Differences between the Coupe & Sedan

[Tobias]

Hi Everyone
What are the differences between the Coupe and the Sedan? Is it just looks and number of doors?
I noticed that the doors on the coupe looked different. I also have read here that the coupe is a bit lighter.
But apart from that, are they the same?
Does the coupe always come with the sport package?
Speaking of sport package, what is it really? What is it one get with the sport package that is not on a regular car?
Wow. Now I feel like a real newb, but I guess that is because that is what I am!
Tobias

[SergeK]

i heard the 328 coupe and sedan weight the same.

[taseal]

its pretty much the minor styling differences between the door, and the number of doors... they also say 4 doors handle better because they are a more rigid chassis... i believe this personally too

[325iklu]

its pretty much the minor styling differences between the door, and the number of doors... they also say 4 doors handle better because they are a more rigid chassis... i believe this personally too

+1

[Dirty Phil]

the design of the tail lights and the corners as well. i also agree with the above statement with the saloons handling better than the coupes

[lovesm3s]

there's really not much difference between the two...they're pretty close. with the exception of the number of doors, and lights like people said as well as the front fender. The thing that makes the cars different in weight is the transmission.

[Jeffrie]

Coupes are lighter and always handle better with more regidity, Hence why the M3 is a coupe.
However on the more day/day coupes tend to have the piss pounded out of then on a daily basis far more often then dad driving kids to school does in the i.

[Tobias]

Thanks for responding! Never knew that about the handling. But I suppose it makes sense. What about the sports package? Is that important to get??

Tobias

[M52 POWER!]

Sedan is about 1 inch taller

[Jeffrie]

Thanks for responding! Never knew that about the handling. But I suppose it makes sense. What about the sports package? Is that important to get??
Tobias

Sport package has stiffer spings (= better handeling not so much body roll as you see in my sig before the coil overs).

[yeuchau]

sport package, comes with different wheel and sport seats

coupe and sedan has different trunk, i believe coupe curve up more and looks a bit better, more sporty

[BEHMER]

Coupes are lighter and always handle better with more regidity, Hence why the M3 is a coupe.
However on the more day/day coupes tend to have the piss pounded out of then on a daily basis far more often then dad driving kids to school does in the i.

ummm, there are M3 sedans too. I dont think the weight difference is more that 30lbs. The Sedans are more rigid and handle better than the coupe. I drive my 325i sedan just as hard if not harder than my old 95 M3 coupe

Ok im done

[Jeffrie]

Your wrong.
Coupes have been proven more rigid many times in the past with the exception of Audi who just made a sickly rigid 4 door right from scratch (A4).
M3 4 doors were not as rigid as coupes, it was a $$$ thing to create for what the public wanted at the time which wasn't hard for BMW to create since they pretty much just stiffed up an i hence why their isn't a 4 door "Sport" M3 or a csl model for the i.

[taseal]

well as you can see, this is an ongoing debate with 2D and 4D... you can see 2 door owners will say 2 doors handle better, and 4 door owners will say 4 doors handle better.... best example would be rally racing and sometimes road racing... you will see 4 doors always racing, along with 2 doors... especially with rally... look at subaru, and evo for example... but there are always 2 doors racing too...

[beatniks325]

most of us couldn't feel the difference in handling between the 2D and 4D i do believe.

[taseal]

most of us couldn't feel the difference in handling between the 2D and 4D i do believe.

very true

[jmott]

Both 2 and 4 door cars were competitive in DSP at solo2 nationals. So any handling/weight difference is small, extremely so.

But, the 2 doors do seem to weigh a little less, and being 1 inch lower, if true, is always a good thing.

[IchLiebeBMW]

I believe the doors on the coupe are a little wider. And the headlights are a little thiner on the coupe.

[krafty]

are the stiffer springs on the sport coupe interchangable with the sedan's?

I'm assuming that's where the difference in ride height lays.

[parolof]

don't know about the 4-door, but the coupé has a 50%-50% weight distribution (front & rear)

[PettitWC]

hey how 'bout those compacts...

[magnetic1]

Your wrong.
Coupes have been proven more rigid many times in the past with the exception of Audi who just made a sickly rigid 4 door right from scratch (A4).
M3 4 doors were not as rigid as coupes, it was a $$$ thing to create for what the public wanted at the time which wasn't hard for BMW to create since they pretty much just stiffed up an i hence why their isn't a 4 door "Sport" M3 or a csl model for the i.

Your'e wrong. How does the larger opening of the door area of a coupe lead to a more rigid design?

Although in the case of the Sedan being "stiffer" than the coupe.. I think this was disproved in a different thread which I cant seem to find now. While the Sedan may be more rigid.. it's not by any noticeable amount.

best example would be rally racing and sometimes road racing...

In this case, the car itself really wouldnt matter because the cage that's going in would negate any differences between the 2D and 4D. The advantage here would most likely be that you could provide for way smaller openings in the cage design which would lead to a stronger cage.

[IRoman]

My sedan > coupe?? even with my awesome 15inch spokes?? Sweet!! lol

[328iJunkie]

My sedan > coupe?? even with my awesome 15inch spokes?? Sweet!! lol

haha ill second that... My 4d handles really well but ive never gotten the tires screaming on a 2d how i have in my car...
I love my 15"ers... Theyre <I>Pimp</I>

[IRoman]

You know what is fun for me? Is taking unsuspected car or trucks around turns that are trying to pass you in an inside lane. I beat people all the time on outside lanes, when other people are braking Im still genlty accelerating.

BMW handling ownage!!

Oh another thing Ill say about my 15's...good tires are Cheap!!