2008 BMW M3 Coupe

Carbon Fiber

Inside, the BMW M3’s dash is crisp and attractive with a carbon fiber-like weave accent, but without the shiny epoxy resin. The interior is largely shades of black with a few metal accents. The seats, which feature leather bolsters, are very supportive during hard cornering.


Other than its engine, one of the most attractive features of the BMW M3 Coupe is its carbon fiber roof panel. The fact that it reduces weight by some 40 pounds is irrelevant: It makes the car look fast even when sitting still.


Despite weighing more than its predecessor, the new M3 feels much more nimble. Like the older car, in track-day-style driving, it notably understeers—loses front grip or, as NASCAR drivers say, “pushes.” For all highway driving, this is good: Even experienced performance drivers have difficulty controlling an unexpected loss of rear grip. And, with 414 horses on tap, an overaggressive throttle foot can quickly turn slight oversteer into a lurid spinout if the stability control has been disabled.

Brake Down

The 2008 BMW M3 features vented, cross-drilled disc brakes—14.2-inch diameter front and 13.8 rear. The M3 automatically performs a trick I often employed in long-distance races: As the brake pads wore, I would tap the brake with my left foot on the straightaway to move the pads close to the rotors. When the M3’s computer senses the driver is likely to apply the brakes, it builds up pressure in the brake lines and moves the pads against the rotors. Before a restart during or after a rainstorm—there’s always a full-course yellow when it rains—I’d drag the brakes with my left foot to make sure everything was warm and dry before the green came back out. The M3 does something similar in the rain, removing water film from the discs in wet conditions. How it knows you’re going back to green is beyond me. They used to tell me over the radio.


A request for M3 owners: Save the aggressive driving for track-day events. We don’t want to see you on truTV’s “Most Shocking” or your car on wreckedexotics.com. (www.bmwusa.com)

About the Author
Mac Demere is an auto journalist, vehicle tester and racecar driver who has competed in the NASCAR Southwest Tour and 24 Hours of Daytona.