im so glad i got rid of my rs4 for the m3 my rs4 felt so slow and the lack of mods really killed it 4 me

 

Well wow, such similar impressions from my drive in an m3 twice as well, and I was driving it hard!

First impressions getting into the car was wow this car feels small on the inside but such a bigger car but I hate how high up the seating position felt, overall I didn't feel 'at home' behind the wheels as I did in the e46 m3's.. Now as I get situated and ready to go, I engage everything to full out sport mode, then had to turn off sport mode because of the infamous bucking LOL , way too touchy/sensitive for me and useless in the car IMO!

We drive off, clutch feels exactly the same with a little bit higher engagement point, so different from my rock hard and precise gt2 clutch so of took me a little to become use to it.

Now driving away I can't help but notice WTF , this motor feels exactly the same as the I6 in the e46, I mean same characteristics in every way, punch throttle in 2nd going to 7k and was underwhelmed, didn't have anywhere near the power I thought ! Now, during the course of he drive through the twisties it became evident the car was faster but not by much in normal driving situations, one thing I realized was that the speed it picked up was decieving big time, you didn't realize how quick it was from its sheer size and comfort.

Another thing I always do when I first drive off in a car is turn the steering wheel side to side to feel the cars steering/chassis and suspension, it felt damn similar to the gallardo and I hateddddddd it, car would hardly move side to side because of the heavy feel in the steering wheel, car felt like 4000 lbs until you got into a turn where it was then heavily assistedand then it became loose, terrible. In the e46 its just like a Porsche , you turn it it goes such a direct feel!

Brakes felt great as always but on the track I know I would be terrified after 6 plus hotlaps LOL , no hiding its weight! Handling was alright , again the center of gravity and car just felt high with tons more understeer.

Overall I'm sure it makes a fantastic daily driver and of course can still be a ton of fun, but with price factored in or out give me a e46 zcp any day based on pure drivers thrill.

 

Did your RS4 really feel that much slower? The RS4 has more torque and similar numbers from tests... For me it's hard to give up the practicality of AWD. That's one of the BIG reasons I haven't seriously contemplated a C63 or M3.

 

thanks for posting your thoughts Martin. As you said, it is a fantastic daily driver, but to compromised.

I think the RS4 feels/ will feel slower because its 4WD, their difference is very negligible.

 

I think they felt damn similar, both are higher revving motors despite the torque difference the RS4 has over it, it's just the nature and construction of them ... RS4 was just so smooth power wise it felt slow LOL, but again its deceiving in both cars.

 

I read Road & Track's comparo last night with the IS-F, C63, M3, and RS4. Considering the RS4 is nearly 3 years old, it held its own. However it couldn't beat the M3 and C63 - the M3 for its finesse, the C63 for its monster torque.

Again, I REALLY like the new M3 - enough so that I'd consider one. I just wish there was more differentiation (i.e. one of them was a turbo car, etc.). I am curious to read what more E92 M3 owners have to say about their new cars.