2008 BMW M3 vs. 2009 Nissan GT-R
The GTR is a 2+2 with back seats big enough for small women and bigger kids. The e92 M3 Coupe has more space and less power. But it may be more fun to drive.
Which of these two cars would you choose for a trip through the backroads of the Alps in late spring with two passengers (small women or bigger kids), followed by a week of hot laps at the Ring?
2008 BMW M3 vs. 2009 Nissan GT-R
Vision Quest: A BMW helps us to see where the radical Nissan GT-R fits into the automotive landscape.
BY TONY QUIROGA, PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WING
July 2008
The GT-R is a track hero and makes the most of the considerable grip from the Bridgestone Potenza RE070R tires. This is a nearly foolproof chassis with supernatural balance. It makes any driver seem smoother and faster.
Off the track, the GT-R felt rawer and far larger than the BMW. Excessive road noise, interior creaks, a teeth-clenchingly firm ride, and an occasionally slammed shift from the gearbox became wearisome. There are a few settings that try to mitigate a couple of these complaints, but even with the shocks in “comfort” mode, the ride remains brutal, and if the gearbox shifted more smoothly in “normal” mode, we didn’t notice.
Motoring through a mountain pass demonstrated the superior stability and grip of the GT-R. The GT-R never ceases to feel wide and heavy, but it never does anything untoward. Firm and responsive brakes, quick steering with impressive feel, and the sticky tires almost erase the 3900-pound mass. Almost.
If you’re interested only in performance numbers, the GT-R proves to be a match for Ferrari’s finest, but comparing the two is like comparing Reno and Monte Carlo. Reno is relatively affordable fun that’s a little rough around the edges, but Monte Carlo is tuxedos and debonair refinement. To stretch this analogy further, the winner of this comparison test (which you’ve probably gathered is the M3) would be Las Vegas. Vegas versus Reno is a closer matchup, but where would you rather end up? Now ask yourself why.
In this group of radical cars, the M3 emerged quickly as the voice of reason. The extremist voices of the Porsche and the GT-R are just not present in the M3. It never shouts, utters complaints, or makes any unbecoming demands. Road and tire noise are subdued, the fabric-covered seats are perfect, and there is a back seat and a real trunk. But even with those attributes, the M3 doesn’t skimp on supercar performance. It just happens to be dressed in a polished and practical package.
Even without the optional adjustable electronic dampers, our M3 test car displayed a better ride-and-handling compromise than the GT-R. Handling, both on the track and public roads, matched the GT-R in our individual scoring. But the M3 goes about its business differently. The GT-R steamrolls the tarmac into submission in an eerie sort of way; the M3 allows the driver to use the car as an instrument. Not many cars can play the road—the car world has more fakers than a middle-school band concert.
As one test driver put it, “The M3 is the car that the driver has the most control over.” Oversteer, understeer, and neutrality are all on the M3’s résumé, but they’re dependent on the driver’s inputs. The chassis has no surprises, no snap reactions, no bad habits—even midcorner bumps are sopped up without drama. Strong brakes have excellent initial bite and didn’t fade even after many, many laps.
Unlike the heavyweights, the BMW feels smaller the harder it is driven. Part of that feel is due to light steering, but the importance of having the lowest mass and the narrowest width also plays a huge role.
It is immediately obvious (especially at altitude) that the M3 isn’t as quick as its turbocharged competition, but 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds is nothing to scoff at, either (other M3s we’ve tested have been slightly quicker). A naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V-8 can’t deliver the massive torque of the blown sixes, but the M3 delivers its 414 horsepower in a linear and consistent manner from idle to its 8300-rpm redline. No lurching, no drama, no sudden explosions of boost. And the sound the BMW V-8 makes is due a Grammy. It’s a V-8 note not often heard outside racetracks.
The M3 offers an unparalleled mix of hassle-free livability and performance at a price that undercuts those of the Nissan. For that, it wins in our book. We say its performance deficit is made up by the near perfection and sophistication of the rest of the package. And before you think we’ve gone soft and are too old for a wildcat like the GT-R, know that the average age of the test drivers (and the voters of the comparison test) was 29.5 years. Moreover, we’re the only three C/D staffers who dream of having a Lotus Elise as a daily driver. Trust us, we can put up with a lot of crudeness—you should have heard our dinner conversations. But if you can have it all without the pain, who would vote against that? And until that Elise thing happens, the M3 is the car we’d take home forever.
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