The entry-level 911 Porsche Carrera will never feature in a big-horsepower-number conversation among car enthusiasts. But when it comes to track agility, its performance speaks for itself and justifies its price tag. Mat Watson of CarWow wasn’t convinced. He brought in his BMW M3 Competition for a challenge to determine the ultimate track king.
Watson’s BMW M3 Competition comes with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six engine that punches out 510 HP and 650 Nm of torque. Although it makes a considerable amount of power, it’s also heavy at 1,730 kg.
This version drives the rear wheels only using an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It also comes with a limited-slip differential at the rear. It has a starting price of £75,000 in the UK.
If the Porsche 911 Carrera had to go by introduction, its 385 HP and 450 Nm of torque from its twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six wouldn’t be a great conversation starter. Porsche's entry level 911 comes with a power figure in the three hundreds but costs significantly less. It is considerably underpowered compared to Watson’s M3, but it has an advantage. It is 225 kg lighter.
It also comes with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox that shifts pleasantly, driving the rear wheels only. Unlike the M3, It doesn’t come with an LSD at the rear axle and it has a starting price of £83,000 in the UK.
To start the challenge, Watson goes for a flying lap around the track with the BMW M3. It starts well. It brakes perfectly with its six-piston calipers in the front. He’s got stability control in MDM mode to prevent it from going completely sideways on the track, and it does the lap in 48.1 seconds.
With the Porsche, Watson can instantly feel the brakes bite harder than the M3 despite having only four-piston calipers. Unlike the BMW, you need to manage the understeer more in the 911. The steering wheel also feels more precise and responsive than the M3. It’s tidy and the rear doesn’t step away from you so quickly. So, does it beat the M3 around the track?
The Porsche went considerably faster around the corners, but the BMW was quicker out of the corners. As a result, the Porsche 911 Carrera completed the lap quicker than the M3, but by just 0.1 seconds.
It doesn’t end there. Watson compares the two track-stars from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph), 0 to 100 mph (162 kph) and does a brake test.
The M3 takes off the line perfectly, does 0 to 60 mph in 4.16 seconds, 0 to 100 mph in 8.47 seconds, and takes 4.18 seconds to brake, in 87 meters (285 feet).
The 911 also takes off beautifully. It did 0 to 60 mph in 3.72 seconds, 0 to 100 mph in 8.7 seconds, and took 3.92 seconds to brake, in 87 meters. So, which is better? Watson loves both cars but thinks you should get the M3 if you have kids.
The 911 Carrera accelerated quicker to 60 mph but was slower than the M3 to 100 mph. Both cars took the same time to brake at 285 feet.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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