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: No, I'm not trying to start a flame war.
: But from what I've read on these cars,
: the primary difference in performance
: between the new M3 and the old E36 will
: be felt at speeds above 80mph. Their
: 0-60s are probably indistinguishable for
: the non professional driver, and the E36 *may*
: even handle better due to its lighter weight.
: Supposing that the E36 M3 resale values will
: drop some when the new car is released, my
: guess is that you'd give up little or nothing
: in driving performance with a 97-99 M3. But
: you could get it at half the price! Had I
: the cash to buy a 2001 M3 I think I'd
: pocket $20k of it and opt for a low
: mileage E36. Wonder if Cutter still has that
: Red M Coupe....

I have a 99 E36 M3 and am on the waiting list for the new one. The only significant point I disagree on is the ability to feel the difference in low-end performance. You can definitely feel the difference between a 4.8" or even a 5.0" 0-60 and my E36 at 5.6. Big difference! My previous ride, a modified 3rd gen RX7, turned 5.0" at low boost so I know what the difference feels like going from one car to the other.

Will the new M3 be worth it? I suspect it will be but I'm not really sure either. If it's not, I will consider SC on my current M3. Being on the wait list at least gives me an option.

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