Motorsport 635csi

Jonners wrote: That extra weight will make a difference on the road - the question is whether you will notice

Well if you don't notice it then it isn't making a difference!

When the E30 Zoners took their cars to a rolling road session they were expecting big things - chipped, cone filters, big exhausts, modded afm's you name it. There was only a couple that put out more power than standard. But they all thought their cars were faster.

Fact is an '85 "basic" has a power/weight ratio of 149bhp/tonne whilst a Highline has 139bhp/tonne. Like you'll notice that on the A635. Autocar bangs on about tenths of a second here & there. You just don't notice unless you're using a stopwatch.

What have you got against hairdressers? Did one pass you in his Highline?

I like many others have no problem running 95 RON unleaded in the earlier 10:1 cr engine, even though you can't readily adjust the ignition timing, it seems fine without any tweaking.

 Oh, and I weighed my aluminium bumper parts;

The front bumper (Al part only + number plate mounting only) weighs in at 14kgs. This isn't disasterous- I think there is quite a lot of metal in the chrome version.

However, the rear bumper (with underside valance and brackets fitted, but otherwise incomplete) weighs over 30kgs (over 66lbs in real money...). I was definitely in the mood for a little sit down and a nice cup of tea after I'd weighed this....

The chrome rear bumper is postively gossamer-like by comparison. Maybe they were trying to even out the slightly front-heavy weight distribution... who knows...

Here's a thought; although the M30 engine is great, and it is lighter than the M-car engine it is still a very heavy engine. So how about fitting the new lightweight 6-pot engine/gearbox in an E24 (E28 base) chassis? You'd be looking at very good torque, 250bhp, a very slick gearbox and about 1350kgs (or a bit less) with improved weight distribution in standard trim. This should match or better M-car performance up to about 130mph, and would be better round corners and on the brakes. With no need for a catalyst and less demanding emissions tests I'd imagine there would be more power to come without too much difficulty also. With a range of E24 Carbon bodywork parts now available (front bumper/spoiler, wings, bonnet etc), a sub 1300kg kerbside weight with a fairly standard appearance is on the cards, potentially making it a real 'Q' car.

...hmmmm, interesting....

Who wants to go first?

cheers

 

 

think the point's been missed

as stated the extra weight will make a difference

if you don't notice it will probably be because you're not tuned in to these things

not saying there's anything wrong with that but if that's the way you are don't make out that just because you can't notice it must be because there's no difference

as i said it's not just the power to weight thing it's the handling, stress on tyres and brakes etc

as for hairdressers, hope you're not going to tell me you don't know what i mean..

AndyS wrote: I see the latest diesels have an alloy block. The 535d twin turbo has 272bhp & 413lb/ft torque. Now that would overcome any excess Highline weight.

Diesel 635?? Lovely.....

Seriously though, I am quite interested in the whole carbon fibre bodywork idea. From what I can tell there's outer wings, bonnet and front airdam available in carbon fibre - that's got to add up to quite a weight saving. I don't know what the weight distribution is on a standard 6 but that should balance it up nicely. Shame about the price though....

1978 635CSi manual 0-100 23.4 secs, 16.2 1/4 mile
1983 635CSi manual 0-100 19.9 secs, 15.4 1/4 mile
1983 635CSi Auto       0-100 20.5 secs, 15.7 1/4 mile
1989 635CSi Auto       0-100 21.5 secs, 16.7 1/4 mile

Fastest non M Power 1/4 mile was posted
by.....original 1976 4 speed 633CSi, 14.9 secs. It's all
about gearing as well as weight.

Andy Boy wrote: ...1983 635CSi Auto       0-100 20.5 secs, 15.7 1/4 mile.

Interesting. The best I could get for mine was 17.01 for the 1/4mile...

Horsetan wrote: Andy Boy wrote: ...1983 635CSi Auto       0-100 20.5 secs, 15.7 1/4 mile. Interesting. The best I could get for mine was 17.01 for the 1/4mile...

The best i got was 16.28. I can only presume that as santa pod runs up hill that is where the difference occours.

AndyS wrote: ...As for hairdressers – how do you know I’m not one?

Well, hello, darling...

In all fairness (although I'm not in favour of heavy cars if the extra weight serves no real purpose) I would concede that Andy has a point- you could have a fully loaded chrome bumper car that was heavier than a highline with no toys. But most of them are not like this.

Actually, I don't think a 6er needs to be loaded up with toys to be considered a luxury coupe; this much is kind of built-in.  On the other hand (like any sports car) it needs all the power, weight loss and handling it can get if performance is at all important. Up to a point, there is no such thing as too much of any of them.

To some extent I suppose it boils down to an aesthetic thing in the end. I used to race bicycles and I still ride them and motorcycles. Both these things can instil in you a powerful sense of what is right in terms of lightweight engineering construction for performance. Anything that doesn't work well enough and/or is too heavy just gets junked. Even though it doesn't really matter any more, to this day I can't bear to see something any heavier than it needs to be on my bikes; it just upsets me  -like a defaced work of art it isn't the thing it was, should or could be.

 I'm generally not so fussed about cars but the same logic applies. For instance, I remember being very pleased to see that the original Lotus Elise had aluminium composite brake discs and went as fast or faster than many more powerful and exotic cars, without the benefit of big horsepower. I even remember being pleased to see the absolutely minimalist quality of the stereo Lotus offered- like everything else it was pared down to almost nothing yet still worked very well. A design like that is the product of a very single-minded approach to everything, sparing no quarter.

Extra weight for no gain or a non-performance gain is the simple antithesis of the above approach;  whilst I would agree a 6 series is never going to be a lightweight sports car in the same vein as a lotus, there is definitely scope for altering it for the better, without losing those things that make it the (almost iconic) car it is. Less weight, more power and better handling please, not the other way round. 

Just my two pence worth.....

cheers

 

AndyS wrote: Looks like the car that was at Donnington last year. Condition looks good for the mileage. Motorsport Editions are rare - only 181 allegedly. How "special" they are depends on your point of view (I'm biased!).  They ticked most of the boxes on the options list; lsd, uprated suspension, M-Tech steering wheel, wheel arch spats, Sports seats & colour (mine's Misano Red) plus all the Highline features.