Why does the 35is speedo stop at 160mph?

[mr wilks]

Ok I found some figures.

E85 CD .35, frontal area 1.91 m2, 338bhp @ 7900rpm (Precisely the RPM needed for the E85 to reach it's top speed in 5th gear).
E89 CD .34, frontal area 1.96 m2, 335bhp @ 5900rpm ( Alas I don't know the power curve or max speed in gears/ratio's)

From these I am struggling to see how a standard 35IS could possibly be several mph faster than a E85/86 ///M. :?

Can any one shed any more light?

Torque, weight, gear ratios, tyres, downforce.

Considering the 35is spanks the Z4M from 0-60, 0-100 etc.... its not surpising it has a higher top speed

Spoken like a true E89 driver ... :roll:

He forgot the straight line bit

 

[Pastry]

Torque, weight, gear ratios, tyres, downforce.

Considering the 35is spanks the Z4M from 0-60, 0-100 etc.... its not surpising it has a higher top speed

Spoken like a true E89 driver ... :roll:

He forgot the straight line bit

:lol: I remember only too well how even my old 23i Msport had enough power to push the handling to its limits, Im sure when they gave it 140 more horses they improved the handling? :wink:

 

[mr wilks]

Spoken like a true E89 driver ... :roll:

He forgot the straight line bit

:lol: I remember only too well how even my old 23i Msport had enough power to push the handling to its limits, Im sure when they gave it 140 more horses they improved the handling? :wink:

Eerrrr no mate they didn't the seats are much more comfy though as you wallow in the bends

 

[Pastry]

He forgot the straight line bit

:lol: I remember only too well how even my old 23i Msport had enough power to push the handling to its limits, Im sure when they gave it 140 more horses they improved the handling? :wink:

Eerrrr no mate they didn't the seats are much more comfy though as you wallow in the bends

Well if I ever decide to ditch my fun weekend car that drives as great as it breeding and take up drag racing instead, I know where to look

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Torque, weight, gear ratios, tyres, downforce.

Considering the 35is spanks the Z4M from 0-60, 0-100 etc.... its not surpising it has a higher top speed

Spoken like a true E89 driver ... :roll:

He forgot the straight line bit

He also forgot to tell us how much better it sounds than the ///M

 

[R.E92]

The M cars often come with some sort of upgrade package "track package" that raises the top speed limiter. I'm thinking that's why the speedo on modern M cars is higher than the limit.

I'd be surprised if the 35is couldn't reach 180, must be someone with a stock car that's been on the autobahn.
The stated power figures for the 35is are quire conservative.

 

[sunnydays]

Ok I found some figures.

E85 CD .35, frontal area 1.91 m2, 338bhp @ 7900rpm (Precisely the RPM needed for the E85 to reach it's top speed in 5th gear).
E89 CD .34, frontal area 1.96 m2, 335bhp @ 5900rpm ( Alas I don't know the power curve or max speed in gears/ratio's)

From these I am struggling to see how a standard 35IS could possibly be several mph faster than a E85/86 ///M. :?

Can any one shed any more light?

Torque, weight, gear ratios, tyres, downforce.

Considering the 35is spanks the Z4M from 0-60, 0-100 etc.... its not surpising it has a higher top speed

Could you kindly show me some physics, or some official proven figures please. The physics I was taught say it's unlikely.

My calculations based off
Drag coefficient of 0.34
1.96m sqd area
3500lb kerb weight
340 bhp

Gives a theoretical max of 185mph...

One thing you have not accounted for is the under rating of the N54 engines, it was proven that the N54 turbos put out approx 20-30bhp more than factory figures. BMW has done the same on some other turbo engines ie the M4

There is a 35is delimited with a slight tune comfortably hitting 190mph on youtube measured via GPS. Video below.....

[youtube]tJcck9O1jTc[/youtube]

 

[sunnydays]

:lol: I remember only too well how even my old 23i Msport had enough power to push the handling to its limits, Im sure when they gave it 140 more horses they improved the handling? :wink:

Eerrrr no mate they didn't the seats are much more comfy though as you wallow in the bends

Well if I ever decide to ditch my fun weekend car that drives as great as it breeding and take up drag racing instead, I know where to look

Funny how handling always comes up yet the 35is beats the M in almost all track tests :wink:

 

[Pastry]

Eerrrr no mate they didn't the seats are much more comfy though as you wallow in the bends

Well if I ever decide to ditch my fun weekend car that drives as great as it breeding and take up drag racing instead, I know where to look

Funny how handling always comes up yet the 35is beats the M in almost all track tests :wink:

Heard it all before :roll: I've had both, so I know how they drive

 

[sunnydays]

Well if I ever decide to ditch my fun weekend car that drives as great as it breeding and take up drag racing instead, I know where to look

Funny how handling always comes up yet the 35is beats the M in almost all track tests :wink:

Heard it all before :roll: I've had both, so I know how they drive

Im not refuting how the car feels to drive. I am simply refuting people saying it is a poor handling car . The fact it beats the M around the track speaks volumes

 

[Mr Tidy]

At 340hp the 35is would never make 180mph. Even unlimited it would struggle to pass 160ish. The jump in horse power required at those speeds to pass 165plus to make 180mph is massive.

Its a great car without question, but kid yourself not. Its not in that league.

I'd be amazed if a 35is struggled to get past 160mph - even E46 330is had a 155mph limiter despite having only 231bhp!

I'd be amazed if my E86 couldn't do over 160mph de-restricted - a de-restricted 35is or M surely ought to get past 170mph, but obviously not on the M6 officer! :roll: (It's far too busy)! :lol:

 

[buzyg]

Does any one have the gear ratios for a 35is? Including the final drive. I can't find them.

