BMW M3 E93

The models of the fourth generation of BMW M3, which is a sporty version of the BMW 3 Series, were presented to the world at the auto exhibition of the city of Frankfurt am Main. Differences of fresh developments from “standard” models were the use of much more efficient motors with more power, improved sprung system and braking system, the use of aerodynamic parts in the body. The exterior and interior trim of the car were not left without attention, as they now had the emblem “M”, made in three colors and it stands for “Motorsport”.

The M3 E93 Convertible announced itself a little later than the other fourth-generation models – the

M3 E92 Coupe and M3 E90 Sedan. Despite this, the car is made similarly to the last two models. The car BMW M3 E93 has certain external and internal characteristics, peculiar only to it and allowing to determine the potential of the “iron horse”.

Exterior

The exterior features of the BMW M3 E93 are the signature rims for the 18-inch wheels, an improved version of the hood with a hump and two vents, equipping the front fenders with air intakes, new bumpers and four exhaust tips made in the shape of a circle. The new chassis made for this model provides a balance of traction between the rear and front axles.

The car is characterized by a mechanism for folding the rigid electrohydraulic roof. Due to full automation, it can close and open, which takes exactly 22 seconds. Cabriolet became the first model, on which a new development – BMW V8 S65 engine was installed. It was engaged together with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – M DCT, which replaced the old standard six-speed version.

The car is equipped with a self-locking rear differential, adaptive and automatic xenon headlights, a rearview mirror with auto-dimming technology and an automatic windshield wiper system.

Interior

The interior of the car is a combination of luxury and innovative engineering. The seats for the Cabriolet are made of leather material under the SunReflective brand, which is particularly durable, resistant to low and high temperatures. One can not worry about leaving the car for a long time with the open top under the sun, as the outer upholstery does not overheat, does not burn out and does not deteriorate from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. SunReflective leathers were first used in the equipment of motorcycles, for which they were developed, but were soon used in BMW convertible cars.

In addition to leather material, carbon fiber has been used for the upholstery, which enhances its positive characteristics. The front seats are now sporty products with lumbar and side support.

Equipping the Cabriolet with an automatically opening roof has increased the weight of the vehicle by 200kg. In total, the car weighs 1810 kg. This has also affected the dynamic performance of the car.

The interior features Bluetooth and USB interfaces, folding mirror system, rear blind, touchless engine start, rear parking sensors, navigation system with voice commands and real-time information display technology. The seats are equipped with a heating function for use in aggressive weather conditions.

Additional developments of the company are the Premium Sound system and electrically powered front seats. The coupe has a carbon-alloy roof with a built-in sunroof. This is very helpful in summer, because when it is very hot, you can always open the sunroof and drive in the breeze.

Simpler models of the fourth-generation M3 GTS have also been launched into the mainstream, doing away with a lot of development in order to reduce the weight of the car.

Engine and oil

The BMW M3 E93 is equipped with the same engine as the Senna or Coupe of this lineup – an 8-cylinder unit with 420 horsepower and a 4-liter displacement. The difference in the Cabriolet’s engine is the need for more time to accelerate from the minimum mark to a hundred. Acceleration in the presence of six-speed mechanics amounted to a figure of 5.3 seconds, and with seven-range optional technology – 5.1 seconds.

The power of the motor has been increased by as much as 22% in contrast to the model’s predecessors.

The top speed of M3 E93 with V8 S65 engine in theory was 250 km. per hour, but in practice the car is able to go faster.

The engine is equipped with a distribution injection system, has 4 valves per cylinder, located in the front of the car in a longitudinal position, toxicity – Euro V. Location of camshafts and valves – overhead valve system with two camshafts.

After testing the engine in various conditions, the fuel consumption was established, which per 100 km was 17.9 liters in urban conditions, 9.2 liters on the highway, 12.4 liters – on mixed roads.

The car was developed from scratch, as the company’s goal was to turn the four-seat Cabriolet into a Supercar.

The most optimal, safe and reliable option for the S65 engine will be oils such as TITAN Supersyn 10W-60 and TITAN Supersyn 10W-60. It is recommended to change the oil every 25 thousand kilometers or once every 2 years. To avoid problems with the car, it is important to monitor the condition of the engine and the quality of the oil used. When changing the oil, it is important to change the oil filter as well.

It is recommended to keep an eye on the oil level, perform regular oil checks and new product refills, don’t abuse vacuum fuel changes and be careful about product selection. According to the factory, engineers suggest replacement every 7500 kilometers of mileage, but here motorists say that it is better to regularly once a year. It is up to the car owner to decide how best to proceed.

The BMW 3-Series Cabrio E93 also needs regular oil changes in the following mechanisms:

• manual transmission – oils SAE 75W-80, API GL-5, OPEL (19 40 182), BMW (83 22 0 309 031), VAG (G052 911 A1/A2);
• automatic transmission – original fluid;
• differential – TITAN SINTOPOID LS 75W-140;
• hydraulic brakes – change DOT 5.1 and DOT 4 once a year under severe conditions and once every 24 months under normal driving conditions;
• power steering – use TITAN ATF 3353, TITAN ATF 4000, DEXRON III (H);
• cooling system – use MAINTAIN FRICOFIN fuel.

For the first months of driving, it is recommended to change the oil more often than the specified period – every 10 thousand kilometers of mileage to extend its life and prevent various kinds of breakdowns.

Technical specifications

The body type of the BMW M3 E93 is a coupe-cabriolet. The vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.

The car has four seats, two doors, steering wheel in left hand position. It belongs to the S class. If we talk about the type of gearbox, it is often manual, as it is inherent in sports cars.

Speaking about the front suspension, it is independent and in its design introduced shock absorber struts, triangular cross arm, transverse stabilizer. As for the independent rear suspension, the developers have included lower transverse, longitudinal and upper transverse arms, coil spring, transverse stabilizer and telescopic shock absorber.

The braking system consists of front and rear ventilated disc brakes.

It should be understood that the height of the road light is calculated with a figure of 110 millimeters, and the width of the vehicle is a figure of 1,801 millimeters. Much more interesting are the indicators of length, which is 4615 millimeters and the height of the transport, the mark of which reaches 1392 millimeters.

Wheel track dimensions at the front are equal to the indicator of 1540 mm, the rear part amounted to 1539 mm. Wheelbase is 2761 mm. The car weighs 2355 kg. Curb weight is 1905 kg. The trunk volume is 430 liters and the fuel tank is 63 liters. The turning diameter is 11 meters. In addition, it is impossible not to mention other features:

• curb weight of the car has 1905 kilograms;
• gross weight is 2,355 kilograms;
• The tire sizes that can be fitted are 245/40 R18; 265/40 R18;
• number of seats in the cabin – from 4 to 5 passengers;
• maximum acceleration time with poor fuel has a figure of 7.1 tenths of a second;
• luggage compartment volume ranges from 210 to 480 liters;
• the car is rear-wheel drive;
• The ground clearance shows a figure of 1380 millimeters;
• Two types of transmissions – manual transmission and robot transmission.

The vehicle operates on gasoline. AI-98 and AI-95 fuel is used. This European standard is set by the Bavarian’s developers.

The driver of the BMW M3 E93 can independently customize the parameters of the car, thus adjusting it completely to himself according to his personal preferences.

The German concern also, when releasing the motor, assumed that if new power units for these cars are released, their warranty period will be 2 years – provided that the motor is bought outside the car. There are no mileage restrictions in such an engine, accordingly.

Electronics plus chip tuning

Chip tuning of the V8 S65B40 powertrain on the BMW M3 E93 is used to increase the factory specifications of the electronic control unit. This process allows you to change the engine parameters without mechanical adjustments, i.e. reprogram it.

Chip tuning is produced to solve problems with engine power, namely its increase and minimize fuel consumption. Less often it is used to adjust programs and tasks on sports cars with minimal errors.

Chip tuning can be a separate process to improve engine parameters or represent one of the stages of multi-level tuning BMW M3 E93.

As a result of this development, it is possible to increase engine power and torque, reduce fuel consumption, and improve the functioning of the gearbox and the engine itself.

The procedure of BMW chipping is carried out in three stages. The first step is reading the control program of the M3 V8 S65 engine, after which the specialists carry out corrective work, changing the firmware. As a result, it turns out either to disable some functions, or to strengthen the power of the vehicle. The received program is placed in the electronic control unit.

In the process of chipping, the make and model of the car, the general condition of the engine, its technical serviceability, residual resource, the degree of wear of component parts and conditions for further use of the car are taken into account.

Engine power can increase by 10-50%, and sometimes by all 100%, which depends on the factory programs and installed additional equipment. Also, if the re-flashing system is updated and new, and the car owner needs a sports car in all its aspects, it should be taken into account that it will be necessary to intervene physically and replace additionally components and parts on the vehicle that increase power.

