Forza 4: How to make a BMW M3?

Roll Call!!!

Copying a page from Autocar's pages, we might have a speculation of what the future M3 would look like. The next M3 may come with a 6-cylinder turbo engine that develops 450HP and 48lb-ft of torque. It would be stiffer than the previous model it replaces and lighter thanks to carbon fiber and aluminum. Question is, will it have the same handling of the M3 from yesteryears? To find out, I decided to use the Top Gear Test Track on Forza Motorsport 4 as a speculation zone to speculate the future M3's what-will-it-be scenario...

It may not arrive until next year but until now and then, all we have to do is speculate about how good or otherwise the new model might be but it might be half as soulful as this...

BMW M3 E30

...the original E30 M3, the first M3 ever built. If it weren't for this model, BMW wouldn't made an executive high performance sports saloon money can buy. Even though it's no longer as quicker as its successors, the handling and steering are still at it through the years. It's really quite a well balanced car and don't worry about this one not being a quick because this car really doesn't matter if you're not concentrating.

BMW M3 E36

This applies the same on the M3 E36 of the 90's. If I remember correctly, Car & Driver said that the E36 M3 is one of the best handling cars of the 90's because of its benign handling and balance and popular among circuit racers and track enthusiasts. To be honest, this is more of a high-performance version of the car my dad used to drive. Ah the memories...

Anyway, enough of memory jibber jabber, we used to have a BMW but then because of our family climate, we decided to give it away from our cousin, who moments later swapped for a Mazda RX-8. Well, long story short. Here I am...

One thing I'm going to like about the E36 was its jumpy handling, it is as frightening as a frightened woman and the toaster but it sure is planting my face a huge smile or better yet, WINNING FACE. Innit though....

BMW M3 E46

The E46 M3 though...that's probably the best handling M3 for me. That's definitely something what the next model would learn lessons from. There is a mantra that goes the suspension needs to be faster than the engine itself so what BMW's M division did is to rework the suspension to cope up against the raw power from its 6-cylinder engine. Furthermore, this is more well balanced than its predecessors and also, it's much more fun to drive even for those who are not concentrating.

BMW M3 E92

And this...the soon-to-be-discontinued E92 M3 is somewhat the moral opposite of its predecessors because in the past, most M3's are forgone the inline engine treatment but for the E92 model, the biggest twist involves on putting a big V8 engine on it. It might be more challenging to master but it's still a sublime machine with a big power. What's addicting about this E92 M3 is the noise from its V8 engine. It sounds like an American muscle car with a German twist and also if you have the space and the tire budget, this is much more fun to drift but in terms of its drifting talent...what can I say? PLENTY OF SMOKE BUT NO CIDER. Sorry about that but still, it's still a quick car. The quickest M3 of all but when I pit this one against the E46 M3, seems that the handling of the E92 is nowhere near as good as the E46 and the game of catch-up will leave me bored. Still, on the straights, it's definitely quicker than the E46 if I'm honest.

So, what I want for the next M3 is that it has to be as faster as the E92, as jumpy as the E36, and as easy to handle as the E46. Hopefully, BMW would get that memo...