Quote:
Originally Posted by angryBitz
I hear a lot of comparison between M cars and non-M cars, such as the Z4M vs 335is where the only consideration is power. There is a lot more than power that goes into an M car. Any Honda Civic on the street can add an extra 100hp with some bolt-ons. What makes an M car so expensive is the amount of refinement and balance that goes into the combination of engine-power to weight ratio to break-caliper-size to suspension to weight 50/50 distribution, plus wider wheel base and styling, etc.
If I only cared about horsepower, I'd go buy some POS American car that can't corner its way out of a parking lot.
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I agree with you in principle, but having the advantage of being somewhat mechanically inclined, may I suggest that apart from the obvious (engine) there is very little difference between an ///M Z4 (e85/86) and its plain vanilla counterpart.
There's a few wrecking yards around that specialize in BMWs. Study and compare the various suspension components and you'll be amazed how little difference there is. Only one or two suspension components are significantly differ and don't account for a huge markup.
The first of course are the brakes which are cross drilled and have slightly better calipers - regardless they're not that fancy. The rack, which from a performance perspective is a improvement. The irony is the simple hydraulic ///M rack production cost is less expensive than the far more complicated "Electric Power Steering with Servotronic power assist". Another is the LSD. The rear suspension members have a few pieces that are more robust to take the play out. That's about it, which is a strong statement about how well balanced the Z4 is.
IMO the main difference in price are the lower production numbers and marketing hype.