E46 M3 vs. E92 335i (manual)
 

Check out this video I found from M3 Forum: http://media.putfile.com/m3-vs-335i

Apparently, according to the M3 owner: It's a drivers race, plain and simple, no butt's, no iff's. Everything was pretty much even, passenger weight in M3 was 430lbs, passenger weight in 335i was 415lbs, both had 3/4 tank gas remaining. In the first video, the M3 jumps and pulls and keeps the lead all the way to about 110...in the second video, the 335i kinda has momentum starting, so it's tie all the way until the 2-3 mis-shift by the 335i driver. Given equal drivers, equal conditions, these cars are even..hence the identical 1/4 e.t. and trap.

The 335i is quite impressive!!

Well that is the going trend it seems.

The X5 e70 4.8i has awefully close performance to the outgoing 4.8is
The e92 335 has awefully close performance to the outgoing M3

....
So imagine what the replacement X5 4.8is will do and the replacement M3. they are going to be sweet. They are both going to raise the bar even higher.

The 335i has manual tranny (not sure how good the driver was with the manual shifts) and its engine is probably not yet run in. If the 335i has the step tranny (with paddle shifters like the M3) with the engine fully ran in, then it may go quicker than the M3, don't you think so?

I'm just waiting for the first company to offer a single turbo configuration, similar to what the old school J2Z TT owners did with the Supra. I'm also curious what kind of play is in the motor as far as higher boost levels go.

I'd envision a 1 or 2lb boost addition would lead to a M3 beat down.

as soon as there's a curve in the road M3 will take the 335i, unless all you do all day is straight line runs, M3 is still better car of the two, a drivers car, where the 335i feels more of a gt

E46 M3 for me. Although I liked the 335i, it was a bit too boring to drive around town. The interior is a bit cozy, the gauges a bit too small. And while the M3 ranks #2 on my list of best-sounding vehicles, the 335i just really isn't my high-strung taste (although it's great sounding for V8 lovers).

OH and the 335i lacks a badly-needed LSD.

Agree, keepin' the E46 M3....and agree with the lack of LSD.....there is something really special about the M-cars.:) However, anyone getting the 335i, boy it is an awesome non-M 3-series!! The competitors will need to go back to the drawing board.;)

damn its close, with a simple chip tho, the 335 would take it

For straight line maybe, but when it comes to cornering/curves & track use, the M3 will do better....(1) 335i can't put the power around the curves without a LSD, (2) M3 is lighter, (3) M3 has a closer ratio steering than the 335i, (4) M3 engine runs cooler than the 335i turbos

However, can't wait to see what BMW does with the E90/E92 M3!! Bring it on BMW with the V8!!

But I like the inline-6.......felt a bit sorry when I heard they went with a V8.:bawling: