e92 M3 vs. 2011 GT3RS

[attila]

I just got a 2011 GT3 RS and thought I would share some impressions comparing it to the M3. I would have welcomed some real life comparison between these two cars even though they are not direct competitors. I was really searching everywhere online, but the only thing I could get is the usual praise of the RS and very few comparison tests.
Before I decided to go with the GT3RS I drove the ZR-1 and the GT-R and liked them a lot. I could not, however drive the RS, not even the regular 997.2 GT3. (When I ordered the car I put down 8K deposit which seemed a big leap of faith especially since my prior Porsche experience was limited to few laps in a C2S, and I was not blown away by that. The M3 felt better. The C2S front end seemed moving up and down quite a bit and the steering changed a lot accelerating out of turns.
Anyway, I cannot really tell why I chose the GT3RS instead of the GT-R or the Vette. I still don’t know. I ordered the car as light as possible (PCCB brakes, Li-battery, light headlight) my CA talked me out of the radio delete for resale purposes.

(The pics are not great, some of them were taken when I was about to put the clear bra on.)
Cabin and ergonomics: I was afraid of issues here. Mainly the bucket seats. They are OK but not as comfy as the M3 seats. You can adjust them only back and forth.. I would tilt a touch back the whole seat, not just the back if I could. The shifter is right at hand, no issue there. (With the M3 I needed some adjustment, the center armrest was in the way for my elbow.) Clutch is very heavy but not bad overall. Easy to modulate. (The M3 clutch feels like sooo light after the RS. The whole M3 feels like a luxury car after the RS anyway.) The shifter is heavier too, maybe a touch better engagements than in the M3. Surely it will improve with brake in.
Engine: The RS engine out of the box feels a somewhat more powerful than the M3 but not like the ZR-1. (I cannot comment on WOT acceleration on the GT-R – did not try during test-drive) The car feels like going fast all the time, in a way like my MX-5. With the M3 speed is more stealthy. You can easily end up in triple digits without noticing it. Not with the RS. I mean you can end up in triple digit speed easily but you will notice it for sure. The M3 with my AA exhaust, ECU tune, MS filter, etc has a better engine note. You can talk about engine sound all day, but in the end it is a subjective thing. I personally prefer the M3 at 7-8K. (I did not try the RS above 5K yet and it seems the noise improves above 3K).
Which car is the faster? Well, the M3 is more than enough on public roads. The RS maybe a tad faster but I don’t think that matters at all in traffic.
Steering is unquestionably better in the RS. Heavier but with very nice feedback The whole car feels very planted. Ride comfort is not as bad as I thought. It’s like the medium setting on our EDC. The car feels very solid, virtually no body roll.
The major problem is road noise. And this is a big issue in and around Omaha. Bad asphalt and concrete makes the car so loud that you cannot hear the engine at all below 4K. Not even in sport mode which will open up the exhaust a bit. I was on call when I picked up the car and had to return a page. I could not hear anything on the phone at all. Had to stop and recall. And I was driving on a relatively good road surface!! Maybe the 325 section width MPSC+ rear tires are the culprit but you do not want to drive this car across Nebraska without stopping.
My wife was so upset about the road noise; she wanted me to take the car back to the dealer. I am glad I did not order/ install the European plastic rear window as I planned for weight reduction.
The whole experience reminds me of the first bottle of Lafit-Rothschild wine you try. You think its gone be something unearthly, something beyond wine, then you try it and realize its is still a wine, quite good one, but cannot match your dreams and you feel disappointed somewhat.
The bottom line is the M3 is a very good middle ground between performance and comfort at it’s price point.

[Buschy]

nice. thanks.
so you would take the M3 over the rs if it were your only car?

[NUe46///M]

nice

[esqu1re]

Thanks for the honest review. Very interesting.

[Cdnrockies]

Nice pick up.

Do you plan on tracking the RS? By reading your review, it almost seems like you already are disappointed/regret it a bit and you haven't even broken it in yet?

[z00m]

Wait a second. Please one more review after one wild day out in RS!
It's a race car
And peak tq comes late @6750rpm or so, redline 8500. So you didn't explore anything yet

[mdosu]

thanks for the review. It sounds like you know exactly what you were getting into with the GT3RS, it's simply a road-going race car. Your wife thought all P cars were all about luxury.

Anyways, though I've never driven or rode in the GT3RS, I can imagine what it's like (ride quality/noise level aspect) as i came from an Evo. I didn't take out my sound deadening materials though I did have a race suspension and near race tires, the ride, though it's fun for a few miles is unbearable for a longer trip around town or on a long distance trip. My Recaro seats were not single molded type you had, though they were probably just as uncomfortable as they only had a back adjustment and rail adjustment.

anyways, you're living a lot of our dreams right now, I would love to have a RS for a trackday/ weekend car! (though I would have just picked up a standard GT3 and it would have been sufficient for me!)

[Cyrax91]

Ill trade you my M3 for your RS if you dont like it too much haha

Sick car!

[saeyedoc]

Takes some stones to buy a 150k car without trying it. Not exactly a competitor to the M3.

[nsx-tee]

you are a lucky man = )

[attila]

Just came back from a 140miles drive with the RS - took a day off for brake in -and I am getting used to the road noise. Asphalt is OK, concrete is very noisy. The engine with the sport mode on sounds nice above 4K. I did rev it up a few times to 7-7.5K and I have to admit that it really comes alive there. I cannot wait to finish up the brake in, and put the car on the track.
But I still think the M3 is a better overall car for the money, and maybe even if you do not consider the price tag.
I have to say though, that I did not liked this much the M3 when it was brand new and compared it to my A4. My opinion changed a lot after the first track day.

