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With the
selection of the BMW M coupe and M
roadster, our collective voters have
succumbed to pure driving
passion.
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These cars are
expensive, not terribly practical, and not destined
for any most-beautiful-car list. Yet it was the
particularly peculiar-looking coupe that ultimately
won us over.
The addition of a
steel roof may do nothing for the Z3's lines, but
it does provide a huge improvement in stiffness. As
a result, the car feels rock solid, and the driver,
seated low in the tiny cabin, feels like an
integral component.
 This
oneness between driver and machine combines with
the lively steering, precise shifter, and 240-hp M
engine to produce an uncanny harmony between the
driver's desires and the car's instant reflexes.
After a half-hour behind the wheel of an M coupe,
our doubts about the exterior styling were
forgotten.
For those willing
to trade some stiffness for daylight, the M
roadster provides most of the coupe's benefits.
Either way, to drive these cars is to love
them.
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Vehicle
Type:
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front-engine,
rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door
coupe or roadster
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Base
Price:
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$42,752-$43,706
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Engine
Type:
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DOHC
24-valve 3.2-liter 6-in-line
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Power(SAE
net):
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240
bhp @ 6000 rpm
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Transmission:
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5-speed
manual
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Wheelbase:
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96.8
in
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Length:
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158.5
in
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Curb
Weight:
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3050-3100
lb
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EPA
fuel economy, city driving:
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19
mpg
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