BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92) - View Single Post

captbilly · 02-10-2011, 11:14 PM

But then I bought a 740il about 10 years ago and I got it. I am not saying that the Camaro might not be faster than the M3 or possibly even faster around a track but, unless you only care about the numbers, you will almost certainly prefer the M3.

I just finished shopping for a new car. I tested the M3, IS-F, CTS-V, S4, and some others. I have owned 3 Audis and I really like them but the S4 just isn't in the same league with an M3. The S4 just doesn't have the power and it suffers from the same handling issues that all my Audis had, slow turn in and lots of understeer due to the extremely heavy front end. The IS-F is a nice car if you don't really intend to drive it hard. The tranny is impossibly slow on downshifts, but interestingly it upshifts very quickly. The ride is harsh without imparting as much feel as the softer M3. CTS-V is not that bad. Power is tremendous, transmission is pretty good, brakes are good, ride is a bit harsh but not bad. The seats on the CTS-V suck. I don't know how you could get Recaros, with all those adjustments, that still won't provide support or comfort, but they managed it. All in all the CTS-V is a not all that bad car, a real surprise for an American car. If the CTS-V wasn't so hideous looking and there was no M3, it would be my pick of all of these cars. The M3 was just so good at everything. Transmission was incredibly fast, handling precise and firm but not harsh (although it gets pretty harsh on the hardest setting of the competition package), brakes were great, all around a beautifully balanced and refined car.

My point is that if one were simply looking at specific numbers there are cars that beat the M3 in one way or another. Some accelerate better, go faster, perhaps even pull more G around a skid pad, but none of them offer the balanced refined package that the M3 does. It is interesting to note that if you look at the times around a track for all of these cars the M3 is the best. It's interesting because the CTS-V and C63 AMG have better power to weight ratios and better torque, but in the end the overall package of the M3 makes it faster.

02-10-2011, 11:14 PM	#46
captbilly New Member 0 Rep 16 Posts Drives: A6 turbo, TR-8, 740il, Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Sacramento iTrader: (0)	I wondered for years why car magazines liked BMW so much But then I bought a 740il about 10 years ago and I got it. I am not saying that the Camaro might not be faster than the M3 or possibly even faster around a track but, unless you only care about the numbers, you will almost certainly prefer the M3. I just finished shopping for a new car. I tested the M3, IS-F, CTS-V, S4, and some others. I have owned 3 Audis and I really like them but the S4 just isn't in the same league with an M3. The S4 just doesn't have the power and it suffers from the same handling issues that all my Audis had, slow turn in and lots of understeer due to the extremely heavy front end. The IS-F is a nice car if you don't really intend to drive it hard. The tranny is impossibly slow on downshifts, but interestingly it upshifts very quickly. The ride is harsh without imparting as much feel as the softer M3. CTS-V is not that bad. Power is tremendous, transmission is pretty good, brakes are good, ride is a bit harsh but not bad. The seats on the CTS-V suck. I don't know how you could get Recaros, with all those adjustments, that still won't provide support or comfort, but they managed it. All in all the CTS-V is a not all that bad car, a real surprise for an American car. If the CTS-V wasn't so hideous looking and there was no M3, it would be my pick of all of these cars. The M3 was just so good at everything. Transmission was incredibly fast, handling precise and firm but not harsh (although it gets pretty harsh on the hardest setting of the competition package), brakes were great, all around a beautifully balanced and refined car. My point is that if one were simply looking at specific numbers there are cars that beat the M3 in one way or another. Some accelerate better, go faster, perhaps even pull more G around a skid pad, but none of them offer the balanced refined package that the M3 does. It is interesting to note that if you look at the times around a track for all of these cars the M3 is the best. It's interesting because the CTS-V and C63 AMG have better power to weight ratios and better torque, but in the end the overall package of the M3 makes it faster.
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