How much does it matter to you?

[TheKosherStogie]

this is a never ending debate cause its different to each person...i live in los angeles and you got people buying cars for status too..why a beverly hills mom buy a turbo instead of a carrera...or the agent with the ferrari...some people like straight line speed so they go for those cars..or ones that do both...a cruiser and speed e63, s63, rs6...some just want handling.. me but need a dd and cant deal with a lotus...like i would take gt3 over gt2 cause to me its all about feel...and what insipres YOU. so yes to some .2 secs to 60 matter for braggin rights...and some just wana drive!

[Epik]

Oh how M has fallen.

Back in the day, M car owners were the ones who would gladly give up luxury for tenths on the track.

"Hey hey hey, we said 'the ultimate driving machine', not the fastest. Ultimate means you drive kind of fast but it's comfortable too hehe and shhh no you don't need to be going faster, just focus on how the car feels."

From ///M Performance to ///Marketing.

Just kidding, M3 is still the best and the greatest, it's the all-around sweet spot for a sporty luxury daily driver, everyone says so, check the mags!

/s

[captainaudio]

Originally Posted by footie

Listen, facts and figures are only things to brag about to mates over a few beers, if anyone is really interested in being quickest then best start with some serious professional driving lessons on the track because it's the driver that makes to biggest difference to lap times and we aren't talking about a tenth here or there.

The driver makes a huge difference. Watch a "Spec" racing series where the cars are absolutely identical. In the Skip Barber Series they test the cars with a pro driver and radar guns to see make sure they are as identical in performance as humanly possible. At the end of the race some of the drivers are laps behind. I have seen M3 drivers get their clocks cleaned by Miatas with better drivers.

Just because a particular car got around the Nurbergring fast with a world class driver at the wheel does not mean that the average driver can duplicate that perfrormance. Some cars that don't look all that impressive on paper are much easier to drive at the limit. Other cars that look impressive on paper can be a handful to drive and downright treacherous in the hands of an inexperienced driver (prime example - early Porsche 911s).

To think that because Hans Schtuck can get a car particular car around the Nurbergring fast you can do it too is like thinking that if get a Fender Stratocaster you are going to be able to play like Eric Clapton.

After many years of instruction with some of the best coaches in the business I learned two important things.
1. I am a much better driver than I was.
2. I am nowhere near as good a driver as I thought I was.

One last thought - any one who pushes a car like an M3 to its limits on public roads has a few screws loose.

CA

[skierman64]

Originally Posted by captainaudio

The driver makes a huge difference. Watch a "Spec" racing series where the cars are absolutly identical. In the Skip Barber Series they test the cars with a pro driver and radar guns to see make sure they are as identical in performance as humanly possible. At the end of the race some of the drivers are laps behind. I have seen M3 drivers get their clocks cleaned by Miatas with better drivers.,

Just because a particular car got around the Nurbergring fast with a world class driver at the wheel does not mean that the average driver can duplicate that perfrormance. Some cars that don't look all that impressive on paper are much easier to drive at the limit. Other cars that look impressive on paper can be a handful to drive and downright treacherous in the hands of an inexperienced driver (prime example - early Porsche 911s).

To think that because Hans Schtuck can get a car particular car around the Nurbergring fast you can do it too is like thinking that if get a Fender Stratocaster you are going to be able to play like Eric Clapton.

After many years of instruction with somre of the best coaches in the business I learned two important things.
1. I am a much better driver than I was.
2. I am nowhere near as good a drivers as I thought I was.

One last thought - any one who pushes a car like an M3 to its limits on public roads has a few screws loose.

CA



CA

+1, so true.

Most folks can't come close to the performance number posted in the magazines. The overall driving experience is much more important than some magazine derived numbers.

[graider]

a few tenths doesn't really matter to me as long as it is faster than 95% of car out there. Most important thing is how you feel while driving in it.

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by graider

a few tenths doesn't really matter to me as long as it is faster than 95% of car out there. Most important thing is how you feel while driving in it.

+1

Everyone with the new M3 understands that it's not THE fastest car out there. But everyone does know that the M3 is at different level compared to anything else.

I think people choose the M3 because it's truly a very special performance vehicle.....All the way from its high-revving engine to the chassis, handling, and overall refinement and balance. There simply is no other vehicle like it, and that's why I believe most M3 owners choose it.