1M Coupe MDM and M Buttons Explained

[Robert]

South, the original 135i marketing material said 135i comes with less intrusive nanny control than usual BMWs to harken back to the sporting nature of 2002. How does MDM compare to that? Even less so? Or it's just marketing jibberish once again like BMW said 135i has M suspension back in 2007.

[EmmDrei]

Provided the 1Ms MDM is set up similar to that of the M3, then you will experience a very different DSC setting. The MDM allows you to drift the car at serious angles and allows wheelspin also. When it assists, it does that a lot less harsh, than the regular DSC settings will. It doesn't just slam on the brakes and cut the engine power. A driver that does not countersteer and adjust the acceleration once he gets the rear to step out, will simply spin driving an M3 in MDM, imho. It basically feels more like a racing traction control in the M3 and not like a DSC. Driving on a wet race track, the MDM in the M3 is something I personally would define as a plus and not as an intrusion.

[Fuerza]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

I believe there is DSC-on.... pressing the M Dynamic Mode once gets MDM, and then you get DSC OFF if the button is depressed several seconds.. so yes... three modes.

I think all of the 12 predrive members can definitely vouch for the fact that you can get the car sideways quite a bit in MDM mode before traction control kicks in... All three of the cars were set up with MDM on... I think we were all breaking the tires free each time we turned a corner from a stop.. We were asked not to turn the DSC off, not to mention it was raining, so I didn't mess with the DSC button. If the button was actually labeled MDM I don't even think I noticed.

Cool, I want to be able to do smokey burn outs (if I buy one).

Originally Posted by Jeff_DML

MDM is just a fancy name for a more wheel slip/ higher yaw/less intrusive DSC

sort of 3 modes, DSC->MDM->off

Makes sense now.

[JimD]

It would be interesting to hear a review of the 1M MDM versus the M3. In the M school I had earlier this year, we got the M cars sideways on the track in M mode. I don't think anybody spun or maybe there was one. But you could definitely go sideways if you pushed too hard. We had a session on oversteer recovery so hopefully we all responded appropriately to having the rear end try to come around (which may have prevented more spins). I have not tried turning my 128i to the in-between setting and pushing it, yet. But I suspect it will not allow as much wheel spin.

Looking at it another way, is the 1M MDM a lot different than the in-between setting on a 135i? Does a 1M feel just like a M3 or closer to a 135i?

The implementation is obviously more cost effective in the 1M but if the driving experience of a M3 is retained, then I think they made the right decisions.

Jim

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Adgar

Cool, I want to be able to do smokey burn outs (if I buy one).

you will ABSOLUTELY be able to do smoky burnouts, donuts, opposite lock donuts.... I've experienced all three from the back seat of a 1M with the DSC turned completely off.

And Jim D... yes.. the MDM mode definitely lets you get the 1M sideways, both under hard acceleration and also on corner entry... if you come in really hard it pushes, a stab at the throttle will bring the rear around easily... it's definitely all M. I don't think the rear end comes around as easily as the M3 actually... which is probably a good thing as the E9x can be a bit twitchy.. but you can definitely create oversteer when you want it.

[EmmDrei]

@JimD: A non-M BMW does not have anything similar to an MDM. In a non-M BMW you can either turn the traction control off (DTC off) or turn the traction control and the stability control off (DSC off). If the traction control is off, the stability control still prevents excessive under- and oversteer (at least it tries). Traction control prevents wheelspin. Stability control prevents dynamic instability. Basically.

You can oversteer an M3 even with DSC on. In fact, you can oversteer any BMW with DSC on, as long as you do it slowly enough.