The maximum piston speeds in an M3 are not even close to those of a F1 engine. The M3 tops out at about 8,300 RPM. A F1 engine tops out at about 19,000 RPM. The M3 is a six cylinder 3.2L. A F1 engine is a 10 cylinder 3.0L. Even with the shorter stroke of the F1 engine, the pistons are travelling up and down amost 2.5x faster.
Do you really think BMW is able to build an engine that is streetable and has a long life warranty, but yet has faster moving parts than a F1 engine which is designed to last only 600km?
The M3 is adequately fast. It's not a supercar by any means. At 140+ it's not nearly as stable as a 911, a Mercedes SL, or many other sports cars. The front end gets fishy at that speed. That's why the M3 CSL has a revised front air dam which generates 40% more front end downforce. Take a curve at 140 and see how much control you think you have. It takes high speed curves with a controlled drift. It does not stick the curve like a 911.
Quote:
Originally posted by enjetek
dude whoever said the piston speeds are not faster than an f1 car's does not know about them...and yes these cars are very fast. my friend was driving me to temecula in ca and he was going 146 *MPH* in the carpool lane. we only slowed down because we had curves coming up and no radar detector. the car jumps from 80 to that speed very very easily. th econtrol with that car is also beautiful because at that speed you still feel like you have control over the car.
-myke
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