The M3's little secret..

[MiataGirl]

http://slashdot.org/articles/02/09/29/2232249.shtml?tid=126

"The October dead-tree issue of Popular Science is reporting that the new BMW M3 contains what they are calling the "first automotive easter egg" in its transmission control software. Apparently, the proper combination of commands to the electronically controlled manual transmission will cause the car to rev up to 4000rpm and drop the clutch (premitting burnout, which is normally impossible). According to the article, use of the feature more than 15 times voids the warranty in Eurpoe.

Now, for the sake of science, who wants to let me borrow their's and let me verify it?

 

[Desslok]

Originally posted by: MiataGirl
http://slashdot.org/articles/02/09/29/2232249.shtml?tid=126

"The October dead-tree issue of Popular Science is reporting that the new BMW M3 contains what they are calling the "first automotive easter egg" in its transmission control software. Apparently, the proper combination of commands to the electronically controlled manual transmission will cause the car to rev up to 4000rpm and drop the clutch (premitting burnout, which is normally impossible). According to the article, use of the feature more than 15 times voids the warranty in Eurpoe.

Now, for the sake of science, who wants to let me borrow their's and let me verify it?

DROOOL! Just another reason to get a M3 with the SMG option.

 

[Maverick]

cool! Someone needs to go test drive an m3 and try this

 

[ElFenix]

amazingly, the right combination of gear selection, pedal pushing, and steering will get you around a track too

 

[Legendary]

/me goes outside to M3 to test...
*wakes up*
Damn...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Sorry, but those of us in the States cannot enjoy this feature (except in our dreams): According to popsci, U.S. laws won't allow the warranty limitation, so the U.S. version of the software only revs to 1500rpm, but dealers will install the european software if you ask."

I have to admit I would be a little nervous about driving my $50K+ BMW like this anyway. At least with a true manual, I can be assured I am just roasting the clutch with these kinds of starts - I would be scared of blowing up an SMG transmission.

 

[NFS4]

Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

 

[UberDave]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

Contra!

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

Sigh...the Konami gods frown upon this thread...

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, select, select, start

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: NFS4
Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

Sigh...the Konami gods frown upon this thread...

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, select, select, start

no... up up down down left right left right b a start.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: NFS4
Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

Sigh...the Konami gods frown upon this thread...

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, select, select, start

no... up up down down left right left right b a start.

wasn't it up p down down left right left right ba select start?

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: BDawg

Originally posted by: NFS4
Puddles of drool land on my keyboard

**EDIT**

How much do you wanna bet that the command sequence is Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Select, Start

Sigh...the Konami gods frown upon this thread...

up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, select, select, start

no... up up down down left right left right b a start.

Huh...gamefaqs confirms that. I always used the extra B, A and selects in Contra and Life Force.

Maybe the right code is 007 373 5963

 

[Doggiedog]

I think by the time you do all those moves, the guy you were trying to race would have toasted you.

 

[johneetrash]

thumbs up to manual
thumbs down to smg (how about thumbs sideways)

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
I think by the time you do all those moves, the guy you were trying to race would have toasted you.

lol! that's what gameshark is for

 

[UNCjigga]

My cousin sold his M3 SMG after a month...and bought an IS300!!! :| His reasoning was that the M3 was "too much car for him".

I guess its proof that kids (he's 22) shouldn't drive $60,000 cars...leave it to the balding, grey-haired crowd.

 

[Vic]

Excuse me, but with all due respect to BMW, what the hell is the point of having a manual if you can't rev it up and drop the clutch as you please?

 

[klah]

Originally posted by: PSYWVic
Excuse me, but with all due respect to BMW, what the hell is the point of having a manual if you can't rev it up and drop the clutch as you please?

It can shift gears in .065 seconds.

 

[vetteguy]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
Sorry, but those of us in the States cannot enjoy this feature (except in our dreams): According to popsci, U.S. laws won't allow the warranty limitation, so the U.S. version of the software only revs to 1500rpm, but dealers will install the european software if you ask."

I have to admit I would be a little nervous about driving my $50K+ BMW like this anyway. At least with a true manual, I can be assured I am just roasting the clutch with these kinds of starts - I would be scared of blowing up an SMG transmission.

If you can afford a car like this, you won't worry about driving it like this. Plus, M3's are MADE to be driven hard, like all German cars. In the owner's manual for my Porsche, it RECOMMENDS you do hard acceleration and braking at least occasionally.

 

[Dudd]

Speaking of M3's, I nearly took one of them out today. I'm driving down the road, car ahead of me slows to turn left, and since the right lane is clear, I start to move over. As I'm making the change, an M3 behind be trys the same move while opening up the throttle at the same time. Moral? If you are driving a slow ass Oldsmobile, get the hell out of the M3's way.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

If you can afford a car like this, you won't worry about driving it like this. Plus, M3's are MADE to be driven hard, like all German cars. In the owner's manual for my Porsche, it RECOMMENDS you do hard acceleration and braking at least occasionally.

Maybe YOU wouldn't worry about it, but I would. I imagine by the time I am in my 40's, I will be able to buy an M3 if I choose, but not able to afford $20K to replace its SMG transmission. I find it less than reassuring that BMW voids the warranty on the entire car if you use this launch-control feature more than 15 times. For my part, I would stick with the 6-speed manual rather than spending thousands more for SMG.