Chip tuning of the BMW M3 E93 increases the power of the unit by 40%. The re-flashing is a reprogramming, thanks to which the torque in the motor will immediately increase, as well as the power itself will become greater. This will allow you to feel the gas pedal immediately, as it will respond instantly. This is good news for sports car owners.

There are several reasons why manufacturers do not perform this procedure immediately. These include different climatic conditions in which the vehicle will be used, speed modes on highways, fuel of different quality, and environmental regulations.

Chip tuning allows you to save fuel. Since the power is increased by enhancing the accuracy of regulation and raw material supply, thus it is consumed more slowly.

The minimization of fuel consumption is also affected by the increase in power and torque, which leads to changes in the functionality of the gearbox. As after chipping it can shift at low engine speeds, because the torque comes earlier. All this has a positive effect on fuel, reducing its losses.

In addition, as for other electronics, the multimedia system is installed as in most similar BMW models. So, the composition of the audio system is two-way front plus rear. Also, present are a DAC and subwoofer in this model. Of course, that did not do without a small-sized monitor along with an amplifier, so the acoustics inside the cabin is simply one of the best. If the car owner, suddenly, wants to tuning the car, he will be able to supplement it with additional speakers, as for them there will be a place in the doors, and in the floor, well, and in the luggage compartment. The audio system is installed in the form of a standard stereo, which is inherent in the German concern. Thus, motorists are accustomed that in most cars it is the standard variant of the tape recorder that is implemented.

Options

The safety of the car is ensured by six integrated airbags – frontal in front of the driver, frontal for the front seat passenger, front side airbags and curtain airbags. The car is equipped with brake assist systems. These include anti-lock brakes, emergency braking, distributed brake force technology. Safety is enhanced by an anti-skid system, child seat locks, an immobilizer, and pressure and stability control systems.

The exterior equipment consists of alloy wheels, halogen headlights, heated rear window, rear spoiler, power side mirrors, front fog lights, rear wipers, heated side mirrors.

Equipment inside is presented by front power windows, power steering, analog dashboard, trip computer, tachometer, central locking with remote control system, adjustable steering column for reach and height, as well as power seats. Interior trim, leather steering wheel braiding and seat coverings are made. Heated seats.

For maximum comfort and convenience of the driver and passengers, the car has an audio system, ventilation system with climate control technology. A dust filter for cleaning and disinfecting the interior and a light sensor are also integrated.

Problems

One of the Cabriolet problems that both drivers and passengers face is the underside of the car. The fact that the rear arches of the wheels get inside the cabin, affecting the position of the sofa. The driver is faced with uneven floors and sometimes cannot position his legs comfortably.

The small outside mirrors also cause problems, making it difficult to see the area.

Faults in the electronics are mainly due to poor power supply and rapid battery discharge. Lighting and central locking malfunctions may occur, which may be caused by malfunctions in the FRM unit. The malfunction can be corrected in a workshop by reprogramming the broken device.

Transmission failures may occur if the transfer case servo fails. This happens most often after 200 thousand kilometers of mileage, when cone bearings wear out.

There are burnouts of the dipped beam, which is more related to a design, factory miscalculation. Headlight washers can leak. Sometimes drivers turn them off, but this only worsens the situation, as the dirt on the headlights dries, which leads to an increase in temperature inside it. Thus, the headlight burns out, which can no longer be corrected.

Despite the reliability of the rear suspension, malfunctions can still occur with it. This happens after about 150 thousand kilometers of mileage, when they begin to emit an unpleasant grinding sound, as if a broken cart. Clicks may appear in the driveshaft when the gear selector is shifted.

To avoid such troubles it is necessary to change the oil every 10 thousand kilometers of mileage, regularly check the plugs and change them if necessary, clean radiators in time, every 60 thousand kilometers of mileage to change the cap of the distribution tank and to monitor the cleanliness of catalytic converters. It is necessary to replace the filter and bushing of the automatic transmission mechatronic every 80 thousand kilometers of mileage.

Conclusions

BMW M3 E93 is the fourth and final version, which is a stylish and neat convertible Cabriolet. It is a four-seater car with stylish leather upholstery with a high degree of sun protection. The car’s S65 eight-cylinder engine 420 horsepower at a liter displacement can be improved by increasing its output by 40% or more through the use of a tuning chip.

Avoid breakdowns of components, parts and aggregates of the car if you follow the recommendations for oil, plugs, timing belt and power steering. Diagnostics and repair works of a new engine should be performed more often than recommended intervals. In such cases, it is better to contact service centers every 10 thousand kilometers.

Generations and configurations

4 generation

03.2007 – 11.2013