BMW Ultimate Protection Program Protection from unexpected road hazards. BMW Protection Product benefits include: BMW Tire & Wheel Protection - coverage for road hazards such as metal, nails, glass, debris, potholes, blowouts, etc. for as much as five years. Windshield Protection - coverage for repair of cracked and broken windshields. Paintless Dent Repair - permanently removes dings and minor dents without harming the factory finish on your BMW. BMW Key Protection - reimbursement towards a replacement key and 24 hour vehicle lock-out assistance. Contact a BMW center for more informationBe the first to rate this article The 2001 titleholder in the Australia's Best Sports Car over $57,000 category, BMW's M3 Coupé is, quite simply, a superb performance machine. The M3, with a six-speed manual or SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox) clutchless transmission, is $141,500 - a bargain, given that its direct competitor, the Porsche 911, costs nearly $200,000.
less than the three years industry average. Eight airbags, six-stack CD audio, automatic airconditioning, full leather upholstery, trip computer, rain-activated wipers, park-distance control and an alarm are standard. Satellite navigation is a $2,700 option. 58 per cent after three years, which is below average. There is plenty of space up front; the dash is efficiently organised with everything close to the driver; audio and cruise control switches are also provided on the wheel. The speedo is a bit small to display 300 km/h worth of increments. Oncoming drivers find BMW's gas-discharge low-beams hard on the eyes; they also have a sharp cutoff, but the highs are brilliant. BMW's 3.2 litre six is loaded with innovative engineering, while the SMG transmission, which uses wheel mounted paddles to shift gears, is also at the leading edge of technology, performance and shifting speed. BMW's engine management system, for example, can now make 25 million calculations each second, so each cylinder is filled and emptied according to the exact engine load and running conditions.
The double VANOS system automatically varies both inlet and exhaust camshaft timing for optimum performance across the rev range. Responsiveness is enhanced by individual throttle butterflies, plus a switchable Sport mode, which increases the sensitivity of the electronic accelerator. The M3 is packed with crash protection features, and its outstanding dynamics and brakes, plus traction and stability-aids including skid sensing and correcting technology, also contribute to a safe drive. The 3 Series rates four out of five stars in overseas crash tests. A sophisticated security system includes remote central locking, a rolling-code-engine immobiliser and an alarm. The driver's seat features long travel, an extendable cushion, substantial knee to shoulder bolstering, and beautifully soft leather upholstery. Power adjustment and three memories are provided. The M3 enjoys a considerable day to day practicality advantage over most other serious sports cars. It can carry four adults, for example, and the boot is big enough to hold plenty of gear.
The rear seat offers enough space for average sized adults to travel comfortably. Tall passengers may run out of headroom. Access is easy via a single lever mechanism on the front seats, and the side windows open for ventilation. Tyre pressures are electronically monitored; if one falls to the point where it needs attention, a light/audible warning is given. If you get a flat, don't bother looking for the spare. BMW has saved 20 kg by instead supplying a compressor which fills the tyre with sealant goo and plugs the hole. As good as it gets. The six-speed manual uses 8.9 litres/100 km highway, which is very economical for an engine of this capability, and 16.2 litres/100 km city, which is average. 98 octane unleaded is recommended. The 252 kW 3.2 litre six produces 80 per cent of its 365 Nm peak torque at only 2000 rpm, so it pulls like a locomotive from just off idle, purrs through an effortless midrange, then delivers blistering top end performance to 8000 rpm.
It covers the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.6 seconds. Smoothness and responsiveness are outstanding. The 3.2 is also quite docile and usable around town. The six-speed manual gearbox has a crisp, smooth action, with just the right resistance at each gate, while the clutch is not overly heavy or abrupt. The M3 is not designed to be a limousine, but by pure sports car standards its ride is pretty good - firm, of course, but not harsh. The suspension absorbs bumps more efficiently at highway speeds than around town. The suspension incorporates some aluminium components to reduce weight. Tyres are premium Michelins - 225/45 front and 255/40 rear - on 18-inch alloy wheels. Weight is perfectly distributed 50/50 front/rear. The new M3's handling limits are way beyond the ability of the average driver and the limitations of safe driving on public roads. The current model is superbly balanced, but feels a little heavier than previous M3's in the way it changes direction and communicates through the wheel, in part due to a longer wheelbase and wider tracks.
Initial turn in is not quite as direct and tactile as the previous model either, but once into a corner the steering is beautifully weighted and responsive. The brakes are progressive and easily modulated at all speeds, but when you require maximum stopping power the effect is like large claws being sunk into the road. Outstanding by sports car standards, but the wonderful engine note is part of the M3 experience. If you want silence, buy a Lexus. In Australia's Best Cars 2001, the BMW M3 scored the highest of any car in any category. If you get the chance to drive one, you will understand why. The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.Celebrating 125 years of performance 31 147 Flying scotsmanCarsBMW M3EnablingRacingJackie stewartFerrari f430On augustInventionsWheel rimJaguarThe new worldRoadsRisky businessThe bentleyThe raceLe mansBicyclesThe 1980sForced toCelebrating 125125 YearsVirgosGt PaintedF430 GtRetainsDunlopLmsTitleForwardVirgo Motorsport retains its LMS GT2 title with the Ferrari F430 GT painted in Dunlop yellow.
