330 ZHP vs Z3 M coupe
- Thread starter kjs862
- Start date
Yes, but you have a newer, more sophisticated rear suspension, a back seat, and basic luxury items (like a moonroof) with the ZHP. Unless it's just for the track, I never understood teh appeal of teh M coupe that much. The roadster I got, but not the coupe. Neighbor and good friend both had the M coupe. While I admired teh performance, I always walked away shaking my head at it.
The M Coupe (240hp or 315hp version, doesn't matter) is a better performer than the 330i ZHP, all around. The M Coupe was designed to be a very raw sports car and nothing else.
codex, the M Coupe isn't really about making sense or being practical or anything like that (since it only seats two and there is no trunk at all, and not much luxury or technology features). If you wanted BMW's "best", you went for the M Coupe.
codex, the M Coupe isn't really about making sense or being practical or anything like that (since it only seats two and there is no trunk at all, and not much luxury or technology features). If you wanted BMW's "best", you went for the M Coupe.
They are fun cars, and very rare. If you were looking for a 'rare' BMW to fix up (Something like an 8 being harder to find these days), then this would be it. Not that it's old yet, but in a few years this car will be ultra rare in the US. There's only a few hundred this side of the pond, and it was only made for a few years.
If I ever get my dream E46 M3, it'll be the way I want it or I'll find myself an M Coupe to sit on.. Any of them. It looks GREAT from the rear!
Check out this photo from a local meet, everyones headed to the mountains and look who I'm behind..
If I ever get my dream E46 M3, it'll be the way I want it or I'll find myself an M Coupe to sit on.. Any of them. It looks GREAT from the rear!
Check out this photo from a local meet, everyones headed to the mountains and look who I'm behind..
i love the old Z3 coupe! it fills a perfect niche doesn´it? it is a two seater coupe just klike the TT, with the same power available, but the one perfect add-on that gives it the edge: a trunk! i love it. i never saw another two-seater-station-wagon-racer ![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]")
I wonder whether you can´t get the 321 hp version in the US? does anyone know? they carry the E36 M engine. how many horses do they have in the US?
I wonder whether you can´t get the 321 hp version in the US? does anyone know? they carry the E36 M engine. how many horses do they have in the US?
We did not get the 321 hp S52 engine that was available for the Euro E36 M3 in our US E36 M3s or our US M Roadsters. The Euro M-Roadster did come with the 321 hp. S52, from 1998-2000.
Our M Coupes/Roadsters had the 240 hp S52 US engine from 1998-2000 and the 315 hp. S54 engine from 2001-on.
(Also note that US hp close but not identical to Euro hp. A Euro E46 M3 is rated at 343 Euro hp, and the US M3 rated at 333 hp. 5 of that difference is simply the conversion from Euro to US hp. The other 5 hp. is an actual difference based on exhaust/emissions.)
Our M Coupes/Roadsters had the 240 hp S52 US engine from 1998-2000 and the 315 hp. S54 engine from 2001-on.
(Also note that US hp close but not identical to Euro hp. A Euro E46 M3 is rated at 343 Euro hp, and the US M3 rated at 333 hp. 5 of that difference is simply the conversion from Euro to US hp. The other 5 hp. is an actual difference based on exhaust/emissions.)
brahtw8, thanks for explaining. that US versions of european cars occasionally are lower in hp due to emission regulations was already known to me. the difference in calculation comes from SAE against DIN, right? the one calculates just the engine power, the other one deducts add-ons such as water pump, alternator etc.
I was just curious whether that engine was available or not. funny and somehow a real pity that it was not. [???]
I was just curious whether that engine was available or not. funny and somehow a real pity that it was not. [???]
The difference between US and european horsepower is SAE and DIN measurement, but is not based on engine accesories but a different measurement of the amount of work that equals one horsepower.
One SAE horse (US) is the ability to lift 33,000 lbs one foot in one minute. One DIN horse (Euro) is the ability to lift 450000 kg one cm in one minute. For the same power the SAE measurement is thus 98.629% of the metric DIN measurement.
One SAE horse (US) is the ability to lift 33,000 lbs one foot in one minute. One DIN horse (Euro) is the ability to lift 450000 kg one cm in one minute. For the same power the SAE measurement is thus 98.629% of the metric DIN measurement.