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Third-party performance tuners like Alpina, AMG, Brabus, Ruf and others have thrived in the land of the autobahn, typically modifying cars from one particular brand. In the late ’70s, BMW became the first of the German automakers to establish its own in-house tuning division, incorporating its motorsports arm into what’s now know as the M division. The firm’s racing knowledge disseminated down to its production cars with the introduction of the M1 and later the M535i. In subsequent years, M followed up with the M5 and M3. Eventually Mercedes followed suit by buying out AMG, while Audi launched Quattro GmbH. Over the past two decades, M has continued to create ever faster iterations of mainstream Bimmers and for 2008 the M brain trust brings us the fourth generation of the M3.

The original 1986 M3 used the boxy body of the E30 3-series coupe, equipped with a high output, 16-valve four cylinder engine to homologate the body and engine for Group A touring car racing. Over the years, M3s, like all other BMWs (and pretty much every other car on the road), have grown bigger, heavier and more powerful. The E36 and E46 M3s both drew motive force from in-line six-cylinder engines ranging from 240hp to 333hp. The new E90-based M3 has what could turn out to be the ultimate engine of the series, with an all-new 4.0-liter V8 generating 414 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. But what’s it like to live with? Follow the jump to find out.

admin Auto 2008 Bmw M3, Bimmers, Bmw M3, Bmws, Brain Trust, Cylinder Engine, Cylinder Engines, E36, E46, German Automakers, High Output, Lb Ft, Liter V8, M535i, Modifying Cars, Motive Force, Party Performance, Performance Tuners, Production Cars, Touring Car Racing

It’s always a pleasure to get into a BMW 7-series. The interior of this vehicle reeks of luxury – the materials are first-rate, the two-tone color scheme is striking, and the wood trim is a deep, rich red/brown. The power driver’s seat can be adjusted in so many directions that you can make it almost literally hug every curve in your body. There’s also tons of room in the back seat of this long-wheelbase model should you need to transport any passengers.
Turn on the car and start driving, however, and it doesn’t feel as big as it is. The steering is precise, the suspension absorbs bumps but doesn’t make you feel disconnected from the road, the brakes are quite good, and the transmission responds quickly to throttle inputs. My only reservation is that, with a V-12 engine that only gets 13 mpg in the city, I can practically see an oil well running dry and a bank account emptying every time I really put my foot down. Luckily, most of the people who buy the 760Li have plenty of bank accounts and probably own their own oil well.
Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor
This generation of the 7-series feels funny. It certainly has the BMW styling, driving dynamics, and refinement, but the looks are a bit awkward, the controls inside the cabin are clumsy, and the car generally feels older than most of its competition. That should change this fall when the new 7-series debuts at the Paris auto show.
I enjoyed the chance to sample a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine. That’s a rarity these days unless you look to Ferrari or Lamborghini. Luxury sedans seem to require a turbo or two to accompany a 12-cylinder these days. Sure, the extra kick is a blast, but the penalty at the pump and the ridiculous surge in power isn’t for everyone. This V-12 is incredibly smooth and quiet, but it never wants for power.
I think this is the first long-wheelbase 7-series I’ve sampled. I always wondered why someone would pay the extra money for a 7-series and get a short-wheelbase model. Maybe the streets in Europe justify the more compact barge, but American roads pair well with a long-wheelbase cruiser. The extra legroom for passengers is totally worth it.
Phil Floraday, Senior Online Editor
After spending a good amount of time recently in our Four Seasons 135i and X5, it’s interesting to take a step up the BMW luxury ladder and a step back in time when entering the 760Li. This was the car that first received much of the technology that has trickled down to the rest of the Bavarian family, including the silky-smooth ZF six-speed automatic and, of course, iDrive. The next-generation 7 will improve on those two items (and undoubtedly add countless more) with an updated iDrive system and a new eight-speed ZF transmission handling the power.
Speaking of which, the 760Li’s 6.0-liter V-12 has plenty of it. Power delivery is so smooth that it hardly seems you’re moving quickly; I had to check the 0-to-60-mph time this morning (5.5 seconds) to make sure for myself.
The interior of this BMW Individual 7-series really caught my eye. The dark grey Alcantara headliner is balanced well by the two-tone leather elsewhere in the cabin. The center stack includes what looks like a mini armoire with two small drawers faced in gorgeous wood. I also liked the look of the wood-trimmed shelf behind the rear seats.
As for the front thrones, I think the power driver’s seat is possibly too adjustable, though I love that the headrest moves fore and aft in addition to up and down. I also found the massage feature intriguing, as it works on the seat cushion and rocks you side to side in contrast to the lower back massage administered by Mercedes seats.
Considering this 7-series was launched way back in 2002, the biggest Bimmer has aged well, but aged nonetheless. I am eagerly awaiting the 2008 Paris show when we’ll find out what new tech goodies will be filtering down through the BMW lineup over the next six years.
David Gluckman, Web Producer
The interior of the 7-series is gorgeous, but it feels like too many different technologies are in play here. There is a button for nearly every function the car could possibly perform, and then there’s iDrive (which made its original debut in this car and still seems to be the least intuitive version). It took longer for me to program the BMW’s navigation system than in any vehicle I’ve tested! The car’s interior styling did age well. However, I’d much rather be in the newer Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which has even better materials. And the front seat of a 7-series is a bit more claustrophobic than in the S-Class, perhaps because of all the gadgets.
The V-12 does perform magnificently. Super smooth, super (almost too) quiet. On the road, this car absorbs every bump/pavement crack/crater thrown at it. Like Amy, I found gas mileage to be incredibly poor during a quick trip to Novi.

