Crown

Family is bigger so this is my new ride for the old continent. A BMW M3 CRT. 

The initial idea was to get  a nice second hand, low mileage four door saloon car with manual gearbox and fun to drive. Suffice to say, there is only (sadly for Petrolheads like us) one choice, the M3. All other cars are automatic!

Well, after lots of searching, I ended up getting a very expensive, brand new, auto transmission M3

But I don't regret one second. This car is effectively an M3 GTS with four doors and comfort features such as aircon and GPS.

The ride is very very stiff but in a good way, suspensions are manually adjustable and I've put them on the softest setting, in terms of ride, this car reminds me a lot of my 997 Carrera S with -20mm chassis.

The engine is a peach! It sounds absolutely fantastic, it has the same titanium exhaust as the GTS, the gearbox is great, in full attack mode, I find it better than the PDK of my Turbo S (which incidentally is now gone to be replaced by this very car) and boy is it fun to drive, perfect balance 50/50, you can tell this car loves to slide and there are lovely bucket one piece carbon seat to hold you in place for that, oh and yes, plenty of space in the rear and isofix for the the toddler.

I read a lot of bad comments about the i-drive so I was quite reluctant and to my surprise, it is very intuitive, quick, easy and fewer buttons, so the dash looks better than the clogged up PCM for example.

Negatives? Well the styling is definitely OTT, gangman style! Sadly you can't chose the color, so they all come in mat grey which actually looks pretty nice, the red details are not the classiest things but they're quite small, the interior reminds me of my 4.0, black with red inserts seats, very sport and actually quite nice.

And frankly, that's it, for a four door saloon car, waoh, it's amazing! RS4 was a no go, very nose heavy and four wheel drive, C63 no either, not a fan of the style and the car is on the heavy side and IMHO, Beemer engineers are better at chassis dynamics. This car is quite light for a four door, less than 1600 kgs and it feels even lighter.

This is my second BMW after an E30 325i cabriolet many years ago and I had forgotten how wonderful they are to drive. 

Slower but much much more fun than the 997 Turbo S. 

I just hope it doesn't make me a wanker. But even if, a wanker who's having fun 

Nice ! thats one sure way of getting the family quickly from A to B . The car looks great those red accents make it almost look like a carshow display car. 

Congrats fellow-wanker! Absolutely fantastic choice, if the GTS' bellow is anything to go by, these must indeed sound fantastic!

With only 67 CRT are ever made, it will be a collector's car in the future.

It is a special car. Maybe E90 M3 CP with DKG is a smarter buy but we live once, right 

Enjoy her in good health.

--

ONUR

THE BEST CAR EVER 

11 E92 M3 CP - 09 Audi TTS Coupe - 07 997 Carrera S - 05 M3 Coupe - 03 M3 Coupe - 96 M3 Coupe EVO (PASS TIME HISTORY)

Saloon is the way to go (sorry pride)! 

My dealer had one for a looong time. Must check what happened to it...

Excellent choice.  Wankers of the world, unite!  

Congratulations, very stealthy fun family car. 

What do you mean by "family is bigger"??? 

Please PM me immediately. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2012), Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

What a great car, I actually am very surprised by how much fun you can have with it even at moderate speeds, the balance is just phenomenal!

And what kind of car has carbon buckets in the front and so much space in the back! Thank you BMW!

I was just at my local dealer in Immensee to drop off the CSL, look what was lurking in the corner!

Fabulous fabulous car, I honestly have rarely experienced this level of interaction in a modern car between road, machine and driver. Let alone in a Sedan with Satnav, aircon, etc.

There's a really good article in this month's EVO mag on the CRT, a good read.

But, they don't seem to sell (there's like 13 of them available on mobile.de).

Truth is, they're huge amount of money for an M3. Only those stupid enough to have taken the plunge seem to appreciate what this car is about.

Futch:

Fabulous fabulous car, I honestly have rarely experienced this level of interaction in a modern car between road, machine and driver. Let alone in a Sedan with Satnav, aircon, etc.

There's a really good article in this month's EVO mag on the CRT, a good read.

But, they don't seem to sell (there's like 13 of them available on mobile.de).

Truth is, they're huge amount of money for an M3. Only those stupid enough to have taken the plunge seem to appreciate what this car is about.

Well given it's a GTS in a better balanced package, it's hardly a surprise that they're this good.

If prices take a hit after some time, I think I'll be seriously tempted. What suspension do these have? I saw something yellow - as on the GTS - is that KW Clubsport?

