Photo: BMW
Right now, the new M3 seems to be the thing everyone talks about on the internet and most are already starting to compare it to its main rivals, to see if the M brand is still representing ‘the most powerful letter in the world’.
So, first off, we have the German rivals. From Mercedes-Benz, the aging C63 AMG is the one that will take on the new M3. Up until the F80 model came out, the old M3 used to trash the 6.2-liter V8-powered beast on the track with its superior agility but would suffer in a straight line because the Merc was more powerful. With the new model, things changed, at least on paper.
The new M3 does the 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.1 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the AMG. By the looks of things, it will also be better on the track, the engineers working hard on this aspect. However, the new C63 AMG is on the way and the comparison would be fairer when it comes out.
From Audi things are a bit trickier. The RS4 Sedan has been pulled out of production so we’d have to either compare the M3 with the Avant version (wouldn’t be fair for the Audi) or compare the M4 with the RS5 which seems like the more logical option.
Looking over the numbers for these two you’ll soon notice that the Audi is behind too. It has a bigger engine (4.2-liter V80, more power (450 HP) and less torque (430 Nm) and a similar 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (and all-wheel-drive) and yet, it’s lagging behind the M4 by almost half a second (0.4 seconds to be more exact). This one is also lagging behind.
The last German rival the M4 and M3 are going up against would be the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. This baby is the closest thing to a supercar from Porsche before going all nuts with the Turbo versions and yet, it’s still slower than the two.
The 4S does 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.3 seconds when equipped with the PDK gearbox (that’s a dual-clutch), 0.2 seconds slower than the equivalent M3 or M4. When compared to the M3 there’s no doubt that the Bimmer is better, just by mentioning the extra 2 doors at the back and the usable 2 extra seats. On top of all that, the Porsche is extremely expensive, starting at EUR115,000.
I know the M3 is usually not compared to the American muscle cars but I couldn’t help but notice that the new Corvette Stingray that everyone praises so much for being an ultimate sports car, does the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.8 seconds dead, using a 455 HP 6.2-liter V8 engine with 624 Nm (460 lb-ft) of torque. In the meanwhile the 3-liter inline 6-cylinder powered M4 with 431 HP and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque does it in 3.9 seconds...
Whilst the last comparison might stir up some controversy, the others are correct for now, confirming that, for now, the M3 and M4 are the kings of their respective segments, at least on paper. We’ll have to wait and drive them first to see exactly how they handle themselves.
The new M3 does the 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.1 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the AMG. By the looks of things, it will also be better on the track, the engineers working hard on this aspect. However, the new C63 AMG is on the way and the comparison would be fairer when it comes out.
From Audi things are a bit trickier. The RS4 Sedan has been pulled out of production so we’d have to either compare the M3 with the Avant version (wouldn’t be fair for the Audi) or compare the M4 with the RS5 which seems like the more logical option.
Looking over the numbers for these two you’ll soon notice that the Audi is behind too. It has a bigger engine (4.2-liter V80, more power (450 HP) and less torque (430 Nm) and a similar 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (and all-wheel-drive) and yet, it’s lagging behind the M4 by almost half a second (0.4 seconds to be more exact). This one is also lagging behind.
The last German rival the M4 and M3 are going up against would be the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. This baby is the closest thing to a supercar from Porsche before going all nuts with the Turbo versions and yet, it’s still slower than the two.
The 4S does 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.3 seconds when equipped with the PDK gearbox (that’s a dual-clutch), 0.2 seconds slower than the equivalent M3 or M4. When compared to the M3 there’s no doubt that the Bimmer is better, just by mentioning the extra 2 doors at the back and the usable 2 extra seats. On top of all that, the Porsche is extremely expensive, starting at EUR115,000.
I know the M3 is usually not compared to the American muscle cars but I couldn’t help but notice that the new Corvette Stingray that everyone praises so much for being an ultimate sports car, does the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.8 seconds dead, using a 455 HP 6.2-liter V8 engine with 624 Nm (460 lb-ft) of torque. In the meanwhile the 3-liter inline 6-cylinder powered M4 with 431 HP and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque does it in 3.9 seconds...
Whilst the last comparison might stir up some controversy, the others are correct for now, confirming that, for now, the M3 and M4 are the kings of their respective segments, at least on paper. We’ll have to wait and drive them first to see exactly how they handle themselves.
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