[rxter]

This should be in the non-968 related section (magic by Jay), but I can't post a new topic in there. Anyway, I drove a couple of very interesting cars yesterday.



BMWs. A brandy new Z4 2.0 turbo with flappy paddle shifter and a last gen M3.



First the Z4. The flappy paddle shifters worked fine but I felt like I was playing Forza. Keep your foot in it and go click-click-click. Hated it. Anyway the 4-banger was quite zippy. And I really, really liked the car. A marvelous little GT. Then I find a 13K mile used version with the 3.0L 6-speed for $35K. If I had seen this 2-years ago I'd likely have traded in my horse for a roundel. I might just yet. Wonder what the 968 would bring in trade??



The M3. A total beast. I jumped on it on a down grade on-ramp. Was doing 100 in 4th before I knew it. The quintisential German muscle car. Waves of torque and literally nowhere to go with it. Lots of charm in a Dick Butkus kind of way. I want no parts of that car. I would end up with a pulled ticket if not in jail. Like my cars a bit more breathless than that thing.

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[Scott Collins]

rxter,



Wonder how the M3 compares to the 968 with supercharger and extra hp... How was the handling?



I have driven my sister's 3 yr old 330xi quite a bit, mostly when mine goes in for work. It's balanced and fairly quick, but somehow, no fun. Steering is dull and overall experience is muted.



At the very least the 968 will always look nicer even if it sees M3 tail lights, IMHO.

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[rxter]

I did not get a chance to do the twisties. The M3 was not boring by any means. But I was doing 8 mpg on my test drive (the sales guy was new to BMW and loving it). It was clearly a heavy car though, and did not feel anything like the 968. Not my cup of tea.



I am hoping that the SC kit will put these ideas out of my head. Like buying your wife a new dress and a pair of spikes....

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[flash]

yeah - it should put the same "take her out for a wild ride" ideas into your head though



ba dum bum

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[Cloud9...68]

I know these new automatics (or even our ancient tiptronics) make for a car that's significantly faster around a track than a manual, but I mourn the virtual passing of true manual shifters. Can't even get a Ferrari or the new McLaren with a stick (not sure about Lamborghini). At least there are a few exceptions, like the new 911's 7-speed manual, the Miata, and the new Toyobaru, which seems like a pretty sweet car.

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[tamathumper]

Wow, seven speeds?! Either they are really close together, or the top one is worthless? Or, I suppose the bottom one could be so low you could plow the field with it...?

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[Rap]

Installed the strut brace today with the correct size adapter. Then took her out for a spin. Seems tighter but I can't figure out whether I have a slight vibration from the left front. Was pretty sure at first then not. Tires proper pressure. Anyone run into this?

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[ds968]

" Wonder how the M3 compares to the 968 with supercharger and extra hp... "



can't imagine that it handles better than a 968, but I could be wrong.. however in terms of speed, LOL, you could add a twin turbo kit on top of the SC on the 968 and you'd still need binoculars to see the tail lights of the new M3s... especially the M3 GTS

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[flash]

i had the last gen M3 (E46). while it is a fine car, it did not handle as well as a 968, nor did it provide the "fun factor", even though it was a real 6 speed. i was able to keep up with it with my car up to 100, which is as fast as i tried, before the SC. i would have stomped it with the SC. granted mine was a ragtop, but the performance numbers are not that different, and based on the number of dashes i did playing with them on the road, i tend to think the SC would crush the M3 hardtop.



the current M3 is a TOTALLY different animal

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[bombfactory]

Buddy of mine here at work just traded up from a 335 to a 2011 M3 with the dual clutch and paddle shifters. That V8 does indeed roar like a muscle car when you get on it! I can see myself possibly getting into one - six speed manual for me tho - in a few years after the resale numbers fall off a cliff and the 968 is all paid off. My E36 M3 just clicked over 200k miles.

