Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam
No, it is not based on any internal information. It is basically based on experience with previous generations of cars where they also said the same things. When the enthusiasts start comparing the parts, they are not very different. They are also usually interchangeable, so you can pick and choose between parts from different models to get the handling you want. On an E36, you may choose E30 front control arms, E46 damper mounts with Z3 reinforcements, Z3 steering rack and so on. All in all, the most important factors for the handling is how the weight is distributed in the car, stiffness of suspension (easily replaced) and swaybars (easily replaced) and alignment (easily changed). The weight is more difficult to do something about, and is a handicap for the M135i compared to the low power versions.
I am not saying that they are lying, I just think they are exaggerating the fact that the parts are different. It basically has to be to cope with the extra weight and power.
You will probably find that the heaviest diesel models have a specific setup as well, but the marketing guys save the hype for the M135i.
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Take a standard car, look at all the areas where bigger, stiffer, stronger, less flex, lighter, changes in geometry etc. may improve performance and design new parts. By definition you have exchangeable parts. Every tuner on the Planet makes exchangeable parts, because they're essentially built for the same chassis. Its why amateur tuners can fit a lot of M3 parts onto their standard non-M cars.
And of course the new parts have to cope with the extra power. If you're going to build an altogether faster, more powerful car, you have to make sure the chassis can cope with it. If you want to make a car go faster and handle better, you upgrade engine, suspension and brakes. That's exactly what the MotorSport engineers have done with the M135i. Hype doesn't bring you harder acceleration, higher lateral g-forces, shorter stopping distances and lap times within spitting distance of an M3.