"I wonder how many badges it has . . . " – Michael Simari, Online Staff Photographer
That, Mr. Simari, is an excellent question. While measuring our new long-term BMW M3's brakes during its induction to our fleet, we noticed that underneath the German sports sedan were a plethora of "M" stampings. Ever since we tested a Stage 3 Ford Mustang veritably dripping with Roush badges last year, we've had a curious fascination about the lengths automakers are willing to go to ensure that you—and, more important, everyone else—are completely clear about exactly what you're driving.
To begin our M-badge tally, we first hoisted the M3 up on our garage's lift to examine its underside. The rules were simple: Count any and all M badges, stampings, stickers, etc. that were in plain sight. (If an "M" sighting would require the removal of a panel or part, it didn't count.) As it turns out, the car's underside is where most of its M-ness resides.
Moving front to rear, we found that the engine undertray featured three M stampings, and that the exhaust shielding and underbody sound-deadening material each had two. The front suspension carried another 8, split between four control arms. The rear suspension has another 20 between its multiple links (control arms, toe links, uprights), and there is one on each rear wheel-well liner. For those keeping track, we haven't yet peeked above the undercarriage and the count stands at 39.
Moving right along, each brake caliper and brake hat has an M logo, and in a show of restraint, BMW kept the count to one per 20-inch wheel. (That's 12 more.) The M3's body carries just four logos, one each on the grille, decklid, and the fender vents. Pop the hood, and Ms can be found on the ugly plastic engine cover, the radiator, and, strangely enough, a nearly completely obscured drip rail that sits beneath the A-pillar. Our two favorite M logos, a pair molded incognito into ribbed headlight brackets, also live underhood. To the German engineer who snuck those past, well, everyone, we salute you. Our total now sits at 60.
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Inside, the M3 gets M labels on each front door sill, the driver's dead pedal, the steering wheel, and the shift knob. An illuminated M lives on each front-seat backrest, while another two glow from the gauge-cluster display screen when a door is opened. This raises our long-term M3 test car's M count to an astounding 67! That means it ties the Roush Mustang for the most visible logos of any car we've ever tested. Well, that we've bothered to count, anyway.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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