Rob LevinsonUUC Motorwerkswww.uucmotorwerks.com(732) 398-0001My first reaction is to draw a complete blank. This is much deeper a question than 'Betty or Veronica?' or even 'Elvis or The Beatles'? The flavor of the month answer bandied about in various circles is the new Mini. Technically, the new Mini is not an M-car by branding or fundamental design. However, the combination of lightweight nimbleness, good power-to-weight ratio, and sophisticated chassis tuning is a strong and obvious spiritual connection to the E30-series M3 and even the 2002tii and 1800 TISA forebears. But the new Mini is not my favorite M car.
"While those 'giant-killer' characteristics are popular notions of Motorsport heritage, in reality, the earliest of the Motorsport creations were big-engine cars, likewise imbued with amazing chassis sophistication. Motorsport is not necessarily about little engines screaming their camshafts off; the CSL and M1 firmly established the Motorsport aura and mystique. With that in mind, I'm a big fan of 'no substitute for cubic centimeters' power of the big six-cylinder E28 and E34 cars, as well as the newer E39 V8. I've owned two M5s so far. The big motors do hold great attraction for me. But the M5/M6 is not necessarily my favorite M car.
"Also, being surrounded by E36 M3s in various states of tune and working with UUC's in-house E36 and E46 M3 development cars, I can say they have virtues all their own, a formula of excellent power with superb handling and passenger capacity that makes them the envy of purpose-built sports cars.
"What is the nature of an M car? Is it racetrack prowess or capability? Sure, that's part of it. Is it the sharpened-scalpel sophistication that makes the M car ideal for slicing through public roadways as an alternative to the big-hammer philosophy of other automakers? Possibly. Are the ideas of a stripped-out, rollcaged, five-point-harnessed, shaking and rumbling track monster coupe compared to a luxurious, quiet, dynamically stabilized and powerfully motored sedan out of phase or even contradictory? Not at all. I think every M car is a fine example of the concept.
So what is my favorite M car? Whichever one has me in the driver's seat at that moment."
Mike MillerProfessional EnthusiastConclusions? I don't know that anything concrete is warranted, but two points emerged from this little exercise. First, even though the youngest examples are 11 years old, the E30 M3 seems to represent the true spirit of the BMW M car-and does so without the additional 1,000 lb of superfluous electronic driving aids or eight airbags. Second, these big players recognize the coolness of the new Mini, but there's an underlying sense that BMW should create (re-create?) a BMW more like the Mini Cooper S, rather than the other way around-a lightweight, high-revving, genuine manual gearbox (with clutch pedal, please), no "whyDrive," and no electronic ass-massaging seats with Fart Extractor(tm) cooling fans.
But this special breed of BMW-the M car-has a certain race-car-for-the-street personality that, although softened in the Age of Marketing, is without equal in the automotive world. A favorite? I can't pick one, either. Okay; I can-the M coupe, 315-bhp flavor please.