of the headlights.

[isleaiw1]

Well i have just driven 130 miles in my Mini and have to say really enjoyed it. Kept up with traffic ok, air con walked, stirring the gears to keep it moving was fun...

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Well i have just driven 130 miles in my Mini and have to say really enjoyed it. Kept up with traffic ok, air con walked, stirring the gears to keep it moving was fun...

Driving an R53 Cooper S is still one of the most fun things I've ever done on public roads!

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Same here... it's usually someone driving well below the current speed limit who takes offence to you having the power to safely overtake them when there's no oncoming traffic.

I either ignore them or if I'm in a more confrontational kind of mood (I can be like that sometimes) I give them a quick flash back with my hazard lights in response to their flash of the headlights.

You winding up other drivers...I would have never have thought!

I've had a few drives even in my remapped 320i, perfectly reasonable overtakes, safe, no oncoming traffic and had a few flashes. Have to say, the manual box adds to the fun.

I just carry on with my day or if they can't let it go, just build up some distance as normally they can't actually do anything about it and just want an ego boost. If you want to go faster, try upgrading your Citroen DS3 1.2 ( no offence to those who drove them, but doesn't shout car enthusiast).

Armaan

[Lincoln61]

agreed, My 330d is sat on the drive 99% of the time in these strange days, so HP and ability to use it is irrelevant. May as well get a chuffing duster!