Do you guys consider the new 2012 S4 comparable to the E90 m3?

[john9]

Yes I know I'm asking this on a BMW board but figured we can be mature about this and discuss.

I know on the Audi side people know that once chipped, the power is very very comparable to the m3.

Before my jump into m3's, my first euro car was a 2001 S4 (hence my SN) and right now with one kid in tow and one more on the way, I'm looking at various options.

I need real back seat space and the m3 sedan "seems" smaller than the s4? Love the m3's V8 power and the DCT tranny since we need a family car my wife can drive as well. How does the Audi tranny compare?

So my question is what other comparable cars did you shop before buying the M3? Was the C63 coupe, CTS-V, or S4 on your shopping list?


thanks!

[krnboy817]

cts-v wagon sounds like your best bet for your situation.... im not a fan of caddy so if it were my situation, i would definitely consider the S4 since its easier to get in and out from the back seat from your choices listed.

plus i think a lot of forum members have said this and agree that S4 is a "sleeper" compared to other vehicles in your list... guess more civilized for everyday family life. as far as tranny goes if its dual clutch automatic... its smooth on highway and get go from dead stop. but city driving or in traffic it seems to have hard time keeping up with consistant changes in gear... thus making it "jerky". you also have to consider that S4 is the only AWD in your list of cars and if i have to let my wife drive, that would be a big factor in my choice making especially with high performance output of these cars.

but money wise, best bang for dads with two kids would be, like i have already said, cts-v wagon (because its the only considerable wagon out there)... but if wagon isnt your style then S4.

[b0bab0i]

Cts-v > M3 > S4

[lcrain]

M3 feels more like a sports car than the S4. I tested both, loved both, but loved the m3 more. I drove a dct m3 and a 6spd s4, never drove the other transmissions of each car. The dct is unreal, perfect for the m3's powerband, and I think the s4's manual transmission was very very good too. Wasn't interested in the dsg transmission.

M3 just feels like a more raw, sporty drive than the S4. The M3 is more track oriented than the s4, not to say the s4 isn't capable of performing on that track. In terms of power the S4 will be much easier to extract more power. They are seeing close to 400whp with a tune and intake. It will cost you 3 times that much coin to get the m3 to 400whp. So if power is what you are after I may lean towards the S4 but it depends how far you want to take it. Can't comment on the interior/rear seat space, I didn't even get back there for either test drive. I ended up with a 1M so, obviously back seat space wasn't a concern for me. The interior of the audi was very well put together, so was the M3 but I preferred the S4's interior (this will be your preference obviously).

The thing about the M3 sedan is you can't get a new one anymore.

[mmm def]

S4 is right in between the 335 and M3 imo. It's a great car that does everything well, just not as good as the M3. On paper they aren't that far off, but drive them and you'll feel a difference. For the $ they are hard to beat.

[KingOfJericho]

S4 is a 335i competitor. The RS4 is/was the M3 competitor. I would jump on a CTS-V Wagon if it works for you financially. They're only making about 500 of them so they should end up being a sought after whip in a few years time.

[brocken]

S4 is much more daily driver material than the M3. If you were getting a car primarily for weekend fun and/or track then I'd say get the M3.
For commuting every day with some weekend fun thrown in the S4 is an awesome car.
Definitely easier to get in and out of than the E90(front and back seat).
I considered a lot of cars before buying the S4. Pretty much anything sporty and in the price range. CTS-V and C63 were immediate disqualifications because of the rear wheel drive only and poor mileage in the C63. Plus, the extra cost wasn't worth it to me.
I think the S4 hands down beats every other sporty car in the price range in almost every category.
And I like that it's not as raw as the M3. I had an STI for a year and couldn't stand the rough ride every day. M3 and STI type cars seem more like weekend toys to me.

[Raine]

Originally Posted by mmm def

S4 is right in between the 335 and M3 imo. It's a great car that does everything well, just not as good as the M3. On paper they aren't that far off, but drive them and you'll feel a difference. For the $ they are hard to beat.

That's a good comparison.