[attila]

Originally Posted by buschy

nice. thanks.
so you would take the M3 over the rs if it were your only car?

Yes I would, no question there!

[attila]

Originally Posted by shift@red

Congrats! GT3 RS is easily one of the best cars ever made. Love that car. I personally prefer the exotic sound of the 3.8 F6 over our S65s but thats just me; its the best sounding car this side of a Ferrari V8.
It is one of the most well thought out cars in every aspect Ive personally ever driven.

Do you have any tracks close by to take it to? Thats where you will see the true magic of Porsche Motorsport.

Yes I do have a track (Mid America Motorplex) just 20 min drive from my house. I do several so called Fast Friday track days out there each year, and the track is not super expensive to rent privately either.

[attila]

anyways, you're living a lot of our dreams right now, I would love to have a RS for a trackday/ weekend car!

I know. And I was dreaming about this for more than a year. But when you eventually "living" your dream the reality never can match your dreams.

[SUB-ZERO]

Congrats!

The M3 is a phenomenal car. However, as a road-ready race car, the GT3 RS is where it is at. Why didn't you opt for a regular GT3? Just wondering as my next car will be a GT3.

Thanks,
SZ

[sensi09]

Congrats and thanks for the review.

Another set of wheels and perhaps some PS2s or another set of non-r compounds would help with the road noise. If you'll be driving this car a lot on the street, it would be much cheaper too.

[a burrito]

I love that color combo!!! And congrats on your 3RS!

Just wanted to comment on the rear engine feel on these porsches.. I used to have a Cayman S and then a C2S convertible and I can say I was in LOVE with the balance of the cayman and the handling of it; I would easily say it is one of the best cars I have EVER driven in my life. Then I sold my Cayman and picked up a low mileage 997 C2S Cab. and for the first few months I actually hated it. I thought the whole rear engine idea was flawed and inferior against its little brother who is lower in MSRP and in power. The front end felt light and as you hit triple digits the car didn't make you feel as comfortable as a M3 does at triple digits; it feels kind of flimsy. Since the front end is so light I held myself back on pushing it in the corners but when I did, man the 911 just gives and gives and gives. The 911 can accelerate out of mid corner at full WOT as long as you're not drifting or going in too hot. The rear end of the 911 is quite easily controlled and feels really really good in corners when you get used to it. The front end becomes enjoyable and the steering wheel feeling is pretty damn awesome. The rear engine is interesting and with loud exhaust you will not hear any kind of drone inside the cabin.. It takes time to really appreciate a 911 but don't let yourself get too caught up on all the irregularities of it. It really is a spectacular platform. I really miss my 911

Also, I didn't think those gt2 bucket seats were that comfy either. Kind makes you feel too sunken into the seat. The sport seats are definitely more comfortable. Maybe you should trade them out? I know you can order the sport seats with alcantara running down the middle.

[Polarcharger]

As said elsewhere, M3 and GT3 RS are not comparable.

E9x M3 is a fantastic car. It's the best all-around car I've driven.

GT3 RS makes mechanical noises "normal" car owners don't appreciate, delivers exceptional performance, and makes every drive a special occassion.

Those who don't appreciate the heritage of the Mezger engine, the Porsche racing and engineering legacy, and the performance of the car won't understand what the excitement's all about.

I encourage anyone considering a Porsche GT car to learn about the cars, and, most importantly, to drive one before considering a purchase.

[devo]

Beautiful ride! Congrats!

[karussell]

everyone is entitled to their opinion. i can't imagine why anyone would think the m3 is better overall unless they needed to carry more than one passenger all the time.
unplug the muffler baffle switch so you can hear the mezger block sing all the time. put a proper rear cage in it and enjoy on the track.

oh, about the rear weight bias making the car nervous at high speed….doesn't happen on the RS. more speed more massive downforce on the car and the faster you want to go. i can drive it with light touch at 321kph.

[skim]

beautiful machine! my next car!
anyways, it's a fair review, but a bit too premature as your M3 is fully broken in and you have yet to really open up the RS.
but RS is also the "bargain" in terms of performance in the eyes of Fcar owners, just as M3 is to the eyes of Pcar owners.
the point of RS is that you hear "everything". i wouldn't want a quiet "road legal racecar", it's meant to be loud and intimidating.
i'm not being an ass here or anything, but if you regret not picking up GTR or the ZR1, maybe you are a Turbo person than RS? turbo is quite a bit more quiet than the RS and just as fast as GTR and ZR1 in straights.

anyways, big kudos to you and enjoy the machine!!

[devo]

Originally Posted by TenThousdandRPM

I have extensive driving in a 2010 M3 and own a GT3RS. I must tell you that when I read your post I had to register on this board just so I could tell you (and other readers on here that might actually give some credit to your posting) that you absolutely have no idea what you are talking about.

The M3 is a wonderful car. It is a good value, has good performance and makes for a good daily driver. But if you think for even 1 second that it gives you a comparable driving pleasure as the 3RS either on the street or most certainly on a track, then you must truly have lost your ability to assess sports cars in an objective manner. Without going into a laundry list of reasons why that is, I would say this post should be memorialized as the embodiment of the saying that when it comes to sports cars 'some people have more money than brains'.

End of rant.

Edit: I just re-read your post and saw that you have not even tried the 3RS beyond 5k rpm. This alone discredits your entire "review". Even the most basic newb that has read about the RS in a magazine would know one of the most special things about this engine is its character up to redline. And yet you are comparing exhaust notes and performance without even having put the pedal to the metal? Please return or sell this car so that a rightful owner may put it to good use.

Glad you posted it. I only thought it.