The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.
Car, Truck and SUV Forums at Roadfly
+ Bentley Forums
+ BMW Forums
+ Cadillac Forums
+ Chevrolet Forums
+ Ferrari Forums
+ Jaguar Forums
+ Lamborghini Forums
+ Lotus Forums
+ Mercedes-Benz Forums
+ Maserati Forums
+ MINI Forums
+ Porsche Forums
+ General Discussion
+ Marketplace Forums
Good Points (archive)
[ Follow Ups ] [ E46 M3 Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]
Posted by Zarathustra on September 11, 2000 at 11:15:09:

In Reply to: Re: Get over it! posted by ///Mark (Sweden) on September 11, 2000 at 03:23:17:

I see where you are coming from. It is just that so much of this board revolves around 1/4 mile comparisons with American muscle cars.

I can where Europeans would feel they are getting only a marginal engine upgrade. Thanks for clarifying.



Hmmm, I think you're reading me wrong; I'm not looking for a Corvette type of car and I'm not whining about the M3 being too slow on the drag strip... The reasons you state for preferring the M3 are of course obvious and I share them. I have had an E30 M3 '88 and I currently have an E36 M3 Coupé '97 (330 HP), which I bought in '97, and ever since I have never been very interested in any other brand of car (I also drive a 528i Touring -00).

Yes -- the M3 is foremost about driver pleasure, initiating from a perfectly balanced car that will out-handle any other stock car (and be on par with Porsches) on twisty roads -- combined with a very high build-quality, cutting edge technology and subtle powerful design. In all these areas I think BMW is pretty sovereign.

Per official specs however, the new Audi RS4 (380 HP) will be quicker, the new MB CLK 32K (350 HP) will be as quick, and the new Porsche 996 (320 HP) will be quicker, but I still would not consider buying any of these cars because BMW -- to me -- is better in every other aspect. But since the potential is there for BMW to *also* be faster than these other cars (and I'm talking acceleration -- from standstill *and* in gears -- not top speed), and that would be the ideal/optimal combination, *that* is what I'm getting at.

Going from a superior-handling 321 HP to a an even more superior-handling 343 HP, with improvements in almost every other aspect is great, but for me it doesn't go all the way to justify the upgrade.

Bottom line: I agree that US buyers don't have very much to whine about when it comes to the new M3, and they will probably take it to their hearts, and I agree that some may find the constant comparisons to Audi/MB/Porsche a bit silly (as the M3 is great in itself), but I feel that some of us European guys do have valid reason for just a little bit of complaining about the engine output/acceleration specs so far...

///Mark (Sweden)




Follow Ups:


[ Follow Ups ] [ E46 M3 Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]
Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.
Roadfly.com Logo © 1997 - 2009 Jump Internet Inc. All rights reserved.