My wife owns a new M3 Cab DKG and although this may not be a very good comparison because the M3 Cab weights substantially more than the Coupe and even the sedan, the "core" car is the same. I would never ever prefer the M3 over the 997, these are two different beasts from almost any point of view.
The new M3 is a very good car, the engine a treat (although no real fun in daily traffic because it requires high rev figures to be fast) but thats it.
After owning a 997 Carrera S manuel with sports chassie for 1 and a half year, my vote definately goes to M3.
However, FL Carrera S with PDK + Sport Chrono + GT2 Buckets + LSD is another story but it would be 50% more expensive
ONUR
09 Audi TTS Ibis / 07 CARRERA S Meteor / 05 M3Coupe SilverGrau / 03 M3Coupe Bluewater / 96 M3Coupe EVO Estoril
BangoO:
pride355:Can you tell us why ?
After owning a 997 Carrera S manuel with sports chassie for 1 and a half year, my vote definately goes to M3.
I never liked my car because of its too stiff chassie. I love SMG/DSG style gearbox, so I didn't like my manuel car much; especially in heavy traffic; the clutch was rather heavy and I had short shift; so the shifts were precise but rough.
İt is not acceptable for me to have a rear wheel drive true sports car without LSD. No one hre mention it, but IMO, it is a BIG shame for Porsche. Finally LSD is offered with normal chassie but at extra cost which is also not acceptable in my book.
Further more, because of the wrong place of the engine in 911, M3 has a more enjoyable ride for me, READ throttle oversteer and 50-60 meters of drifts :)
I have said it before and will say it more, the CSL I had driven was the most enjoyable and fun car I have ever driven (I prefer Scuderia off course but it is in another league )
ONUR
09 Audi TTS Ibis / 07 CARRERA S Meteor / 05 M3Coupe SilverGrau / 03 M3Coupe Bluewater / 96 M3Coupe EVO Estoril
Actually I find the E92 interior not so sporty. I don't like wide/large/big chair like seats insports cars. For this aspect, I loved my ASS in my Carrera S.
But the carbon-leather texture in M3 has way better looking than plastic cheap trim in Carrera; it also feels softer and looks classy.
On the other hand full leather is very nice in Porsche; expensive but nice. And most important thing was more compact interior; 2 small seats at the back and thats it.
I don't like E92's saloon style interior; and at 1640 kg, it is very heavy for a rear wheel drive car.
IMO, an E92 CSL at a tad lower than 1500 kg with around 440-450 hp + sportier DCT software + bucket seats and sportier interior would be the BEST CAR for me.
ONUR
09 Audi TTS Ibis / 07 CARRERA S Meteor / 05 M3Coupe SilverGrau / 03 M3Coupe Bluewater / 96 M3Coupe EVO Estoril
Hopefully the next gen P cars will enjoy more of a mid mounted confuguration to kill the oversteer dilemas for us mere mortals driving these cars. From what I've read and gathered you'd have to really be pushing the car at 8-9 10ths and lift your foot on the throttle to cause that oversteer. But yes the M cars are easier to drive fast, and dont invlove the concentration the P car deserves.
People get the wrong impression about the 911. It's almost impossible to make it oversteer. First of all the car will understeer and you will back off. Second PSM will cut in, but a LONG way after most drivers would have gotten the car under control anyway.
It's such a shame that people can't get to try this car on a track before they buy and see how easy and safe it is to drive.
As to the clutch being heavy on a 997, you would have to be a 40kg midget for that to be the case. The car has an incredibly light clutch - like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla - and very light steering too. Clutch pumping for up to 2 hours in slow moving traffic is not a problem. And if it is, then go to the gym and do some weights!
I've driven a friend's M3 and it's such a disappointment. No torque below about 4500rpm, handling feels top heavy like a sedan unless you have the dampers screwed down solid, and the interior is no better than a 318id. His car has stick rather than DCT and the shift is long and slow with a heavier clutch than the 997.
But everybody is different. I keep trying M3s owned by friends and each time I come away happy that I made the right choice and bought a 911.
Jan 1, 2009 11:47:36 PM
I own both a 997C4 and a E90 M3 MDCT Saloon. The M3 Saloon is mainly used for the baby and as a daily driver.
Both are definitely great cars but my preference is the 997 if I were to go out and drive solo. The driving experience is much more sporty and fun. The M3 is still a beast and faster than my 997 in the straight line but lacks the sporty feel (even with the M drive mode tailored out) that the 997 provides.
Apr 26, 2009 3:09:45 AM
I've recently driven a new 997 with PDK and a new M3 with DCT.
As gar as the transmission goes, I liked the BMW much more. The shifts were astonishingly fast and smooth - the car is just not unsettled in any way, even during downshifts into 1st gear. PDK was good, but just didn't seem that good to me.
The BMW was an M3 cab, so I don't think its fair to compare performance, but I can say that I thought the steering of the 911 was MUCH more communicative and precise. The M3 also felt very top heavy to me, but I am used to the lower ctr of gravity in a 911. It must be remembered that the M3 is a sedan. The center of gravity makes a big difference.
Apr 30, 2009 10:24:46 PM
I've just spent a considerable amount of time behind the wheel of an M3 coupe with manual transmission and here's my bottom line: its 7/10 the car that the 911 is, and its 7/10 the price.
The engine is surprisingly short on low end torque: as RC pointed out, you really need to be over 5000 RPM to have performance and fun that is worth mentioning if we are comparing it to a 997. At 2-3000 RPM, the 997 has MUCH more pull, so the 997 has way more torque and fun throughout the range. Having said that, the upper power range of the M3 is pretty amazing: once you're in the range, it feels like it keeps on going forever, right up to red line at 8,400 rpm.
The V8 is silky smooth and the engine note is nice, but not as racy, loud, or exciting as the bark of the flat 6.
The manual is rubbery and notchy and feels flimsy compared to the 997 gear box. The clutch is super smooth and easy to use: like a Honda Civic. My grandma would have no trouble with this clutch. The 997 powertrain feels meatier and more like a race car would be expected to feel. (I wonder how I'd like the BMW double clutch transmission in the long term. I thought it was amazingly fast and smooth, but its the fun factor I'd be worried about missing. It did seem better than PDK to me.)
The brakes were excellent. Even for a car that is 500lbs heavier than the 997, I didn't perceive a meaningful difference in brake effectiveness.
The lower center of gravity gives the 997 a significant edge in cornering, but having said that, the M3 handles very, very nicely for a sedan.
The back seat in the M3 coupe is extremely comfortable for an adult and accommodates a child car seat easily with plenty of room in the front my wife as a front passenger even with the seat forward enough to prevent my daughter's feet from touching the seat back.
As I said, its 7/10th the fun of a 997, at 7/10 the cost, so if you're in a 911 and need something with a useable back seat, then this seems to be the sedan to get, to me at least. If I didn't need more backseat space, I would not give up the 911, which really is such a special car (especially with the new sport suspension available in NA)
-SB