Motor Magazine Performance Car of the Year, M3 5th

[OzStriker]

Australia's main performance car magazine, Motor, have just released their Performance Car of the Year 2007.

The M3 came 5th, losing out to:

4th Porsche Boxster S
3rd Aude R8
2nd Lamborghini Superleggera
1st Porsche 911 GT3

I can handle losing out to 1, 2 and 3 considering they are not as practical as the M3 and each cost at least AUD$100,000 more.

Surprised the Boxster S was rated above, they basically said it was just an absolute joy to drive, while it could do with more power they believe you don't really care when driving, and it put up a very good lap time.

Some quotes on the M3:

"The M3 won over its sceptics, proving to be more comfortable, refined, fruitier and faster than the old E46"

"nothing else in the PCOTY field is quite so well-rounded, useable and flexible"

"But the real flogging came at Winton. A 1:37.8 scorcher comprehensively dispatched every competitor bar the Lambo, the R8 and the GT3.....none of which came anywhere near to being viewed as a fair-dinkum, practical road car."

Drive notes:

"In one word; brilliant. It's bigger, heavier, but it still shows its M3 heritage; chuckable, balanced. But now it has balls! The engine is fantastic, one of the best V8s ever. The more you drive it, the more confidence you get. Steering is nicely weighted, with a bit of mid-corner push. It's controllable without overpowering the rear. Brakes, compared to the Z4, are awesome."

[mhutchins14]

I once owned a 2001 Boxster S that had 250 hp. It was a brilliant ride. It was quick, had a nice gearbox, and the handling was superb!!! Only thing was that every time I pulled up next to an M3 at a stoplight I new that car was quicker than me. For all round performance.....the M is hard to beat.

[OzStriker]

The rest of the field:

13th FPV GT Cobra
12th Caterham SVR 200
11th HSV Maloo R8
10th Jaguar XKR
9th Audi S5
8th BMW Z4M Coupe
7th Audi RS4 Avant
6th Renaultsport Megane 230 F1 R26

[footie]

I am not surprised to see a Boxster S beating the M3 from a driver's car point of view, it is a much better handling car and by this I mean it's balance is better. But as this is Performance Car of the Year then sorry I would have to put the M3 ahead, it's quicker, it can out grip the Boxster (not the same thing as handling) and is an overall better packaged car.

As for the rest that are ahead of it, well what can I say they are is a different class and that's not just price.

[Epacy]

It's OK. Two other Austrailian car mags picked the M3 as COTY.

[gbb357]

Wow! Not bad at all considering the cars that are ahead of the M3. Impressive indeed.