Hi all,

Not trying to start a flame here, as I'm whole-heartedly a G-fan, and will probably be picking one up this week (barring seeing the new 330 Performance 4-door).

Anyway, I was reading something today from automobile magazine (Nov issue), and it was comparing the times of the two cars.

The G is rated at:
280HP @6200rpm
270 TQ@4800rpm

BMW 330:
225HP@5900rpm.
214@3500rpm

According to Automobile magazine the 0-60 time for the BMW is 5.9 = .1 faster than the GCoupe. What's up with that?

Yes, the G is faster 0-100, 15.4 vs. 15.1(G).

They also measured 30-70mph passing:
25 seconds for the G
14.2 seconds for the bmw

Not sure how those numbers are determined considering the 0-60 numbers, but whatever.

braking is marginally better in the bmw also.

Anyway, here's my point and would like someone to help me understand. How is it with roughly 50 extra HP and TQ, the BMW can actually have better numbers from 0-60, and be .3 slower to 100mph?

The numbers on the G seem like it should absolutely kill a 330, but according to this magazine, it's not so.

Is it because the gearing in the bmw is so low?

Has anyone raced a 330 and "smoked" it? I'm very serious about getting the red GCoupe this week, but I will go drive the new 330 performance package, which has 235HP and 225TQ. Will report back if you guys want to know.

2BG'd

 

i owned a bmw 330 in my 6mt coupe no sweat..

 

I can tell you, the G wins - no contest - on speed.

I have a friend with the perf package 330...we have raced probably at least 20 times, and he has yet to win ONCE (yes, he is a persistemt little bastard). To 60 it is a close race, but the G wins by about a third of a car length. To 100, it is a slaughter - once the G hits 3rd gear, it's almost like you're racing a civic and that bimmer just disappears in the rearview.

Looking at the fastest times I have seen tested for the cars:
G35C: 5.5s 0-60 in C&D
330i (PP): 5.6s 0-60 in C&D
330Ci: 5.8s 0-60 in C&D

By the way, automobile mag tests 30-70 in top gear. The 330Ci won because it was only a 5-spd while the G had to do it in 6th gear...quite a disadvantage. Completely useless test if you ask me.

End of the day, they are both great cars and don't let performance be your only deciding factor. The drive is the most important part of it, and that is where the G won me over.

 

Wow it looks like the 330I with the perf. package is close to the G35C and could easily take a 99 and below M3.

 

"braking is marginally better in the bmw also. "

Braking between 6MT Coupe (brembo's) and the 330i - Coupe wins

From the January 2003 Car and Driver, page 123:

Braking:70-0 mph, feet
Infiniti G35 Coupe - 157 ft.
BMW 330ci - 167 ft.
Audi TT 1.8 Quattro - 172 ft.
Acura 3.2CL Type S - 178 ft.

Not so sure about the automatic brakes, though

2003.5 6MT Coupe || Black/Graphite || Premium || Aero || Tint || Al. Pedals

 

makes me glad i got mine in stick

 

Makes me glad I don't read Car and Driver anymore.

Do they even bother correcting their test numbers?

G35 6MT/DG/Fully Loaded

 

Hi all,

Thanks for the posting, that helps me alot! I went back and checked the 30-70 acceleration, and the other car in the "shootout" was te CLK320, and it's 30-70 was something like 7.2 seconds. So, I thought it was a misprint. All in all, I guess that number means nothing anyway based on the poster above - good point!

Thanks for the info, still shooting for the G. Will probably go look at the 330 Perf, but sounds like it can hang at all.

Has anyone who's raced the Performance 330 think it looks like the current, E46 M3, but with 4 doors, or does it look quite different? They have no "real" pictures of the car on BMWUSA.

Thx all!

2BG'd

 

The only noticeable differences for me seeing the 330iPP were the more aggressive-looking front air dam, the black headlight inserts, and the 18s. Does not look like a 4-door M3 to me.

 

The BMW I6 engine has a very flat torque curve.

Acceleration and power comes from the area under the torque curve, not from peak hp or torque numbers. That combined with the transmission and final drive gearing and the weight of the vehicles all affect 0-60 and quarter mile times.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

hey new member =D

The 330iPerformancePackage is not a 4 door M3. That is not what BMW had in mind, and that is partially why the transmission was called "SMG", not "SMG-II". The larger front air dam your talking about is just the M-technik aero package, and can be installed on any e46 except M3. G35c will outrun 330ipp in a straight line, there's no doubt about it. But if you autocross your car, then for sure get the bmw because the handling is quite different. I'm not sure if you guys saw the Best Motoring episode where 350Z,350GT,s2000,RX-8, and one 330ipp went through the same autocross track, the bmw ended up with the best time, best slalom speed, and I think 4th fastest on straight. G35 wheelbase is too long, if I remember correctly even longer then a 5 series. They also put it on wet ground with traction control off, and all the cars were almost sideways whereas BMW's Cornering Brake Control made it look like it was on dry land, but that is sort of like traction control anyway. So that's just my opinion, its also german so they aren't expensive for nothing. I'm sure you'll find some goodies in the BMW you'll like more. Granted, I still like my G35 =D But I do want SMG transmission >:| And I'm sure you will love it too, it feels like F1, shifts immediately when you push. Not like my stupid step mode, which drinks a cup of tea before shifting to the next gear.

A few things you might want to note:
*CF trim is too yummy
*Harmon/Kardon sound system is just a tad better then the bose in our cars, IMO
*If you get a BMW, you can buy Dinan aftermarket products and keep your dealer warranty. So mod, and warranty is not void. That's just like, utopia =D

 

Welcome to the forum!

A few more notes: Keep in mind the Skyline 350GT does not have the Pilot Sports. I'd be interested to see how a G with the pilots would fare vs the 330iPP (which also has them).

My friend's "Business CD" (that's what they call the HK system) does sound cleaner than the Bose in its tweeters, but I don't think its midrange is much better good and it's bass (or should I say lack thereof) is awful.

Also note that the Dinan packages involve no FI for the 3-series, they are things like ecu upgrades, fuel management, and intakes. So while it's cool that they don't void warranty, the gains are not huge, and those types of upgrades do not typically cause warranty problems anyway.

Do you have the link ny any chance to that BM video? I never got around to downloading it.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

The only problem is that the current E46 3-series are winding down...the new models come out in late 2004 as 2005 vehicles, I believe.

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And they will have been "Bangleized"; restyled to look every bit as awful as the new 7, 5 and 6 models. Pity...