Why are 318is' so hawt?

[MikesJo]

"E21 owners say that E30s are bulky and heavy"
Sorry, the E30 318i M10 weighs 140 pounds LESS than the E21 320i....2360 pounds vs. 2500.

My E30 318is feels so much lighter than the E21 320i I use to have...

[Fred]

"E21 owners say that E30s are bulky and heavy"
Sorry, the E30 318i M10 weighs 140 pounds LESS than the E21 320i....2360 pounds vs. 2500.

My point is that everyone feels that their car is better than another, despite what factual data says.

[Speed25]

I prefer the six, but I'd be pretty happy owning a 318is as well. E30s are fun no matter what.

[M3Driver]

OK guys - I have an S14 (E30 M3) and an M42 (E30 318iS).

First of all - getting in a pissing match about e30 motors is pointless because the M42 and the M20 pale in comparison to the S14, and we all know it.

That being said, I have tracked the 318iS a few times, and it is an extremely fun car to drive. The lightweight chassis and relatively strong motor make it a great contender on a short and twisty track, or the autoX course. The fact is you can carry a LOT more speed through a turn with that 4-banger in front of you than with a 6, and it is very easy to balance.

People who think they are slow don't know how to drive them. I pull lap times faster than a lot more powerful cars solely on the chassis' ability to negotiate turns and carry that speed onto the straight - remember, even if a car can get to a higher speed on a straightaway, it cancels it out in braking time and speed through a corner.

There is so much more to racing than acceleration, you guys need to figure that out before you bash a car that is easily faster than yours in many situations.

I use my 318iS as a daily driver and it is perfect for it. I don't need the power because I have 270hp in my M3, but the 318will still cruise effortlessly at 100 MPH, and get there fast enough to keep up with any traffic. AND it returns 30+ mpg!

I would take an M50 or S50 over the M42, but definitely not an M20.

[NCm42]

^^beautiful post^^

and to add to that. At the last local auto-x a stock 318is put up the fastest time of the day. Very well considering he went up againsy a 911, several highly modded miatas and a number of other modded cars. It's all driver and knowing how to drive the car you have.

[318driver]

I drive my 325ic daily, and i like it verymuch. But i went for a ride in my bros 91 318is and that car is awsome. I deff wouldnt mind having less power for that car because it feels so nimble. Like others have said the 325i is too front heavy, but the m42s power does not match the m20, so its a struggle on both sides of which i like better.