The Stig thinks the new M3 is .....

[Sinful]

The very first sentence grabbed my attention...

"It was The Stig who first identified the problem. "The new BMW M3 is s**t,"

I hope this isn't a repost (didnt find it with the search function) so enjoy....article link below:
http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-cla...-m3-2014-11-13

[MTM]

I have always loved those Top Gears shows (the UK versions)...those gents are hilarious!

[mjposner]

Read the post, its shit for him because it won't drift easily. Unless you are a track monster, who care what stig thinks.

Clarkson says, "Because, by and large, the M3 is magnificent. I like it a very lot."

[Sinful]

Originally Posted by mjposner

Read the post, its shit for him because it won't drift easily. Unless you are a track monster, who care what stig thinks.

Clarkson says, "Because, by and large, the M3 is magnificent. I like it a very lot."

Yep, he also said this:

"It's not really the diff. It's the steering. In Sport Plus mode, it is far too twitchy, so that any attempt to perform a power slide - something that was as easy as breathing in the old M3 - is rewarded with a great deal of jerkiness to start with and a lot of tight-buttocked fishtailing when it was over. In Comfort mode, the steering is better, but it's still not right. And an M3, or 4, with steering that's not right? That's like saying a ballet dancer is not right because she has concrete blocks where her feet should be."

[modkrazy]

Is someone pouring gravy on an ice cream again?

[mjposner]

So the message is clear, track junkies with driving skills of the Stig or Clarkson who like to drift the rear should not buy the new M3/M4. Otherwise it is magnificent.

I never track my daily driver, so for me, I will consider a new one sometime in the future. The steering issue is probably not a deal breaker for 99% of drivers.

[mimmitt]

Originally Posted by mjposner

I never track my daily driver, so for me, I will consider a new one sometime in the future. The steering issue is probably not a deal breaker for 99% of drivers.

There's also the possibility that they'll change/rectify this with adjustments to the calibration going forward. Anyway - I like the new M3/4 - having that type of TQ seems like a fine trade-off to me.

[thekurgan]

The main reason I like TopGear (Britain), is that none of them speak like little girls.

Stig could have said: "it's waaaay worse", which would sound like a little girl ... or he could say "I sooooo want the old model steering in place", which would sound like a little girl.

I rarely see contractions in the articles, so the whole fuckin' "you're/your and their/they're/their" stupidity wouldn't exist.

[Rupes]

All this may be true. But if you had $70-$80k to spend on a new and practical car, what would you get? I still think the M3 is the best car in this category, but I also don't find the new M3 as compelling as the other versions that came before it.

[mimmitt]

Originally Posted by Rupes

All this may be true. But if you had $70-$80k to spend on a new and practical car, what would you get? I still think the M3 is the best car in this category, but I also don't find the new M3 as compelling as the other versions that came before it.

I sure wouldn't be able to overlook the new Corvette if I were in the market...which my wife assures me I am not. I suppose it's not as practical - but it's pretty sharp and less expensive.

[z3papa]

Originally Posted by Rupes

All this may be true. But if you had $70-$80k to spend on a new and practical car, what would you get? I still think the M3 is the best car in this category, but I also don't find the new M3 as compelling as the other versions that came before it.

Originally Posted by mimmitt

I sure wouldn't be able to overlook the new Corvette if I were in the market...which my wife assures me I am not. I suppose it's not as practical - but it's pretty sharp and less expensive.

I think you overlooked "practical". I briefly looked at the C6 and new C7. I didn't buy since I could not fit into the C7 (long torso and much less headroom than C6) and could not take small passengers (grandkids) in either. For those where these are not considerations, the Vette offers a hella performance package for a reasonable cost. On the general point, I've watched the show a number of times and always found it stupid that what governed their finding of what made a good track car was hooning it out in a drift which is just not the fast way around any track but certainly has entertainment value for the viewer.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by z3papa

I think you overlooked "practical". I briefly looked at the C6 and new C7. I didn't buy since I could not fit into the C7 (long torso and much less headroom than C6) and could not take small passengers (grandkids) in either. For those where these are not considerations, the Vette offers a hella performance package for a reasonable cost. On the general point, I've watched the show a number of times and always found it stupid that what governed their finding of what made a good track car was hooning it out in a drift which is just not the fast way around any track but certainly has entertainment value for the viewer.

I have also seen more C7 Vettes in the 6 months that they have been out than I have seen M3s of any variety in like the last 3 years. That's one of the biggest issue for me with the Vette.....there are simply too many on the road. Now, the Z06 may be a different story.

[checkmate]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

I have also seen more C7 Vettes in the 6 months that they have been out than I have seen M3s of any variety in like the last 3 years. That's one of the biggest issue for me with the Vette.....there are simply too many on the road. Now, the Z06 may be a different story.

Forget exclusivity for a minute. The C7 is one hell of a car that will run circles around our car. Not to mention extensive GM + aftermarket support and lower price of maintenance over time in comparison to the beemer.

Vette's can take a lot of abuse. Great street/track weapons with the only drawback being no back seats. Then again, I have a sedan and don't remember the last time anyone sat back there.

[mimmitt]

Originally Posted by z3papa

I think you overlooked "practical". I briefly looked at the C6 and new C7. I didn't buy since I could not fit into the C7 (long torso and much less headroom than C6) and could not take small passengers (grandkids) in either.

Well, practical has no agreed upon meaning - especially here. I wouldn't want to sit in the back of my practical E92....yet I wouldn't mind getting 25-28 mpg like the C7 on the highway.

[Wilsel]

Originally Posted by mimmitt

Well, practical has no agreed upon meaning - especially here. I wouldn't want to sit in the back of my practical E92....yet I wouldn't mind getting 25-28 mpg like the C7 on the highway.

My 4 year doesn't even like sitting back there. "He can't see like he can in mommies SUV" where his seat is mounted in the center of the back seat.

[Sinful]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

I have also seen more C7 Vettes in the 6 months that they have been out than I have seen M3s of any variety in like the last 3 years. That's one of the biggest issue for me with the Vette.....there are simply too many on the road. Now, the Z06 may be a different story.

Not where I live, BMWs are like mustangs.
Not many C7s anywhere....hell not many C6s either.