M Roadster: Not Getting by on Looks Alone

"M" series BMWs have never been for the faint of heart. Originally the cars were produced to fill a need for a European "tuner" or "hot rod" version of more sedate models in BMW's line up. Evolution has placed the "M" cars at the top of the wish list of every BMW fan in the world.

Starting in 1972, BMW Motorsport GmbH has been the arm of BMW that was concerned with getting the most from BMW sedans and providing engine technology to racers all over the world. Renowned as a company full of passion for the cars it builds, engineers in this flexible little company turned their attentions to engines, suspension and braking systems that created a stir in the world of sports cars.

This philosophy remains unchanged to this day. The current range of M cars, the M 3, M 5, M Coupe and the M Roadster provide breathtaking power in a full range of body styles. The newest of this series, the M Roadster lives up to the ÒUltimate Driving MachineÓ billing that all M cars come with.

The M Roadster is a sports car in the direct sense of the word. It is a no nonsense two-seater with extreme agility and dynamic performance wrapped in a distinctive body style. Roadsters utilize the classic look, but modern design has added bulges and curves to the previously sleek lines of long sweeping fenders. Passenger and storage areas are small by sedan standards, however modern ÒpackagingÓ provides enough room for two full sized adults to ride in comfort. In addition, the luggage area will now hold two full golf bags.

Classic themes for the interior make use of formal black on white instrumentation with the tachometer and speedometer dominating the instrument cluster. An auxiliary set of instruments is located on the lower dash just above the center console and are tilted towards the driver. All of the other controls are within easy reach of the driverÕs hands so that you can instinctively reach them without removing your hands from the steering wheel.

As the first ÒRoadsterÓ that M Sport has massaged, particular attention was given to the aspect of driving with the top down. Air movement was divided into two categories. Controlled air flow and uncontrolled air flow. Uncontrolled air flow is just what it suggests, the blasts of air that come in around the windscreen. Once driver position had been established, wind tunnel work on various combinations of windscreen shapes and side windows began. The result of this work is a car that you can have a normal conversation in with very little wind to disturb you.

Controlled air movement is the air that comes in from the car. Proper management of this air extends the Òtop downÓ season by months. On cool days, turning the heater on not only warms you up, it warms you up evenly. Your feet do not roast when the air is pleasantly warm on your chest. The reverse is true if you are out on a hot day and using the air conditioning.

A last and major deviation from the classic roadster is the fully lined top is also power actuated. With the touch of a dash mounted button and a flick of your wrist, the top becomes nearly as sound proof as a solid roofed car.

True performance cars donÕt get by on looks. In fact, most performance cars are like the M Roadster, you have to know what you are looking at, because all the equipment that makes it perform is out of sight. For the M Roadster, start with a double over head cam, 3.2 liter, inline six that produces 240 horsepower and 236 lb.ft. of torque. VANOS, BMWÕs version of a variable intake system, works in conjunction with a fully integrated electronic engine management system so that nearly 85% of the engineÕs power is available from slightly off idle up to red line.

Next run all that power to the rear wheels through a stout, yet smooth shifting five speed manual gear box. Top gear is a one to one drive and not overdriven. For those of you who have succumbed to the dark side, you will have to buy some other BMW if you want an automatic. M Sport philosophy says that part of the driving experience is shifting your own gears.

To make the best use of the power, M Sport mounted a set of 245/40R17 tires in the rear. In order to control those tires under full acceleration, a fully independent Z-arm rear suspension complete with gas shocks and an anti-sway bar holds everything in place. Suspension geometry has been reworked to include anti-lift characteristics. This control allows you to get up to 100 kph from a stop in 6.3 seconds without attracting any undesirable attention.

Up front M Sport has tweaked the MacPherson strut type suspension and an anti-sway bar to provide excellent steering response, great ride comfort and excellent road stability. Fitted with 225/45R17 tires, road shocks such as tar strips, expansion joints and minor pot holes are noticed but not felt in the steering wheel or the seat of your pants. Road undulations do not set the suspension up for porpoising or tramming.

The most difficult task in driving the M Roadster is getting used to sitting so far back in the car. New drivers have a tendency to turn into a corner early because the seating position and the crisp response to steering input. Once used to the car, most drivers will revel in the ability to power through corners, making fine adjustments to cornering attitude with the throttle.

For those who prefer a more sedate drive, the car still goes exactly where you point it so you have to resist the temptation to overcorrect with the steering wheel. If you pay attention to the way you drive, you will notice that the car seems to follow your every move. Turn your head and the car turns slightly as well. Precision construction means response to even the minutest inputs, even the ones you donÕt realize you are making.

Slowing the M Roadster down is a job that falls to four very large disc brakes. All four rotors are vented to provide the extra cooling that a serious performance car needs. In addition to this, suspension components have anti-dive characteristics built in so that maximum braking doesnÕt upset the stability of the car. This allows the car to get from 100 kph back to zero in 2.6 seconds. To give your driving skills a timely assist in certain situations, ABS brakes are standard on the Roadster.

2000 is the last year of production for this particular M Roadster. M Sport has stopped production and is concentrating on the development of a new roadster. Specifications and prices as well as production dates will be released later in 2001.

© We would like to thank BMW Canada and Bavaria BMW, Edmonton, AB for providing the car for roadtest.

Story: Charles Renny
Photography: Sean Francis Martin