Quote:
Originally Posted by manuelf
I think this is debatable since allmost none of the follow up models in the BMW lineup is inferior regarding driving dynamics than the predecessor. What is true, is that BMW no more harshly sacrifices ride comfort for the gain of the last bit of dynamics. Is this bad? I don't think so, because 98% of BMW drivers (even the cheeky one) are not able to bring a current 1/3/5 .. to its limits... first they run out of driving skills.
Are you serious about this? 
The Audi RS cars? Forget it. The RS5 came 3 1/2 years after the E92 M3. It lost to the E92 M3 in most of the tests, even if Audi had time enough to analyze the competitor. You speak about enthusiast/driver's credentials and then name Audi RS? Shall I laugh out loud? I've driven both cars. The RS5 is NO enthustiasts car compared to the M3 nose-heavy (150 kg more weight than M3) and artificially to drive (steering). Not (only) my opinion but of the most respected german sportscar mag and many other testers over the world...
The RS3? The same - this car with its idiotic front wheel-size (much wider than rear) is the greatest understeerer on earth. Every tester comparing it to the 1M comes to only one conclusion: boring, lame, no fun - 1M winner in almost every test. When talking about driving enthusiasts - no one of the enthusiasts considers an RS3 at all.
And AMG? The C63 is a musle car - funny but not as "rounded" as the M3. By the way - this is also the most common conclusion of the really enthusiastic testers that not only vote for sheer hp. In the region of small and nimble cars like the 1M - AMG has nothing.
And speaking about the BlackSeries? C'mon- C63BS is the same price category as the M3GTS.... At least at the Nürburgring Nordschleife they have almost identical lap times ... all the other BS models are priced in SuperCar regions (although not having the performance of super cars).... |
I'm not saying the current RS-lineup is necessarily better than the current M lineup. What I'm saying is they have a better range of enthusiast products (largely because of the R8), which have a different but not necessarily worse philosophy. If you prefer or even require AWD, Audi is a much better option than BMW. Period. You or I may not agree with that ethos, but I would never look down on someone who prefers their sports cars AWD, and Audi is the absolute best in this category for their lineup. Then there is the R8, which is on a level far far beyond anything BMW has to offer.
Sure Mercedes are muscle cars, but that's the point. Once again a different philosophy that I would never look down on someone for preferring. There are probably more people in this country that regard muscle cars as "enthusiast cars" than those of us who prefer to drive handling machines. And yes their Black Series and SLS cars are priced into the stratosphere, but so is the M3 GTS. At least Mercedes has the balls to make the C63 Black Series along with other equally insane Black Series cars like the SL65 BS, and to sell them to actual customers here in the United States. The SLS is a legit super car as well. Who cares what these cars cost, their existence is good enough for the Halo effect to exist and make enthusiasts like me respect them and plan/dream to one day pick one up in the used market.
Meanwhile I currently have an E46 M3 and a Z3M Coupe (which replaced my previous Z4M coupe). I already have the best of what represents BMW and their philosophy in my opinion. I don't see
anything since or in the pipeline that adds value to the supposed BMW philosophy above my current collection. Thus I would rather look elsewhere for cars that are the best at a different philosophy, than at a BMW that has regressed.