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[Chris Vais]

Having driven the Caymen S with a 7 speed PDK, I can tell you that it 7th speed is there just for fuel conservation. You can't hit top speed in 7th, but you can in 6th. I would expect the 7 speed manual to be geared similarly.

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[tamathumper]

Ah, I was wondering that! So top speed is only possible in sixth.

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[DaveN]

Same with the new 991, you can't get there from here in 7th, gotta go to 6th.

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[flash]

our car won't hit redline in top gear. not many will. many newer cars have overdrive gears that are just too tall for the torque available.



that was a very real consideration when i was choosing my new 6th gear.

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[ds968]

The E 46 is pretty much a neck in neck car from about 20 to 100 with a slightly modded 968 ( chip, air box , free flow exhaust ) and after 100 the 968 actually has a slight edge and pulls ahead a bit ( maybe aerodynamics ) and staying ahead of the E 46 to the top end. With an SC on the 968 I don,t think the M3 would fare nearly as well. But I was talking about the new M3 ( 2011 and on ) , those things keep pace with Ferrari F 430s and most Vettes ( not the ZR1 though..)

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[Cloud9...68]

I wish there was a head-shaking-in-disbelief emoticon - I don't make a habit of this, but awhile back, I found myself alongside an E46 M3 at a stoplight, and decided, what the heck, let's have a little fun. We both stomped on it, and within seconds, the M3 was so far down the horizon that it was as if I was dragging a piano, and my car has a Speed6 chip and the airbox mod. I know, there's a lot more to acceleration that power-to-weight ratios, but the M3 only weighs about 300 lb more than the 968, and has nearly A HUNDRED HORSEPOWER (sorry for shouting) on us, for goodness sake. No way, no how, not in this galaxy or any other, can a 968 keep up with an E46 M3 (and E36, yes), unless the M3 driver is only using half his throttle.

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[tim944s]

I am now curious myself. I recently bought a new daily driver on the weekend. I purchased a fine 2008 E92 M3. So far I haven't had a chance to do back to back comparisons. Standby by and will report back in a few weeks. I must say the 4L V8 is a very sweet sounding engine.

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[rxter]

No takers on the Z4 huh? And I thought this a more sophisticated crowd. Just a bunch of gear heads I see <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[flash]

not to quibble, but the M3 has 333hp and a chipped 968 with an airbox mod is about 260, so 75hp.



at that, the 3300lb M3 is about 10lb/hp and the 968 is only about 11. it's not that far off. the M3 convertible was very close in hp/lb to my 968. driver to driver the variance could easily be enough to change the story.



i like the twin turbo Z4 a LOT

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[ds968]

[quote name='Cloud9...68' timestamp='1335914709' post='126334']I wish there was a head-shaking-in-disbelief emoticon - I don't make a habit of this, but awhile back, I found myself alongside an E46 M3 at a stoplight, and decided, what the heck, let's have a little fun. We both stomped on it, and within seconds, the M3 was so far down the horizon that it was as if I was dragging a piano, and my car has a Speed6 chip and the airbox mod. I know, there's a lot more to acceleration that power-to-weight ratios, but the M3 only weighs about 300 lb more than the 968, and has nearly A HUNDRED HORSEPOWER (sorry for shouting) on us, for goodness sake. No way, no how, not in this galaxy or any other, can a 968 keep up with an E46 M3 (and E36, yes), unless the M3 driver is only using half his throttle.[/quote]



I respectfully beg to differ.. I raced three of them on the highway with starting points varying from 70 to 90 mph IIRC, ( never from a stop light though, so I can't speak to that aspect ) and stayed consistently ahead of all three from there on.. Now, two were cabs and both had the top down so that could have been a factor but one was a coupe..and of course they could have also been auto transmissions, so that 75 hp difference whether it's the rpm where it's delivered or aerodynamics or whatever else is at play, was not sufficient to outrun my 968 anyway.. ( I,m probably 50lbs+ lighter than the stock weight also , though not sure that's a key contributing factor..)

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