Porker:

Futch:

Fabulous fabulous car, I honestly have rarely experienced this level of interaction in a modern car between road, machine and driver. Let alone in a Sedan with Satnav, aircon, etc.

There's a really good article in this month's EVO mag on the CRT, a good read.

But, they don't seem to sell (there's like 13 of them available on mobile.de).

Truth is, they're huge amount of money for an M3. Only those stupid enough to have taken the plunge seem to appreciate what this car is about.

Well given it's a GTS in a better balanced package, it's hardly a surprise that they're this good.

If prices take a hit after some time, I think I'll be seriously tempted. What suspension do these have? I saw something yellow - as on the GTS - is that KW Clubsport?

 

 Exactly the same suspensions as the GTS with the rear subframe bolted on the chassis, the baby loves it.

Futch:

Porker:

Futch:

Fabulous fabulous car, I honestly have rarely experienced this level of interaction in a modern car between road, machine and driver. Let alone in a Sedan with Satnav, aircon, etc.

There's a really good article in this month's EVO mag on the CRT, a good read.

But, they don't seem to sell (there's like 13 of them available on mobile.de).

Truth is, they're huge amount of money for an M3. Only those stupid enough to have taken the plunge seem to appreciate what this car is about.

Well given it's a GTS in a better balanced package, it's hardly a surprise that they're this good.

If prices take a hit after some time, I think I'll be seriously tempted. What suspension do these have? I saw something yellow - as on the GTS - is that KW Clubsport?

 

 Exactly the same suspensions as the GTS with the rear subframe bolted on the chassis, the baby loves it.

Get the baby a minature Hans-device, will you, his poor neck!

Congrats!

Let's see it parked next to the fabulous F40

Soon! Driving the CRT over to Europe in a few weeks.

Congratulations! you have great taste in cars! From this small number of cars produced, I assume that they shouldn't depreciate so much. I bought my CSL back in 2005 very slightly used (9000 kms) and from then on it has even appreciated in price, however, that should'nt worry me because I will never sell it. :)

P.S. By the way, which number do you have?

M3 CSL (nr. 401 out of 1385), Cayenne V6

DoubledDoubledDoubled:

Congratulations! you have great taste in cars! From this small number of cars produced, I assume that they shouldn't depreciate so much. I bought my CSL back in 2005 very slightly used (9000 kms) and from then on it has even appreciated in price, however, that should'nt worry me because I will never sell it. :)

P.S. By the way, which number do you have?

 I think it will depreciate but at some stage stabilise and maybe in the long term go slightly up. We will see. Mine is 66/67.

I have a question re engine oil consumption. Under hard driving, the onboard computer tells me to top up 1L. And when the engine cools down, the level goes back up, that's not normal isn't it?

I don't really break in my cars, never have and they were all fine, but this 4.4 V8 does seem to consume a lot of oil.

Futch:

DoubledDoubledDoubled:

Congratulations! you have great taste in cars! From this small number of cars produced, I assume that they shouldn't depreciate so much. I bought my CSL back in 2005 very slightly used (9000 kms) and from then on it has even appreciated in price, however, that should'nt worry me because I will never sell it. :)

P.S. By the way, which number do you have?

 I think it will depreciate but at some stage stabilise and maybe in the long term go slightly up. We will see. Mine is 66/67.

I have a question re engine oil consumption. Under hard driving, the onboard computer tells me to top up 1L. And when the engine cools down, the level goes back up, that's not normal isn't it?

I don't really break in my cars, never have and they were all fine, but this 4.4 V8 does seem to consume a lot of oil.

Futch,

It is not normal. I didn't experience anything like this with my E92 M3. I tracked my car 3 times by the way. It consumes oil but not as much as Bmw V10s. I remember about 1 liter of oil in 5000 km. 

Be careful with the break-in with BMW NA M engines. If I were you, I would follow the procedure. I did it that way with my previous 3 M3.

CRT is a very special car but I don't like its design elements ie. red painted details. With half the price, M3 Sedan with competition pack and DKG is a better value for money. With Bmw Performance seats and M performance egzost, you could complete the package. That's just my opinion though. From investment point of view, CRT might be a better bet in the future since there are only 67 made.

--

ONUR

THE BEST CAR EVER 

11 E92 M3 CP - 09 Audi TTS Coupe - 07 997 Carrera S - 05 M3 Coupe - 03 M3 Coupe - 96 M3 Coupe EVO (PASS TIME HISTORY)

Thanks pride. I'll have an oil change done anyway. break in procedure is 2000km! That's just silly. Yes something might be wrong. 

You're right about the CRT, the red details are crass, but they're not too big and the mate grey paint is surprisingly nice. 

Definitely not as good value for money as a normal M3 sedan, it's more of passionate/ irrational purchase. I haven't driven a normal M3 to be honest, but I am really really amazed but how great the CRT feels, amazing engine, chassis, gearbox, great sports car!

Congrats again, finally an epic M car again!! It's truly amazing package.

Futch:

Thanks pride. I'll have an oil change done anyway. break in procedure is 2000km! That's just silly. Yes something might be wrong. 

You're right about the CRT, the red details are crass, but they're not too big and the mate grey paint is surprisingly nice. 

Definitely not as good value for money as a normal M3 sedan, it's more of passionate/ irrational purchase. I haven't driven a normal M3 to be honest, but I am really really amazed but how great the CRT feels, amazing engine, chassis, gearbox, great sports car!

 

I think so. My wife had a M3 Cab and the oil level was quite steady.

On the other hand, I checked the oil level on my Panamera Turbo S before leaving for a short ski trip to Austria. The oil level was at half(!). Now when I returned back, the level was at max.  Both times the engine was warm and the car was standing on a flat ground. Weird. I need to keep an eye on that.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2012), Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

RC:

Futch:

Thanks pride. I'll have an oil change done anyway. break in procedure is 2000km! That's just silly. Yes something might be wrong. 

You're right about the CRT, the red details are crass, but they're not too big and the mate grey paint is surprisingly nice. 

Definitely not as good value for money as a normal M3 sedan, it's more of passionate/ irrational purchase. I haven't driven a normal M3 to be honest, but I am really really amazed but how great the CRT feels, amazing engine, chassis, gearbox, great sports car!

 

I think so. My wife had a M3 Cab and the oil level was quite steady.

On the other hand, I checked the oil level on my Panamera Turbo S before leaving for a short ski trip to Austria. The oil level was at half(!). Now when I returned back, the level was at max.  Both times the engine was warm and the car was standing on a flat ground. Weird. I need to keep an eye on that.

 Exactly what happened to me RC, after some very spirited driving yesterday, the engine oil level was at Min level. So I topped up half a litre (although it told to add a whole litre) drove relaxed til home, switched the car off 5 min, restarted, and engine oil level was at Max level!!!

The engine is not dry sump though so I wonder why you need to measure the oil level with engine running and at running temperature.

Have never had this issue in my M3, so either the car is "normal" or I have simply not driven it hard enough 

Small update, car is now UK reg and effectively the only CRT in the country, have replaced the rather vulgar red details by black ones, enhances the Q car effect imo, and it still is wonderful to drive. BMW have performed an oil change and said nothing was wrong with the readout and that it is very well known for being very very sensitive on all M3s...

the black accents look great as opposed to the red.  Is the paint called frozen silver??  How do you like the matte finish?  Thanks

Futch:

BMW have performed an oil change and said nothing was wrong with the readout and that it is very well known for being very very sensitive on all M3s...

Thanks for the update. If the issue persists, could it be the electronic oillevel reader that should be exchanged? Remember the same problem on a Mercedes E-class several years ago.

Out of curiousity, is that license plate supposed to have that phonetic analogy?

BONES:

the black accents look great as opposed to the red.  Is the paint called frozen silver??  How do you like the matte finish?  Thanks

 It's very nice in reality. Usually matt cars are black and not very nice, except the Aventador. Frozen silver is a beautiful paint.

Ferdie:

Futch:

BMW have performed an oil change and said nothing was wrong with the readout and that it is very well known for being very very sensitive on all M3s...

Thanks for the update. If the issue persists, could it be the electronic oillevel reader that should be exchanged? Remember the same problem on a Mercedes E-class several years ago.

Out of curiousity, is that license plate supposed to have that phonetic analogy?

 I really don't know. Car was at BMW for a couple of days, they checked everything and said the car was fine. Very odd indeed.

For the plate, in the UK, you can buy a personalised plate quite easily. Hence the reference to CRT yes. Useless and vain but nobody's perfect.

Hello Futch

I am also the lucky owner of a M3 CRT (#26) and I can tell you that the oil indicator is very sensitive... Do not trust it immediately, but always drive a little bit longer to be sure!

I had the same "issue" with my previous M3 E90...

igirl:

Hello Futch

I am also the lucky owner of a M3 CRT (#26) and I can tell you that the oil indicator is very sensitive... Do not trust it immediately, but always drive a little bit longer to be sure!

I had the same "issue" with my previous M3 E90...

That's reassuring. Thanks for this info igirl