Do you think the E92 M3 will match the R8 in performance?

[Leadfoot]

RS4 uses old school Torsen quattro system which easy eats more power than the viscodiff in the R8 ...so if the RS4 puts down 365 hp on the wheels ...the R8 could perhaps put down 385-390 hp! That makes a big difference ...so the M3 will probably walk all over the RS4 above 190 km/h ...but not the R8!

Quite correct buyalemon, the M3 will most likely pull clear air between it and the RS4 but like you say the R8 is indeed a different animal. But is the only racing done discussed on this site about acceleration, even if the M3 holds on to the R8 in a straight line chances are in a few corners the R8 will drift into the distance. After all one is a Coupe and the other is a Supercar, a 997 Carrera S most likely won't stand a chance against the R8, the G rating for roadholding says as much and I doubt the M3 will get to the 997's level.

[QuattroFun]

If the new M3 is faster than a R8 in 0-200 km/h remain to be seen: it will be a close call, but really not material how the small margins turn out. Indeed, if only that would matter no Porsches except GT3, GT2 and Turbos would be sold anyway. R8 is very different from the M3 - completely different chassis set-up and balance. The M3 is of course much more useable and cheaper.

[buyalemon]

If the new M3 is faster than a R8 in 0-200 km/h remain to be seen: it will be a close call, but really not material how the small margins turn out. Indeed, if only that would matter no Porsches except GT3, GT2 and Turbos would be sold anyway. R8 is very different from the M3 - completely different chassis set-up and balance. The M3 is of course much more useable and cheaper.

good post ...straight line racing is pretty much useless ...I use to have a S2 doing 402m in 12,8 ..far from the best car in the world!

For sheer acc the Z06 must be the car to have ...costing less money than the R8!

[sticky]

Quite correct buyalemon, the M3 will most likely pull clear air between it and the RS4 but like you say the R8 is indeed a different animal. But is the only racing done discussed on this site about acceleration, even if the M3 holds on to the R8 in a straight line chances are in a few corners the R8 will drift into the distance. After all one is a Coupe and the other is a Supercar, a 997 Carrera S most likely won't stand a chance against the R8, the G rating for roadholding says as much and I doubt the M3 will get to the 997's level.

For the price of the R8 the porsche to compare against it seems to be the GT3. Which of course, will win in all performance aspects.

[Leadfoot]

For the price of the R8 the porsche to compare against it seems to be the GT3. Which of course, will win in all performance aspects.

Make your mind up sticky, one times car are to be compared based on performance and the next it's price.

The GT3 is a trackday car not exactly the normal mode of transport that the Carrera 4S is, so based on that assumption the standard car is the better choice as it will be the one most people including the magazines will compare it to. If you want to compare it to any other 997 do it with the Turbo as both are everyday cars.

If you want to be silly like that, why not compare the M3 with a Lotus Exige GT. You have to compare like with like or the test becomes meaningless.

[sticky]

Make your mind up sticky, one times car are to be compared based on performance and the next it's price.

The GT3 is a trackday car not exactly the normal mode of transport that the Carrera 4S is, so based on that assumption the standard car is the better choice as it will be the one most people including the magazines will compare it to. If you want to compare it to any other 997 do it with the Turbo as both are everyday cars.

If you want to be silly like that, why not compare the M3 with a Lotus Exige GT. You have to compare like with like or the test becomes meaningless.

I take it you do not know much about the current generation 997 GT3. Go on porsche's website, look it up, and look into PASM and then get back to me. Or read this thread on rennlist where many guys are switching over from 997S's to the 997 GT3 as the new GT3 is a great daily driver thanks to PASM and being able to adjut suspension settings to your will: http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...d.php?t=342962


Now, my mind has been made up since the beginning. What I have been saying from the beginning (do a search if you need to) is that the way Audi prices the car is vital. Now that I have the price and the base is 108k for the manual, that is 2k more than a 997 GT3. Why isn't the GT3 a good comparison? Why wouldn't someone who is looking at the R8 also look at the GT3 along with the turbo as the R-tronic R8 has a base of 118 vs. the turbo's 122k. These prices are all significantly higher than the supposed base 997 competition.

The R8 was supposed to compete with the Carrera S and C4S. However, at the price point they put it at in the US it is simply inevitable that comparisons will be drawn to the other 911 models that are in the same price bracket. Logical isn't it?

Perhaps when you were thinking of the GT3 as a trackday only car, you were thinking of the GT3-RS, common mistake.

[Leadfoot]

sticky,

My opinion about is based not only from EVO magazines' roadtest partner which supplies the figures use in their papers and someone know has little to gain by saying something like this and AMD another tuner specializing in tuning Audi, VW, Porsche and others including BMW. They all say the baseline figures for AWD cars are very inaccurate but do provide a start for modifying as any improvement is going the right direction.

When based with such evidence I reckon that what Dyno reading is at the very least objective and should be taken as such, I don't have a problem with anyone believing in that they said and quoting figures I just reckon the measurements for AWD cars will be out some what.

As for the GT3 being the right comparison to a R8, unless the ride quality of the GT3 has improved hugely over the last model there is no way anyone would even consider it over a 997 4S if in their choice of cars were a R8. I know the Porsche range quite well and have spent time in most of them, though the 997GT3 has not been one of them so I will base my opinion on the previous model if that OK.

[sticky]

sticky,

My opinion about is based not only from EVO magazines' roadtest partner which supplies the figures use in their papers and someone know has little to gain by saying something like this and AMD another tuner specializing in tuning Audi, VW, Porsche and others including BMW. They all say the baseline figures for AWD cars are very inaccurate but do provide a start for modifying as any improvement is going the right direction.

When based with such evidence I reckon that what Dyno reading is at the very least objective and should be taken as such, I don't have a problem with anyone believing in that they said and quoting figures I just reckon the measurements for AWD cars will be out some what.

As for the GT3 being the right comparison to a R8, unless the ride quality of the GT3 has improved hugely over the last model there is no way anyone would even consider it over a 997 4S if in their choice of cars were a R8. I know the Porsche range quite well and have spent time in most of them, though the 997GT3 has not been one of them so I will base my opinion on the previous model if that OK.

Basing a comment on a pervious model is not the way to go. Don't you think you should know for sure before making a comment like that the GT3 can not be a daily driver? Check out a 997 GT3, read about it, see if they will let you drive one (most likely not, as they are all spoken for the next 2 years). Your beloved EVO magazine loves the damn thing, didn't you read their car of the year issue? It lost out by half a point I think to the 599 which makes sense considering porsche won the 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005 car of the year competitions.

Your thinking on dyno's is very wrong. They are an integral tool in the automotive community. A dyno reading is not set in stone but gives perspective. If they were innacurate why would they use them? Why would they make different dyno's for AWD cars? I think you will find regardless of dyno a GT3 will put down more hp than an R8, period. There must be something to it if the GT3 with less hp and less displacement is able to out muscle an R8 (in reality more hp, ratings can be deceiving as in this case). The motor is highly underrated, 385 wheel hp is over 100 wheel horsepower per liter, simply amazing, no production motor does this, not even the f430 or carrera GT. Perhaps it is even a bargain having a cheaper base than the r8.

The AWD version of the 911 is not the only competitor to the R8. There is no RWD version of the R8, so the only one we can choose is AWD by default. I don't think that only C4S buyers are going to look at the R8, carrera S buyers would as well. The nice thing about porsche is they have every base covered, RWD, AWD, lightweight, turbo, naturally aspirated, etc. I don't think the GT3 is really the main competitor but it clearly can be compared due to the pricing. The GT3 is clearly a more visceral experience.

[M3 owner]

What is w/ this M3 OBSESSION ?
Audi can't release a car without some 1 here wondering if it's faster then an M3.
If u r so obsessed w/ an M3 why don't u just buy 1 instead of an Audi ?