The TTRS did 8:09 which was achieved by Horst from Sportauto, worth remembering that this time isn't a time achieved under test conditions by a manufacturer with their best test pilot behind the wheel. That means the 8:12 will probably become as much as 8:20 in the hands of Horst. This claim by BMW that it's 10 seconds quicker than the old E46 M3 is marketing bull shit at best.
The M1 will be quick but I don't think it's any quicker than the RS3 and it definitely isn't a TTRS killer, far from it.
scott is on the toilet crying
http://jalopnik.com/5712890/bmw-1-se...han-audi-tt+rs
...although this is nothing more than BS arm racing like the GTR owners do.
Past- A4, TT, S4
Present- R8 V10
I would also add something that I forgot earlier.
27 seconds of an improvement over the 135i and the only real telling differences are a LSD and an extra 30hp, it's got no weight advantage and no real noticable improvement in gear ratios. Nothing that could warrant such a dramatic improvement in lap time, other than one was performed by a test jockey and the other performed by a magazine driver. This is why their claim is bull shit and the laughable thing is that those guys on BMW Forums are genuinely believing all of it as gospel, lapping it up and saying 'please Scott, can I have some more?'.
It's BMW's way to try and justify their considerable asking price over the 135i with their minimum development effort.
Not very surprised about the tone of your reply, but more about the content. YOU are the one stating here and there that the RS3 will smoke a 911 or a M1 and that a chipped one will be the king of the street. Please re read your posts...
As you know I recently bought a C4s this tells you precisely what I am looking at : driving pleasure and feel on a true GT car with a true story and not for absolute performance and drage race. If I would be looking for pure perf I could have bought a 911TT (I hesitated) a GTR etc...
If you correctly read all my post I never said anything else than my taste and views based on facts and personal taste. And to me the RS3 is a joke, nothing else than a quick marketing packaging with little RS heritage, hugly tuned, no flared arches, thin rubbers, no twin RS twin pipes, etc. You like it fine for you and enjoy it ! But I think I can openly say and repeat it on this forum as others do as well.
I still love Audi but think they are turning strange with RS modes, so I came out and observe for the time being. I wish to be back soon but defitinitely not with current RS offering.
Do not take my remark that bad. Each one can like any car or model and I respect your choice but let us remain objective as I previously said.
Cheers
Last edited by Fab; December 13th, 2010 at 21:31.
great potential for shure and great interior. curious to see one soon in real.
Good point, the RS2 15 years ago (or so) is the father of RS cars. Discrete and subttle as per 90's standards and will remain an icone : brutal and unique at the time, I very much doubt that the RS3 will become one.
Nowadays RS cars (inspired by the RS2 somehow, probably) have their own visual marks which we all love (RS6 TT, RS4 V8, RS5, TT RS) and I personally find it a pitty that the RS3 external styling did not go a bit closer to the rest of the (modern and 100% RS Audi) range.
Last edited by Fab; December 14th, 2010 at 20:52.
I agree with the other poster who made reference to the RS2, the RS3 has much more in common with the past heritage of the breed than most of the current RS models. RS use to stand for wolf in sheep's clothes and turbo power, everything the RS3 is.
If you are to dismiss the RS3 as a marketing exercise to make money at the expense of much R&D then you must feel the same way or probably worse about the M1, after all it's even more of a parts bin monster than the RS3 ever could be.
true they both are.
The M1 interior looks minimum 10 year old, poor and with bad quality plastics and plain seats. The RS3 interior is not even comparable, simply beautifull as Audi knows to make. I prefer the M1 exterior look though.
Well Fab, if you are very disappointed with both the RS3 and M1 even you must be close to despair with your 997, after all it's barely changed in the last 40 years, no car has used the parts bin more. (j/k)
But the be serious for a minute, what really is the difference between what Audi and BMW are doing here and what Porsche are doing with the Cayman R?
If you went in order of the car where most parts are different than the rest of the range then the order would be Audi, BMW and Porsche bringing up the rear. Yet no one is complaining about it.
Well you know I am an old fashion guy and thus finally found a sporty Cocinelle issued from last world war.
Being more serious and back to your remark your are right Porsche is also closing its current versions (Cayman and 911) with some “ultimate models” : Cayman RS, 911 GTS and 911 GT2 RS.
Now when it comes to compare how each brand tries to set apart its RS/M models I would rank them as follows : 1) Porsche, 2) Audi, 3) BMW.
A Porsche RS (911 or Cayman) offer ultimate bucket seats, alcantary, sport exhaust (thrilling sound from outside AND inside the car), central lock diff, PASM, roll bar, short shift, central lock wheels, etc. Thus the cars are uncompromised and track oriented which the 2 other brand do not offer to the exception of the R8.
Almost the same for Audi but still based on the best compromised between sport and confort, allround spirit which let us be clear I love. The brand has clearly made great RS products according to their philosophy. Simply the RS3 look is not appealing to me and thus is in my view the disappointing RS model from Audi. This does not mean it is not a good car and I respect anyone likes it of course.
BMW is a bit behind in terms of making their M cars really special. And by special I mean external and internal specific look. Now they lately came out with the M or wathever options such as buckets, engine upgrade, brakes, springs, etc… To me the most negative factor is the quality of the interior eventhough they improved it on the latest models. Then I think it is a question of habit and feeling and so you like it or not. Let us not speak to much about the M3 GT which is an isolated case.
Coming back to Porsche and my personal recent attempt with my C4s that I love, I briefly detail my logic : I have always been attracted by Porsche and by the 911 particularly as most of us (not all of course). So since the RS5 is a bit pricy IMO and waiting was long, and few other reasons, I decided to try the Porsche experience at least once in my life. So I decided to go for a recent but well equipped 911 i.e. good value for money vs brand new to make shure or not the I like or dislike it. After few month now I am absolutely thrilled about this car and know that if all goes well…. I will for shure continue with the brand and upgrade (not now) my current. Yes my MkI does not have the best nav, no led lamp, FSI or the latest goodies but I do not mind as the overall package is amaizing to my taste.
Now knowing myself I suspect I will change in the near future for some latest version of the 911 myth : 911 GTS (great value for money), recent second hand turbo or new 991 but to soon to know as the car is not totally visible so far. This does not mean that I might not be back to Audi RS model range as well : RS4, even RS5 (so beautifull).
Cheers
Call me old-fashoined but when I look at what make a 'special' version of any car the number one item that needs to be different is the engine, it's the one thing that people can relate to as making a car appear unique and different from the rest. Audi have understood this and at the same time stayed true to the RS brand by actually fitted a completely different drivetrain from the rest of the range that is solely an RS engine that is used only by other RS cars. Unfortunately BMW haven't respected their M brand heritage in the same way, deciding to pick one choice item from M parts bin in the shape of the M3DCT rear diff, after that they didn't feel it necessary to offer an M engine instead they stuck the engine from the 335is under the bonnet completely unmodified, the only unique bit of this car is it's appearance on the outside, inside it's a stock 1 series all the way apart for the M wheel, M dials and of course the all important orange stitching. As for Porsche, unless I am mistaken almost all of the items fitted to the Cayman R are available from the options list, including the power hike, in fact the decals are the only unique part on this car.
Based on everything we know about these cars it the RS3 that on the face of it actually offers value for money.