$500 E30 318 in FIA Rally

[A Y]

For all you BMW fans out there, this is an unbelievably cool story: http://jalopnik.com/5497042/how-a-50...yline=true&s=i Basically, someone enters a $500 E30 318 into an FIA rally event, competing against other cars backed by major manufacturers, and probably forged from unobtainium and cubic $$$, and he comes in 3rd in class! Some choice quotes:

So is Slocum yelling at me for giving a thumbs-up out the window to the photo guys and fans as I drive sideways into the corner with opposite lock. I thought it looked awesome.

I once asked Bill why he insisted on going through every spectator section crossed up and with the engine banging off the limiter. "Dude," he said, "I don't care if it costs me a couple of tenths. It makes the fans go nuts."

Well let me tell you that hauling ass on rally tires with other rally cars while Mexican cops try to keep up with you is priceless.

If that wasn't enough, [redacted]ing Kimi Raikkonen launched his car off the side of the cliff. A flatbed wrecker was pulling his car out of a ditch and blocking the road. When the tow truck finally moved, we finished the stage.

--Andre

 

[closetmess]

Saw this on Deadspin - very cool - guy sounds like a maniac.

Originally Posted by A Y

For all you BMW fans out there, this is an unbelievably cool story:

http://jalopnik.com/5497042/how-a-50...yline=true&s=i

Basically, someone enters a $500 E30 318 into an FIA rally event, competing against other cars backed by major manufacturers, and probably forged from unobtainium and cubic $$$, and he comes in 3rd in class!

Some choice quotes:









--Andre

 

[sonick]

It's a 318... but with an M3 engine

No doubt, still VERY impressive, but it ain't no ordinary M42 4-cyl lol.

 

[A Y]

Originally Posted by sonick

It's a 318... but with an M3 engine

No doubt, still VERY impressive, but it ain't no ordinary M42 4-cyl lol.

And it was still RWD:

Another FIA guy came up and shook my hand and is coming back for my autograph. Seriously. He said he hasn't seen a rear wheel drive car in a top event or anything this insane in a while.

--Andre

 

[spencers]

Originally Posted by sonick

It's a 318... but with an M3 engine

No doubt, still VERY impressive, but it ain't no ordinary M42 4-cyl lol.

S14 son!

 

[bumper crop]

read this on jalopnik the other day. dude's a badass. just. plain. awesome.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Very cool story Andre. Thanks.

 

[DNW]

Great story!

 

[crazyquik]

The most impressive thing to me is how a rwd car competed with awd on gravel. Well, and a pretty novice guy against a field of professionals.

 

[TylerDurden]

I drive an All-wheel drive E30 with the 2.5L straight 6 as a daily driver. Those cars are so over engineered its not even funny.

300K miles on the engines in just broken in it seems.

With the AWD, doesn't matter if its a blizzard and snows all over the place the car can't be stopped.

If I could go back in time, I'd buy one new.

 

[xpress]

Originally Posted by TylerDurden

I drive an All-wheel drive E30 with the 2.5L straight 6 as a daily driver. Those cars are so over engineered its not even funny.

300K miles on the engines in just broken in it seems.

With the AWD, doesn't matter if its a blizzard and snows all over the place the car can't be stopped.

If I could go back in time, I'd buy one new.

+1

 

[skalogre]

I read that, it really is fantastic. make sure to check out the accompanying story from the navigator http://jalopnik.com/5500013/i-co+dro...list-rally-car

 

[Wallcloud]

I did not understand over half of the words in that story. I still think it was friggin cool.

 

[unjung]

He says in theory he came in 23rd out of 25 in the WRC class. Technically the guys in the last two places in WRC were over two hours behind the winner (Loeb), with Loeb taking three hours, so he's not really WRC caliber, but great anyway.

 

[A Y]

Speaking of E30 M3s in rallies:

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Some awesome moments:

1:26: downshift, tail-out drift, cheering fans
4:40: balancing the car's sideways drift through the turn with the throttle surrounded by crazy fans

Actually, the whole thing is pretty awesome.

--Andre