Just started a big argument on a bmw forum about what people thought of m3's compared to STi's. Was meant as a simple question...

Ive never driven an m3 or been in one but having driven subaru's I've always felt naturally aspirated engines are lacking in something. They dont have that explosion of power and you need to rev them too hard.

What are the thoughts of people who have driven both?

 

I've never had any problems with one

 

People just think Impreza when these arguments start STD UK Imprezas aren’t that quick.
I would have thought an M3 would leave a Classic UK Impreza but a classic STI would be different. I may be wrong but I think an import STI (V3 onwards) would be quicker then all but the latest M3

 

I had a e46 M3 and the STi classic to me it feels faster and more nimble

Strong engines i know M3's easily tune past the 500bhp figure if you slap a turbo on

 

A mate had a MY97 300bhp M3. We had a friendly comparison very early one morning when I had my 340bhp newage STI.
From the standing start it was very convincing with me putting atleast 50m between us up to a ton.
It was a little different when on the move though and I would say there was not much in it once moving, perhaps me putting a few m's between us.
I would say a standard Newage STI would be quicker (just) from standing but it would soon get reeled in when moving, with the M3 being victorious.

 

I have a E46 M3 , you need to rev it hard to get the best out of it , I had a dabble with a RB320 a few months ago from about 30 to something faster and just had the legs on him , there was hardly anything in it

 

iv got a 320 bhp classic and had a play with an e46 few months ago....acceleration,he was no where to be seen...but mid range its probably the same and then anything past a ton it wud probably have a slight advantage

 

Would feel confident against any M3 including the latest one

Banny

 

i had a 97 M3 and sold it and got a version 3 STI . I have to say the M3 does,nt pack the punch like the sti and would say the sti would eat and ****e it up to a ton , but after that the M3 would be hard to catch

 

Think your bang on

 

i have owned an SMG gearbox version of the e46 m3 has launch control and full throttle gear changes are possible with something like a 0.003 of a sec gearchange. I would say that it would mince an standard STI right across the board. We all love scoobs because they are the best value drivers cars n the road and with a few tweeks they can be made to be phenomanal bits of kit but the M3 is a 45,000 pound thoroughbread !!!

 

Sorry this is a little off topic but just look at this BM
Turn the sound down the box will do your head in after a while.
The guy is awesome

YouTube - SCary BMW E36 race car.O my god! damn fast

 

Awesome the that guy was seriously "on the move "

 

I have a standard UK tubo impreza and had a dabble with a new M3 when I used to live in N.I, admittidly he pulled away but not by as much as I thought,

It was from a slip road to the motorway so we were already rolling,

Just my 10 pence worth

 

I was neck and neck with an E46 M3 in my old Classic WRX which was decatted and HKS ind kit.That was from rolling start from 35 mph to around 120....

Disclaimer....Yes i was speeding but it was the right place at the right time etc etc.

 

MAYBE he wasn't trying hard but the sweet mettalic scream coming from his exhaust seemed otherwise.

 

Maybe a 320 M3 lookalike then

 

Ive driven a e36 evo and own a sti version 4 R, must say upto a ton the impreza all the way but after that speed the m3 feels stronger.

 

Nope...Pheonix yellow...twin pipes...wide arches..the lot.I can only tell it like it is mate and it aint worth lying.

 

dont you mean quad pipes??

 

Anorak LOL you're right though e46 m3 has quad pipes not twin like the old e36.

God all this talk of m3's is making me misty eyed for my old E30 M3 ravaglia !!

 

Good lord! What the hell had he done to that lol He nearly drove over that porker at the start!

Bet he wears ear plugs mind you.

 

Raced my friends E46 M3 on a private estate many times when my STi 3 was stock, results as follows;

From standing start I was ahead by several car lengths until 120mph where after he was catching up.

From 20mph rolling start we where neck & neck but at 120mph and beyond he was pulling away slightly.

 

i've got 260bhp at the wheels in a classic wrx at the moment an when i raced a mates e46 m3 i left it for dust.
Started on the slip road with his car in front and wasnt long before i was in front an leaving him.
Cant wait to get the next bits on!

 

A few weeks ago it was the classic Le Mans race here in France (I live around 45 mins south of the track). Anyway it was 30+ degrees outside, I had just finished work so the wife and I decided we would pop off to La Chartre and have a few drinks and see the old cars. Anyway as I crossed the river over a small bridge with opens up to a 2km straight a plonker in an M3 with parisian plates comes taring up my backside. So he is nailed to my bumper as we come off the bridge, I floor it and so does he, I pull around 4 cars lengths ahead and then we start appraoching stupid speeds and there is a very sharp left hander coming up. I know the road like the back of my hand so I ease off. I've already handed him his **** anyway. But him being French and very upset that my STI has shown his car a clean pair of heals without much effort, he makes a stupid move to get past me on the corner. Luckily enough nothing was coming the other way. He and his wifes faces was a picture when he came past .

The French don't see many scoobs espcially PPP STI's as its not an option on French STI's.

I got a slap off my wife for bieng a tit!

 

The M3 power delivery is much different, more linear in comparison to the Impreza like punch in the spine.

My Type R simply destroys any M3 that has had a go... But then I'm not quite standard .

I've driven an E36 M3 and thought it was a bag of sh*te. Can't comment on others though as no first hand experience...

Back to the original point, Sti v M3.

Assuming we're talking about latest new models so would be the E92 v hatch Sti. M3 would easily be the quicker.

But then the M3 is what? £25k+ more expensive? Hardly a fair comparison...

 

STi from standing start always and when it comes to modding then the STi is cheaper to get modded compared to say slapping a turbo on a BMW...

Had a play with Z4 M he came right up my tail so I let him through then followed he couldn't get away and when he went to a roundabout he couldn't break in time (I could of course) and so he went thru roundabout to fast and ended up fish tailing out of the exit it looked a bit scary so I backed off a bit (as the twisty was no problem for me with my spec had firmed up the suspension at the flick of a button too).

I then caught him up by the next junction lol he realised who was King.....

I also do have a few on the toll road (which is like a quarter mile run at the main booths ...). Also a guy works with me has an RS4 we had some fun and he said he had to change down to second or 3rd and keep revs at 6500 rpm to maintain my exceleration even then I think he was struggling but my car is modded and lighter I guess and not that far away in Power terms (soon to get the MD321 fitted then 400+ here I come ...).

 

I think Imprezas feel a bit unstable at high speeds, perhaps it is just the bonnet scoop but it feels like it is ready to come apart above 130 even though the engine hasn't even started to struggle at that point.

In comparison 150mph in my old 350z felt like it was just cruising as opposed to rattling itself to bits.

 

ive drives a remaped e46 m3 runing 330 it had all stage one mods absaloute bag of crap my old DC2 felt quicker m3 is performance car wanabe.most of the m3 never give the factory figure on the rollers they always give less power.

an sti should murder an m3 hands down top end obiviously scoobies are not made for that.but on a drag strip or rolling start and an sti with stage one mods with agood driver will destroy an m3.

i was in a car with a member on this forum he was runing an 18g with a top mount on an sti 3 he gave a supercharged m3 a head start of about 3 cars he caught up with it and passed it. i wont go in to figures thats down to the member to com on here and tell u. that M3 is from west london supercharged he comes with his dyno graph every week to the cruises and he got mullers by a car worth less than his number plate.lol

bottom line no comparison at all.

how eva if ur thinking of FLEXING and want to get attention of a few chicks then the m3 is the way if u wana impress ur pals and go for a blast then u just cant beat a scooby.

 

E92 M3 is a rocket - well it was compared to my 700 mile old 08 STi.