admin Auto Back Seat, Bank Accounts, Bmw 7 Series, Bmw 760li, Bmw Styling, Brakes, Curve, Cylinder Engine, Extra Money, Lamborghini, Luxury Sedans, Managing Editor, Mpg, Paris Auto Show, Rarity, Reeks, Refinement, Tone Color Scheme, Wheelbase, Wood Trim

Vehicle
The vehicle serial number is located on a metal plate mounted on the firewall under the hood. It is on the left side on CJ-5, and CJ-6 models and on the right on CJ-3B models. Identification of a specific vehicle requires a prefix plus a serial number. The following chart identifies the Jeep model by the serial number prefix.
Any prefix that is not given here indicates that yours is a special vehicle with differences that are not covered in this book.

4–134
The engine serial number for the Willys built F-Head 4 cylinder engine is located on the water pump boss at the front of the engine. It consists of a 5 or 6 digit number. The engine code prefix for the F-Head is 4J.
It is sometimes necessary to machine oversize or undersize clearances for cylinder blocks and crankshafts. If your engine is equipped with oversized or undersized parts, it is necessary to order parts that will match the old parts. To find out if your engine is one with odd-sized parts, check the engine code letter or the engine code number itself — which in some cases is followed by a letter or a series of letters. The following list explains just what the letters indicate:
Letter A (10001-A) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized main and connecting rod bearings.
Letter B (10001-B) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) oversized cylinder bore.
Letter AB (l0001-AB) indicates the combination of A and B above.
Letter C (10001-C) indicates 0.002 in. (0.0508mm) undersized piston pin.
Letter D (10001-D) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized main bearing journals.
Letter E (10001-E) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized connecting rod bearing journals.

6–225
The engine number for the Buick built V6–225 engine is located on the right side of the engine, on the crankcase, just below the head. The code is KLH. The codes RU and RV, included in the engine number of 1965 and 1966 engines, indicate manual or automatic transmission, respectively.
It is sometimes necessary to machine oversize or undersize clearances for cylinder blocks and crankshafts. If your engine is equipped with oversized or undersized parts, it is necessary to order parts that will match the old parts. To find out if your engine is one with odd-sized parts, check the engine code letter or the engine code number itself, which in some cases is followed by a letter or a series of letters. The following chart explains just what the letters indicate:
Letter A (10001-A) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized main and connecting rod bearings.
Letter B (10001-B) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) oversized cylinder bore.
Letter AB (l0001-AB) indicates the combination of A and B above.
Letter C (10001-C) indicates 0.002 in. (0.0508mm) undersized piston pin.
Letter D (10001-D) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized main bearing journals.
Letter E (10001-E) indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) undersized connecting rod bearing journals.

6–226
The 6–226 engine serial number is stamped on a machined surface near the left front corner of the block, above the generator. The serial number will have a prefix, FW, followed by a 5 digit number.

6–230
The 6–230 engine serial number is stamped on a machined surface on the right front of the block, just behind the ignition coil. The serial number prefixes are:
NS60C: 2WD, manual transmission, 1 barrel carburetor
TS60C: 4WD, manual transmission, 1 barrel carburetor
ND60C: 2WD, manual transmission, 2 barrel carburetor
TD60C: 4WD, manual transmission, 2 barrel carburetor
AD60C: Automatic Transmission suffix A, indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) oversized main and rod bearings; B indicates 0.010 in. (0.254mm) oversized pistons; AB is a combination of both.

Transmission
There is a tag attached to the transmission case that identifies the manufacturer and model of the transmission. It is necessary to have the information on this tag before ordering parts. When reassembling the transmission, be sure that this tag is replaced on the transmission case so identification can be made in the future.
In some cases, the transmission identification number may be embossed on the transmission housing.

Transfer Case
There was only one transfer case available in 4WD models from 1945–70, which was the Spicer 18.

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