E46 M3 vs E90 335i
Discussion
I have recently bought a E90 335i (M Sport, Manual) and have been having an ongoing 'heated discussion' with my dad who ownes a E46 M3 (convertible / smg)
Put Simply..... whats faster in 'real' driving conditions?
If you timed both cars down your favorite twisty B road, where would you put your money?
From owning one and driven the other alot, I'd say it would be extremely close....
Let battle commence.........
Put Simply..... whats faster in 'real' driving conditions?
If you timed both cars down your favorite twisty B road, where would you put your money?
From owning one and driven the other alot, I'd say it would be extremely close....
Let battle commence.........
I have to disagree.
I drive a 335i M Sport everyday, and have driven my fathers M3 all the way down to alicante in spain so have good experience of both...
On a track the M3 would win hands down! No issue.
but...
on a twisty B road, my money would be on the 335i.
The reason being that the M3 (iconic as it is) loves to be revved, its a screamer! it develops all of its 343bhp at the end of its rev range, there forefore to drive round a twisty B road (like the piranese mountains i did) its constant changing from 2nd to 3rd....
The 335i on the other hand is a more relaxing car designed for exactly that (its no M3) BUT.... it develops its power lower down meaning that that twisty B road is taken in constant 3rd gear, also (im going to upset people here) apart from a track of course, a M Sport 335i on 18's, will out handle a M3 on the 19's!
My conclusion from driven both (and owning one) is that i LOVE the M3! but its performance is not as useable as the 335's, therefore.... Twisty timed B road race.... (evo triangle maybe) the 335i would be quicker!
I drive a 335i M Sport everyday, and have driven my fathers M3 all the way down to alicante in spain so have good experience of both...
On a track the M3 would win hands down! No issue.
but...
on a twisty B road, my money would be on the 335i.
The reason being that the M3 (iconic as it is) loves to be revved, its a screamer! it develops all of its 343bhp at the end of its rev range, there forefore to drive round a twisty B road (like the piranese mountains i did) its constant changing from 2nd to 3rd....
The 335i on the other hand is a more relaxing car designed for exactly that (its no M3) BUT.... it develops its power lower down meaning that that twisty B road is taken in constant 3rd gear, also (im going to upset people here) apart from a track of course, a M Sport 335i on 18's, will out handle a M3 on the 19's!
My conclusion from driven both (and owning one) is that i LOVE the M3! but its performance is not as useable as the 335's, therefore.... Twisty timed B road race.... (evo triangle maybe) the 335i would be quicker!
Dont get me wrong, i love M3's driving my fathers down to spain was an amazing road trip, and i'd take an M3 over a 335i every day of the week (if i didnt have kids)
but.... what im saying is that the BMW 3 series has progressed so much that a 'top-of-the-range' 3 series would cause alot of problems for an M3 driver, and an M3 would no way walk it in a race between the two... in fact i still hold firm that on anything like everyday driving the 335i would do it... just goes to show the amount these cars evolve between models...
trust me i have driven an M3 the way its meant to be driven, and ive also drive a 335 so i know what im comparing it to....
M3... fantastic car no question about it (3 years ago)!
Nowdays... would have serious trouble pulling away from a 335i...
but.... what im saying is that the BMW 3 series has progressed so much that a 'top-of-the-range' 3 series would cause alot of problems for an M3 driver, and an M3 would no way walk it in a race between the two... in fact i still hold firm that on anything like everyday driving the 335i would do it... just goes to show the amount these cars evolve between models...
trust me i have driven an M3 the way its meant to be driven, and ive also drive a 335 so i know what im comparing it to....
M3... fantastic car no question about it (3 years ago)!
Nowdays... would have serious trouble pulling away from a 335i...
an M5 (V10?), you lucky man! I want one of those next.
yeah your stats do show what im trying to say, M3, very very fast, and the 335 isnt that far behind and its not even an M Power car! just shows how much these cars progress... on the other hand it just shows how amazing the new M3 is likely to be if the range topper E90 can nose-to-tail with an old E46 M3...
the shape of things to come looks promising! Im still insanely jelous of your M5 though!
yeah your stats do show what im trying to say, M3, very very fast, and the 335 isnt that far behind and its not even an M Power car! just shows how much these cars progress... on the other hand it just shows how amazing the new M3 is likely to be if the range topper E90 can nose-to-tail with an old E46 M3...
the shape of things to come looks promising! Im still insanely jelous of your M5 though!
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