Selo

Today I drove my buddy's new (used) 2009 M3, Red/tan, 6mt, extended leather, 10k mi. I've test driven them before in consideration of purchase, but not since I've owned my '08 997 cab. And therefore never in direct comparison to the car I was driving.
I thought it felt more solid than my Cab,with better fit and finish, and it certainly seemed to have more grunt. That said, I still have to say I prefer my Porsche. Something about the overall feel of the car, the shifter, and the fact that Porsche is able to wring all that performance out of a 3.6 Boxer 6, as opposed to a V8. His fuel gauge read 13.2 mpg avg, but when I got back in my car it read 23.0 mpg average (granted, 2/3 hi-way miles.) But still......

Ed Hughes

Yawn

TNR911

+1

Was just typing the same thing. Great cars but... I've a good friend with a E92. It's remarkably fast, capable, stylish and great engineering, but again ... so what ... the once great and stirring M3 has lost its soul IMHO. It's a GT and not a sports car. Thus why I'm getting rid of my 997 and heading toward a stable of a 964 and 993.

Selo

But you're getting rid of your 997? Sure you don't want to keep it? I still feel like it has pretty much soul compared to the M3, and with the 991 on the way it could be a special car for the water cooled era.

Ed Hughes

If you want soul, go back in time further to a well-sorted torsion bar 911 with no ABS, PDK, PASM, PCM, PTM, ICBM, TMI, ADHD, PMS, IRS, NFL, CIA or any other acronym.

TNR911

I'm sure I will one day soon.

axl911

Haven't driven an E93 M3, but I owned an E36 M3 for 8 years.

Don't know what is a "soul", but even stock that car has poise, balance, sharp steering, and a buttery smooth and growling inline 6. Everyone who drove it for the first time (guys & girls & those who don't care about cars) simply said WOW!

skl2

My Mom's DD is a 08 M3 Cab 6-speed. It does everything well from cruising, to running around town to tackling the twisties. Race car? no. But thats not its purpose. Over all the fit, finish and quality are the best in the biz...and it is rock solid for a convertible.

Benton

Fiance just got an E36 M3, and I have to say, it truly is a wonderful car. Really great straight out of the box, and you can't beat it at the current values. For all of the E92 haters, check this out (granted apples to oranges, but kickass nonetheless):




Photo of the new addition to the family:

Marco8

Ed,
Great point, I find myself yearning for a 3.2 or a SC.
Cheers,
Marco

Quadcammer

um, yeah, no it isn't.

While its pretty decent for its class, its certainly not "best in the biz"

USMC_DS1

I just converted from my e36 m3 cab... DIY'd a ton of mods - super charger, brakes, suspension, electronics, etc... over the years trying to turn it from a great GT into a racer... enjoyed it for 10 yrs but the wife was tired of my mod'g sickness and insisted on a newer stock car. We test drove an 09 M3... Great car(she wanted it) but I like the 997s more. It's a race car with trying to be a DD. Much happier now.

Oh yeah, I'm not allowed to mod this one... maybe the illness will come back when the warranty runs out.

goofballdeluxe

M3, 997: both great GTs. GTs. Not sports cars. Anything with nav and other weighty gizmos is not a sports car by definition.

A Miata is more sports car than an M3, even if it is slower. Performance doesn't make a sports car, after all a 5000 lb. SUV can do 0-60 in 5 seconds these days, but it's no sports car.

skl2

I apologize, let me be more specific. It seems to be one of the most solid convertibles I have experienced over many many miles. I think Audi interiors are "better" from the all-around luxury and aethetic standpoint, but BMW seems to do the best job at panel/dash gaps, etc because there is not one rattle or squeek anywhere.

What do you put "in its class"? I know you are a P-car guy on a 993 forum, as am I, but I also can enjoy and appreciate other cars. The M is great at what it does...and I think its a performance bargain, just as the E46 was. However, its all relative. I dont think there is another convertible out there in its price range that is as good of an all around GT.

Slow Guy

Where is this "definition" documented?