e30 325i vs e46 323i

[VinniE30]

I have an '89 325i and my friend has an e46 323i. Both are 5 speed MT. Which car would win in a race independent of the driver?

e30 325i:
168 hp @ 5800 RPM
164 tq @ 4300 RPM
2895 lbs
0-60: 7.6

e46 323i:
170 hp @ 5500 RPM
181 tq @ 3500 RPM
3150 lbs
0-60: 7.1 seconds

How is the e46 so much faster to 60 when they have about the same HP but the e30 weighs less?

Sources:

http://e30world.com/specifications/BMW-E30-specs-table

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z2498/BMW-323i.aspx

[xwill112x]

install a lightweight flywheel and a 4.10lsd(instead of the 3.73) on the 325i and i bet it would be faster.

[VinniE30]

87-88 : 2850; 89: 2895; 90-91: 2811

Also, why is my car heavier than both the 87-88 and 90-91? WTF did they do in '89?

[xwill112x]

probably different sound deadening? the sound deadening was different in my 87iC then in my 85e so thats what my guess would be.

[VinniE30]

I would think the 87-88 would be heavier because they have the diving boards and I would think the 90-91 would be heavier because they have airbags. '89 should be lightest. What's up here?

[pharow]

Gearing? That maybe why your car is slower.

[tjts1]

I have an '89 325i and my friend has an e46 323i. Both are 5 speed MT. Which car would win in a race independent of the driver?

e30 325i:
168 hp @ 5800 RPM
164 tq @ 4300 RPM
2895 lbs
0-60: 7.6

e46 323i:
170 hp @ 5500 RPM
181 tq @ 3500 RPM
3150 lbs
0-60: 7.1 seconds

How is the e46 so much faster to 60 when they have about the same HP but the e30 weighs less?

Looks like you answered your own question. Torque is a beautiful thing.

[e34john]

Doubt your car makes that much power 20+ years later. Install sticky tires and launch that thing.

[VinniE30]

Looks like you answered your own question. Torque is a beautiful thing.

But peak torque isin't really a good measure of how fast a car is. HP is a more relavent measure of torque so wouldn't HP be much better to look at? The eta has more torque than me too but it's slower because it has less HP(because the peak torque is at such low RPM)

[xwill112x]

yes but the eta has far less horsepower. like 129 or something. the e46 has greater hp, and tq.

[tjts1]

But peak torque isin't really a good measure of how fast a car is. HP is a more relavent measure of torque so wouldn't HP be much better to look at? The eta has more torque than me too but it's slower because it has less HP(because the peak torque is at such low RPM)

If you say so. Having driven one I can tell you the 2.5 liter M52TU makes a lot more torque throughout the rev range than any M20 could ever dream.

[nrubenstein]

doppelvanos.

[Wh33lhop]

But peak torque isin't really a good measure of how fast a car is. HP is a more relavent measure of torque so wouldn't HP be much better to look at? The eta has more torque than me too but it's slower because it has less HP(because the peak torque is at such low RPM)

Area under the curve divided by weight owns you. Plus the 325i has to shift twice to get to 60.

[Stu]

Having driven one I can tell you the 2.5 liter M52TU makes a lot more torque throughout the rev range than any M20 could ever dream.

Might want to rephrase that; a few years ago a good friend pulled 204 lb ft to the wheels out of a 2.9 M20.

[YetiX]

Looks like you answered your own question. Torque is a fast thing.

Fixed :nice: