Hey everyone-
So somebody's question over at E46fanatics.com (or was it m3forum.net?) prompted me to compose a little write-up comparing/contrasting my dad's new 997S to my E46 M3 cabrio.
Anyway, having posted it now on E46fanatics, M3forum, and 6speedonline, the positive responses it's received has prompted me to post it here for you guys 'n' girls too.
Hope you enjoy it too!!
the M3 does *NOT* feel less of a driver's car than the 997S. clearly, both were meant to do one thing very well: go around racing circuits very very quickly. that the 997S may be able to do so at a faster rate is of little consequence. it's like saying, to use a Clarkson-esque analogy, that Petra Nemcova doesn't have QUITE the juicy sex appeal that Adriana Lima has.
The 996 C4S that my Dad had for the past year was certainly an impressive driving machine, but to our un-Porsche-trained skills, it seemed more work than it was worth. My best lap time at Thunderhill (with the bypass) was a rather dismal 2:19. That contrasts horribly to the best lap time I achieved 3 years ago with a somewhat tracked-prepped (but still my daily driver!) *V6* Mustang of 2:21!! Moreover, it was frustratingly small and cramped inside for my 6'4" frame. Especially with a helmet on, I just couldn't ever get a comfortable driving position. Its interior was also put together with suprisingly poor gap tolerances, and had a rather plasticky, almost silly feel about it.
The 997S, on the other hand, is a different thing altogether: it's HUGELY roomy inside with beautiful leather and a complete absence of any plasticky feel to it whatever. Whereas the 996 failed to impress with a luxurious sense of "wow," the 997S takes your breath away. Compared to the M3, the comparison is perhaps a bit unfair: where the M3 tries to be a sports car with some luxury, the Porsche simply one-ups it: it's a pure sports car with a LOT of luxury. It may not have much in the way of sound deadening, but the general touch and feel of the materials, the "aura" of sitting behind its wheel, is unlike any vehicle I've driven: a perfect blend of driver-oriented performance design with heapings of juicy leather opulence.
From a pure driving dynamics standpoint, the joy of ALL BMWs, let's face it, is that brilliant 50/50 weight distribution. It commands a feeling of confidence second only, perhaps, to a Mitsubishi Evo. The 996 C4S, in contrast, was a frightening thing to us. Driving like a grandma, it was just fine. But driven at spirited levels and beyond, it felt like a snake trying to snap around and kill you rather than urge you along. And like it or not, I don't think this can be argued: the sign of a truly great car is one which inspires great confidence, not fear.
The 997S, however, is greatly refined in its sense of control, notwithstanding the ridiculous additional weight out rear of its enlarged 3.8 L engine. Both the 997S and M3 provide ample tactile feedback through their steering wheels, communicating every nuance of the road to your fingertips. Again to quote Clarkson (or was it Tiff?) you could almost tell what type of paint you're driving on the feedback is so high.
The thrust you get in both cars is sensational, but the Porsche is of course more and better still. Granted, it's got 22 more horses and weighs only slightly more than a loaf of bread: at only 3,100 lbs or so, it's a staggering SEVEN HUNDRED (yes, 700) pounds less than my M3 cabrio, or about 300(?) lbs less than the coupe. To be honest, though, when driving my M3 in S5 mode, it doesn't FEEL that much slower than the 997S, but during repeated freeway runs, there was nothing in it: the 997S easily pulls away. As well it should, with 0-60 times quoted around 4.5 secs against my M3 cabrio's 5.2 second range.
Suspension feel between the two cars is interesting. The M3's 50/50 weight split is definitely a beautiful thing, althouhg it must be admitted that the "dart thrown backwards" feeling that I felt so plagued the 996 is more or less absent in the 997S. I mean sure you still feel there's a ridiculous amount of weight in the wrong part of the car, but it no longer feels awkward. Body roll in the 997S is virtually zero, at least in sports mode, whereas the M3 manages the perfect balance between comfort and sport.
The ceramic brakes on the 997S are frighteningly powerful. In fact, they're SO powerful, that it makes it difficult for me to heel/toe: they require so little effort to generate more than adequate stopping force, that for normal city driving, the brake pedal never really depresses to a depth putting it even enough with the gas pedal to faciliate a heel/toe downshift. More often than not, I'd accidentally depress the brake further than intended resulting in a very abrupt deceleration jerk.
Interior build quality on the two cars is a rather unfair comparison. Let's face it, BMWs have NEVER had juicy luxurious interiors: they've always had "handsome german" interiors. Whatever that means. They're simple, practical, and they just work well. For the most part. The 997S, in contrast, as described above, places priority in the touch of the materials and the aesthetic presentation. Whereas, in the BMW, you get a sense that a button is just a button, in the Porsche you feel that a button is a beautiful engineered tool to do a particular task, and you revel in touching it each and every time. Nothing in the Porsche -- save its GPS sat nav system which is far less intuitive than the BMW -- ever seems ordinary.
So to summarize and answer your question: which car is better? On paper, there's nothing in it: the P-car's $100K+ sticker shows itself plainly. By the seat of your pants, the Porsche again triumphs.
But in terms of putting a smile on your face? It really is the aforementioned Petra Nemcova vs. Adriana Lima argument. That the M3 can be had for some $40 GRAND less than the Porsche; with similar, albeit less, performance; that it has a proper trunk; and that its rear seats can hold even larger watermelons than the Porsche; is something very impressive indeed.
Is the Porsche more and better in just about every quantitative and qualitative way? Sure. Does it make me like my M3 any less?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Especially not once I drop the top