TTRS vs M1 Coupe vs G37

[Joker]

Good result for the M1, it's rwd chassis will always appeal to the gifted driver and rightly so. Predictable opinions of the TTRS, most journalists knock Audis for being too good at harnessing it's power and making it idiot proof to drive quickly but more importantly is how crushing the Audi hammered the BMW in the performance disciplines, the area where we have come to expect BMW M cars to exceel. Well not any longer.

Plus Points
1 second quicker on the flying lap.
0.9 second quicker to 60mph, 1.6 seconds quicker to 100mph, 3.1 seconds quicker to 130mph and 0.9 second quicker to the 1/4mile.

P.S.
Since everyone rates the RS3 to be more nimble than the TTRS it will be interesting to see if it's also quicker at everything than the M1.

[PANZER]

Once again the TTRS shows some amazing performance numbers!

[Ruergard]

AWD, DSG and Turbo power. Insane numbers!

Thanks for the article.

[Aronis]

Read that article.

Boy, Car and Drive really loves BMW..

Did you see the shot at "Audi Nuts" next to the photo of the RS's engine.

Talk about Bias...

Look at the point break down. BMW plus one for "Rebates"
And Flexibility? 1 for Audi and 4 for BMW.... Hey, Car and Driver, throw a few inches of snow on the ground and a 2 am emergency call to the test and see if the 1M gets to the ER first!

Bias, Bias, Bias....

End Rant.

Mike

(love BMW's, had several, but BMW too late to the party with an AWD sedan with balls - drove the 550 ix and 550 GT AWD...not that inspiring)

[Joker]

Read that article.

Boy, Car and Drive really loves BMW..

Did you see the shot at "Audi Nuts" next to the photo of the RS's engine.

Talk about Bias...

Look at the point break down. BMW plus one for "Rebates"
And Flexibility? 1 for Audi and 4 for BMW.... Hey, Car and Driver, throw a few inches of snow on the ground and a 2 am emergency call to the test and see if the 1M gets to the ER first!

Bias, Bias, Bias....

End Rant.

Mike

(love BMW's, had several, but BMW too late to the party with an AWD sedan with balls - drove the 550 ix and 550 GT AWD...not that inspiring)

Some magazines/journalists favour rwd above all other and I'm guessing C&D are no different, that being said their points awarded are clearly bias towards BMW on this occasion. I can't say if this is typical of the rag but if it is then your claims of 'Bias, Bias, Bias' might well be correct. Most if not all my issues with their opinion centre on the points awarded to the engine, in comparison the R5 is in a different league to the N54, it has both a boarder torque and power band and totally crushes it in almost all the performance based measurements. Price will always be a sticky point for the TTRS, it's never going to win on practicality but on fit/finish and looks it has these two well and true hammered and surely that must be taken into account.

P.S.
I would love them to compare the RS3 to the 1M and see if they continue to knock the Audi on the same things. I'm sure on that occasion they would have to be very bias to pick the Beemer overall but unlike the TT it is even more practical and equally as good valued as the 1M.

[darkop]

C&D is improving rapidly lately and their reviews favor Audis more than BMWs recently. Same issue has a comparo between A8 L 4.2, BMW 750iL and Jag Supersport and Audi comes out as a true winner in almost all categories. It's not that black/white as someone could think... Different people have different tastes and preferences!

[Joker]

I wonder just how close in terms of acceleration would a 135i with DCT get to a 1M?

I'm guessing it would be quite close.

[QuattroFun]

Well, I am personally a big fan of both AWD (just look at my sig) and RWD with diff. However, whilst some mags clearly have their biases in one direction or another, the perceived "RWD-bias" and "BMW love" is slightly misplaced at the end of the day. Clearly the TTRS is the "objective" star performer of this comparison, although it otherwise wins less affection.

I have not driven the 1 series M car so cannot say if it is good or not. Pretty it aint. However, I would say that it is not a sliding tail/failing traction that typically makes RWD cars more fun for most people in better conditions, but rather the typically better chassis balance with less understeer that usually comes along with it compared with typically nose-heavy AWD cars with the front end washing out. Just look at the R8 - yes, its AWD but just about everbody really loves its dynamics and rear-/mid-biased chassis balance. It is just so fluid - something that TTRS is sadly missing, despite its brutal efficiency.

[Joker]

You have a point, those I reckon there is two main reasons why front engined AWD cars generally wash wide, first is the confidence they give to get on that throttle sooner than you would a RWD car and second is that the majority of AWD cars don't push enough power to the rear to easily break traction before the nose loses it's grip on the surface thus stopping the nose from running wide. The weight over the nose is less of an issue I think because many a RWD with a heavy nose can easily stop the nose running wide a bootful of throttle, if they too have enough power to do so.

The only time that the TTRS becomes truly entertaining is when conditions really allow their quattro technology to properly become involved, like on ice or snow and to a lesser extent in the rain which is the complete opposite the RWD cars. But to be honest with you I think most people get a buzz out of going fast on a back road, how they achieve that is less important as long as it doesn't scarce the shit out of them doing it, in this I reckon most people will prefer the Audi over the 1M because I don't believe most owners of these cars can truly drive as well as they believe they can.