 

[buzyg]

Torque, weight, gear ratios, tyres, downforce.

Considering the 35is spanks the Z4M from 0-60, 0-100 etc.... its not surpising it has a higher top speed

Could you kindly show me some physics, or some official proven figures please. The physics I was taught say it's unlikely.

My calculations based off
Drag coefficient of 0.34
1.96m sqd area
3500lb kerb weight
340 bhp

Gives a theoretical max of 185mph...

One thing you have not accounted for is the under rating of the N54 engines, it was proven that the N54 turbos put out approx 20-30bhp more than factory figures. BMW has done the same on some other turbo engines ie the M4

There is a 35is delimited with a slight tune comfortably hitting 190mph on youtube measured via GPS. Video below.....

[youtube]tJcck9O1jTc[/youtube]

What has kerb weight to do with it? :? Also be sure you are using the power at the wheels and not at the crank. Other wise the figures would suggest a Z4M can do 185mph also and it simply can not. That was my point. The two cars will have very similar unlimited top speeds, as they have similar power, similar cd figures and similar frontal area and the Z4m's is around 171mph.

 

[Pastry]

Funny how handling always comes up yet the 35is beats the M in almost all track tests :wink:

Heard it all before :roll: I've had both, so I know how they drive

Im not refuting how the car feels to drive. I am simply refuting people saying it is a poor handling car . The fact it beats the M around the track speaks volumes

People exaggerate about its poor handling, just like you exaggerate about how it 'spanks an M from 0-60' by 0.2 seconds :roll: As for how quick it can go round a track I couIdn't care less. If I wanted a track car it certainly wouldn't be an E89, unless the track was Santa Pod

 

[sunnydays]

Heard it all before :roll: I've had both, so I know how they drive

Im not refuting how the car feels to drive. I am simply refuting people saying it is a poor handling car . The fact it beats the M around the track speaks volumes

People exaggerate about its poor handling, just like you exaggerate about how it 'spanks an M from 0-60' by 0.2 seconds :roll: As for how quick it can go round a track I couIdn't care less. If I wanted a track car it certainly wouldn't be an E89, unless the track was Santa Pod

Except for the fact that the Z4M coupe pulled in a 0-60 of 4.9s (road and track) where as the 35is is 4.4s (car and driver 2011)

0-100 the z4m coupe is 12.3s vs 10.7s of the 35is.

1/4 mile time of 13.6s vs 13.1s

Thats a pretty big difference......

 

[willgill]

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

 

[Pastry]

Im not refuting how the car feels to drive. I am simply refuting people saying it is a poor handling car . The fact it beats the M around the track speaks volumes

People exaggerate about its poor handling, just like you exaggerate about how it 'spanks an M from 0-60' by 0.2 seconds :roll: As for how quick it can go round a track I couIdn't care less. If I wanted a track car it certainly wouldn't be an E89, unless the track was Santa Pod

Except for the fact that the Z4M coupe pulled in a 0-60 of 4.9s (road and track) where as the 35is is 4.4s (car and driver 2011)

0-100 the z4m coupe is 12.3s vs 10.7s of the 35is.

1/4 mile time of 13.6s vs 13.1s

Thats a pretty big difference......

If it makes you feel great about your car....then fill your boots :lol:

 

[sunnydays]

Could you kindly show me some physics, or some official proven figures please. The physics I was taught say it's unlikely.

My calculations based off
Drag coefficient of 0.34
1.96m sqd area
3500lb kerb weight
340 bhp

Gives a theoretical max of 185mph...

One thing you have not accounted for is the under rating of the N54 engines, it was proven that the N54 turbos put out approx 20-30bhp more than factory figures. BMW has done the same on some other turbo engines ie the M4

There is a 35is delimited with a slight tune comfortably hitting 190mph on youtube measured via GPS. Video below.....

[youtube]tJcck9O1jTc[/youtube]

What has kerb weight to do with it? :? Also be sure you are using the power at the wheels and not at the crank. Other wise the figures would suggest a Z4M can do 185mph also and it simply can not. That was my point. The two cars will have very similar unlimited top speeds, as they have similar power, similar cd figures and similar frontal area and the Z4m's is around 171mph.

Weight of the car affects the bhp required to hit a certain speed.

You are right my mistake! I have recalculated assuming a 15% drive terrain loss from 335bhp to 284bhp at the wheels. Using this figure the top speed now comes out at 175mph.

How far the N54 is underrated from the factory is going to make a difference here

Edit: just found a technical document from BMW stating the power is infact 340hp so accounting for this it takes the theoretical max to 177mph at stock

 

[sunnydays]

Does any one have the gear ratios for a 35is? Including the final drive. I can't find them.

Found them

4.780
3.056
2.153
1.678
1.390
1.203
1.000
Final drive: 2.563

 

[Bing]

I bet if you put two average to semi-decent drivers from this forum next to each other in a manual Z4M and a manual 35is and set them off on a drag race then there would be f**k all in it... Oh wait, the 35is doesn't come in manual right ? Which probably means that time difference is due to electronic reactions and control being superior to human manual input. Which is fine, and I have no problem with by the way. But tbh, reducing these cars to top speeds and straight line performance times completely misses the point of them, especially given that most will never vmax the car, or actually be able to match the manufacturer quoted acceleration times.

Personally that 0.5 sec difference means nothing to me because by 4.4 secs I am already having waaaaay to much fun for it to be legal :lol: