E30 Zone

Thought i'd see for myself how good the new M3 is so went to my local dealers yesterday for a back to back drive of the M3 and M6.

For perspective I've just sold my e46 M3 which i had for 3 years, I drove there in the 996 as I wanted to get out of that and straight into the new M3 for a good comparision.

The M3 certainly makes a nice noise, deep thrumming rumble which turns into a higher pitched roar but not as nice as the screaming metallic snarl of the E46, flooring it on the dual carraigeway from about 70 it was certainly fast be to be honest it didnt feel any quicker than the E46. The test drive was a good half hour over varied roads and we did quite a bit of twisty stuff as the saleman is an enthusiast also. On the bends the car felt heavier (which it is) and more civilised, I also liked the steering feelback which was a bit meatier than the E46.

Overall the car was a disappointment compared to the old model, it didnt feel faster, wasnt really faster in actuality and has definately lost some of the rawness that makes the E46 so fun. i told the salesman and his manager this and they both agreed that it isnt the same drivers car the old one is and they both preferred that!

Next up, for fun and giggles was the M6 (coupe) and that DID feel fast, all the idrive crap was in default settings and the gearchanges were a little slow but you can speed this up, however when you nail this thing from 70 on the dual carraigeway the traction control actually lit up momentarily!!

Before i knew it i was closer to 200 than 100...tip!, leave it in 6th to the rev limiter and you've already gone past the speed restrictor speed which only activates in 7th This is one seriously fast car and it didnt disappoint on the twisties either, the roads were slightly damp in places and althoiugh the tracion control light was on a LOT the car felt totally stable, a really involving drive but you never forgot it was a big car.

Back in the 911 on the way back and there definately wasnt much in it between the M6 however the 911 felt more like the sports car it is and the M6 is more of a super speed GT, the new M3? I'd forgotten it already, really really disappointing and i think a nice low miles CSL will hit the driveway some time later this year when i sell the porker.

Grab a good E46 while you can, prices are silly low for early coupes now, its simply 'better' where it counts than the new one.

Tim

It's like reading autocar. Did you do a running commentary to the sales man whilst test driving these cars?

Jon_Bmw wrote:It's like reading autocar. Did you do a running commentary to the sales man whilst test driving these cars?

Actually yes, i did!

I think driving the M6 fried your brain, the salesman swapped your 996 for a 911 and you didn't notice!



How many smiles per mile for the M6 then?

bloom_meister wrote:
I drove there in the 996

Back in the 911 on the way back

Tim

are you rich and can drive 2 cars at once?

good read there though love the fact you can use 6th to go over the limiter but in 7th its limited. well funny.

when clarkson drove the m5 he distroyed the limiter! was on last night, best of top gear.

The 996 IS the 911 used to confuse me when people talked about 964, 993, 996 etc etc but my good friend and porsche enthusiast explained it all to me a few years ago!

E30Mark - Smiles per mile on the M6 would be HIGH but i still think its massively overpriced compared to an M5, couple of years they will hit 30k and then become something of a bargain in relative terms however the M5 is already below 40k at main dealers which is the same price as a well specced 335i, i know which one I'd pick.

Interesting read. Haven't driven one myself but the more I read about the E92 the more I'm reminded of the E36 M3. A very good and complete car but a little too refined for its own good?

I really like the way it looks though. Very, very sleek and quite subtle.

I would buy a late low mileage E46 M3 CSL and put the biggest racing carbon airbox you can find on it.

Here's a few nice one's http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/273254.htm

Have to say its possibly the sexist car ever in black http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/318898.htm

Very sexy car, heres hoping to pick one up c25k later this year, i really dont see these cars ever going below 15k and will probably be back to 30k for a nice one in 10 years time. Best M car since e30 M3 in my opinion.

bloom_meister wrote:The 996 IS the 911 .

i think your still confused or we are taking the micheal out of the porkers???

CSL would be the way forward but if not and the cash was there......M5

oh the M5 is good. been in one and went very fast as it had been re mapped too bye-bye limiter

ric325i wrote:

bloom_meister wrote:The 996 IS the 911 .

i think your still confused or we are taking the micheal out of the porkers???

CSL would be the way forward but if not and the cash was there......M5

oh the M5 is good. been in one and went very fast as it had been re mapped too bye-bye limiter

Nope not confused

All 911 'shape' cars are generically referred to as -911's- but all also have their correct Porsche model number, think of it this way, we call all 3 series just that, but of course there is the e21, e30, e36 etc etc. Well for porsche the recent ones have been 964, 993, 996 and latest is 997.

Hope that helps.