See MoreTyre WearPressure WarningTyres PressureLed DisplayWarning SystemTrouble FreeSealantCelebrating 125InflationForwardKnowing when your tyres are losing pressure isn’t easy, and can be dangerous. To combat this, Dunlop invented the tyres pressure warning system Warnair, and the sealant ‘Fill & Go’. The system notifies you with an acoustic message or LED display on the dashboard when your tyre pressure deviates, while the sealant allows for trouble-free inflation. Saving you fuel, avoiding excessive tyre wear and making for a safer road.See MoreOn August 16th 2002, Grant Van Schalkwyk powered the Dunlop commissioned V8 racer, the “Spirit of Dunlop” to a new global and South African speed record for standard production tyres of 388,54 km/h – a car fitted with Dunlop’s commercially available Dunlop SP Sport 7000D W-rated passenger tyres made in the Ladysmith Factory.Racing LemansMazda RacingRacer Race Car Racing CarAuto RacingDem MazdaMazda Rx787b EngineForwardThe first victory (the only one to date) by a Japanese manufacturer for the rotary engine Mazda
787B driven by Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler on Dunlop tyres.See MoreWallace CompletedCompleted 394394 Laps3313Lammers JohnnyCelebrating 125125 YearsAndy WallaceJohnny DumfriesForwardDunlop celebrated its 100th anniversary by racing to victory with Jaguar at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The winning car, driven by Jan Lammers, Johnny Dumfries and Andy Wallace, completed 394 laps and covered a distance of 3313 miles (5332.79km).See MoreStewart Ms84Stewart S MatraJackie Stewart SNurburgring MatraMatra Ms841969 MatraF1 Formula1Ms84 1969Ms80 JackieForwardIf you’re a fan of racing then you’ll already know what happened on August 4th 1968. In a Grand Prix etched on the heart of every race fan, Jackie Stewart “The Flying Scotsman”, raced with a broken wrist. The track was barely visible through fog and downpour, with the constant torrential rain rendering the course so treacherous that the race was nearly cancelled. Jackie won with ease, in one of the single greatest performances in history.
See MoreRedefining the future Two years after the breakthrough discovery of aquaplaning, Dunlop introduced a brand new tyre: the aquajet. They were the first ever aquaplaning-resistant tyres. Including a revolutionary system of “microslots” that would effectively soak up water to be expelled later, the legacy of these tyres can still be seen today. Modern wet weather tyres used in racing are direct descendants from Dunlop’s original design.Jaguar CtypeMans JaguarJaguar 1932 1970Type JaguarAu MansMans 24Remarkable YearSource LegendsofracingType LemansForwardJaguar and Dunlop begin their joint domination in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1957, in what was a remarkable year with a whitewash of Jaguar D types taking the first six finishing positions.See MoreA self-sealing tyre was designed to specifically prevent air leaks in the event of a puncture. By 1954, when further development rendered the sealant layer unnecessary, it was estimated that the number of punctures causing road delays had been reduced from one in 16,000 miles with tubed tyres, to one in 80,000 miles on tubeless ones.
Wimille BugattiBugatti EttoreReal BugattiBugatti Veyron1939 Bugatti1937 JeanTime 24Celebrating 125Winning LeForwardDunlop achieves its tenth victory in the 24 Hours Le Mans with Jean Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist in a Bugatti.See MoreLand Salt Flats WaterFlats Water SpeedLand WaterMalcolm CampbellDonald CampbellKing CampbellCampbell TodayCampbell BritishVehicles SpeedForwardSir Malcolm Campbell attempts to set a new world land speed record. His car had all the power required, but wheelspin was causing him to lose nearly 80 km/h from his top speed. Dunlop specially designed the world’s first “slicks”, built to withstand enormous speeds. He eventually sets the new world land speed record at 484.818 km/h on 3 September with his Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird.See MoreBentley 1924Mans BentleyBentley In RaceMotor BentleyBentley BoardBentley MotorsBentley SpeedBentley BlowerEntrant BentleyForwardJohn Duff and Frank Clement in a Dunlop-shod BentleySee MoreJohn Boyd Dunlop on a bicycle taken from the book 'Dunlop in War and Peace', and includes his signature.
Another key partnership in Dunlop’s history was becoming the Technical Partner of BMW Motorsport. Providing tyres for the BMW M3 GT2, which performed in American Le Mans Series, we’ve applied our decades of experience to the further development of the GT sports car. With a very similar approach to racing: Dunlop and BMW share a vision of transferring the experience gained on the race track to series models, allowing us to offer products with even higher performance levels.Sole TyreAudi Opel2000 2003Tourenwagen MastersCelebrating 125Tyre Supplier125 YearsDunlopSupportForwardThe Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is relaunched with the support of Audi, Opel and Mercedes. Dunlop becomes the sole tyre supplier for 2000 – 2003.See MoreDunlop develops the DSST (Dunlop Self-Supporting Tyre) system, enabling vehicles to drive on flat tyres. This major invention makes it possible to continue driving with a flat tyre for as far as 80 km, at maximum speeds of up to 80 km/h, without destroying the tyre – even with no tyre pressure at all.