2008 BMW M3 Convertible

When heading to BMW to pick up its latest M3 Convertible, all sorts of questions flowed through my head. Will the engine be too highly strung? Will the car be rigid enough? Will the extra weight incur a performance penalty? Will my hair get messed up? What hair?

It will rev to 8300rpm, which is where peak power is made. In fact, we believe that it will rev higher than that. The way it delivers its power is semi-parabolic, with the redline seeming to be there only to maintain its longevity. But the engine wants to keep going. I wouldn’t be surprised if the test rigs regularly saw 10,000rpm when BMW was developing this masterpiece.

But open the taps and from around 5000rpm onwards, there’s a gradual transition to a trumpety bellow that just gets better and better with each passing notch of the tacho. From 6500rpm it’s sounding nothing like a V8 anymore and more pure-bred race car, until finally at 8300rpm it’s shouting a cacophonic, yet symphonic, melodic, and harmonic tune that nothing comes close to. Flick the paddle on the right-hand side and the whole experience starts again.

Unlike other V8s which make a nice noise but don’t go anywhere, this car is actually quick, with 0-100km/h taking just 5.1 seconds. When you consider the convertible is around 250kgs heavier than its Coupe counterpart, that’s some serious grunt. Not only that, but the final drive ratio is 3.15:1, so it’s got some legs too.

Well, as a convertible, to be sure, there are going to be compromises. Things like the boot space. It’s tiny with the roof down. That’s to be expected, but what is unexpected is the amount of rear legroom you’ll find. Adults can, and will, fit. It’s still best for short stints, however a quick trip into the hills, or along your local cafe strip, will still leave passengers refreshed.

The shove in the back you feel is the gearbox whacking the next ratio in, quicker than you’d ever get it done in a conventional manual. Little wonder why the M-DCT is 0.2 seconds quicker to 100km/h than its manual sibling. It’s a brilliant change that although quite sudden, never feels agricultural. But under very hard braking, the ‘box sometimes doesn’t downshift when you want it to, even if the revs would allow.

© Source: caradvice
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