M2 VS M2 Competition VS M3(e46) VS M4 Review

[Peter-E36]

Funny you should say that about the PSS, I had them on the M5 and they were amazing, they do fall off a cliff before the tread is gone though, I used to push that car in the wet confident in the tires.

You should definitely take an E92 for a spin, the engine dominates the experience in the E92, make sure you drive a DCT too.
I can't remember where I read it but it was summed up perfectly in that the S65 is an engine Ferrari would be proud of.

Do you really think the M2 is worth dropping 100k on?

Also, give biking a go, everyone should try biking once!

You'll see what I mean about the tyres on Friday

I love the positive community feel that forums have, have just been offered a spin in an e93 M3 for comparison on Backroads so let's see how that goes

M2 Competition worth 100k? Nope... It's unjustifiable whatever way you crunch the numbers, especially with how much of it being VRT ...It's worth every penny of 50k sterling in the UK though. If I manage a move to the UK with work, I will be a very happy man. Especially if I managed to be somewhere between North Wales and South of Scotland... The most perfect roads, "cheap" cars, cheap tax, cheaper houses and it's not exactly far... Fingers crossed...

Cracking write up Peter- really enjoyed that! Also, good on you Moe- that’s taking club spirit to a new level!! That’s pretty much a bucket list Sunday morning for me!

Cheers Nige! Glad you did, hope your neck is better since our spin

Great write up Peter.
I really enjoyed that read. It was more informative, engaging, and a better put together piece than 99.9% of the journos writing for the glossy mags...

You might have found a new calling...

Also, Fair play Moe, for handing over the keys.


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Thanks a million Maurice, that's very kind indeed! There's nothing I enjoy more than meeting fellow petrol heads and going for drives around some nice roads in some fun cars... I like to share the experience when i can

I really, really want to drive a M2 Comp now, not that I would be buying one in the near future

I got to drive a colleagues M4 convertible this time last year and remember being completely underwhelmed by the whole experience.

It's always good to know for when the time comes to make the purchase

[318 iS Cosmos]

Couple of people have said that to me about the m4 convertible...I dont know how it could be underwhelming, the engine is an atomic bomb of a thing but it seems to be consistent across a few people.

Sorry Moe, only seeing this now! Truth be told, I only had the car for about an hour and wasn't exactly spanking it on some of the roads in Dublin.
However, it seemed to lack that 'fizz' and also there was definitely a delay in getting on the power at low revs.

Maybe there was something wrong with this particular car, but it only had about 4k miles... I distinctly remember this as I brought my own M into work that day and I jumped into it afterwards - it definitely felt more special, the metallic rasp at start-up and the instant throttle response.

About 4 weeks after this, I got a chance to drive another colleagues E92 M3. I went in with low expectations but was instantly blown away with how it drove and sounded. After driving it, I remember cursing the owner (jokingly of course ) as I could finally see a worthy successor to my own car. I didn't get that with the M4 convertible. In the end, head overruled the heart and I stopped looking and sold the M.

[Peter-E36]

Sorry Moe, only seeing this now! Truth be told, I only had the car for about an hour and wasn't exactly spanking it on some of the roads in Dublin.
However, it seemed to lack that 'fizz' and also there was definitely a delay in getting on the power at low revs.

Maybe there was something wrong with this particular car, but it only had about 4k miles... I distinctly remember this as I brought my own M into work that day and I jumped into it afterwards - it definitely felt more special, the metallic rasp at start-up and the instant throttle response.

About 4 weeks after this, I got a chance to drive another colleagues E92 M3. I went in with low expectations but was instantly blown away with how it drove and sounded. After driving it, I remember cursing the owner (jokingly of course ) as I could finally see a worthy successor to my own car. I didn't get that with the M4 convertible. In the end, head overruled the heart and I stopped looking and sold the M.

I missed Moe's post too. I wonder if people in general are referring to the car being a bit softer as a convertible rather than lacking power?

Have a feeling the E92 will be a very special car to drive!

[Moe]

I think the e92 is a great engine, makes a great sound and in DCT form is a good all rounder. The F8x cars are much faster, and by no small margin thanks to the torque, the F8x feel lighter too. I think that the e92 is quite far from the e46 and the e92 is closer to the f10 m5 IMHO. ALl great cars but it depends on what sort of performance driver you are, if you like using all your revs the e92 and e46 are only man, if you like muscle cars the s55 cars are your poison. Talk to Seamus the chap with the M5 on whats app Peter he has a e93 for 2 years and went through all the ups and downs of ownership. I got to drive it a lot, and thought it was a very fine car indeed.

[Dave]

E93 M3 is 200kg heavier than the coupe. Making it almost as heavy as an E39 M5.

E92 M3 is 100ms slower to 100kph that an M4 and half a second slower down the quarter mile, so the M4 is not exactly a lot faster.

[Peter-E36]

E93 M3 is 200kg heavier than the coupe. Making it almost as heavy as an E39 M5.

E92 M3 is 100ms slower to 100kph that an M4 and half a second slower down the quarter mile, so the M4 is not exactly a lot faster.

Weight difference is what’s worrying me but only one way to find out what they’re like!

There’s 0.1 or 0.2 sec of a difference between the M2 and M2 competition 0-100 km/h on paper too but the in-gear acceleration is something else! I stopped looking at these numbers... or any performance numbers to be honest. Nothing like a butt dyno

[Moe]

Dave I think every reviewer agrees that the m4 feels a lot faster than the e92. I certainly found this. The fact the m4 comes underrated as standard helps, but I know the stats are close enough and was careful to proviso my post as a "feeling". But I think the average driver on the average road in average conditions will be a lot faster in a s55 engined car. I certainly am, because firstly I dont have to be revving the nuts off it all the time, and second I am a crap driver.

You cant stick 100bhp and 100 torque on the e92 with a stage one tune, and the 0-100kph are a little more than 0.1s different, I had a couple of runs against a manual e92 at the runway club event last year and totally monstered it, not even close (e60 m5 on the other hand got away above 200kph)....every generation of m3 has been a big improvement on the previous albeit that some aspect of the previous cars beloved character was lost in the new one.

Cars now have become so fast, powerful and so technical that its really only how they feels that differentiates them. One of the problems I have with fast Audi's (and possibly the new m5) it that is doesn't feel like anything at all. I am a bit nervous about the 2020 m4, as the m3/4 is becoming more like a m5, and the m2 has been introduced as a "sportier" car

[tcp/ip]

Ah guys I did not know this thread was here. Have to say what a day that was and Moe thanks for the last minute invite and what a lovely group of true car people.
Some really beautiful cars and still to this day I have such a soft spot for the e46 M3 its pure drivers car I love them.
Cant wait for the next spin up the Gap count me in anytime.

[Dave]

Dave I think every reviewer agrees that the m4 feels a lot faster than the e92. I certainly found this. The fact the m4 comes underrated as standard helps, but I know the stats are close enough and was careful to proviso my post as a "feeling". But I think the average driver on the average road in average conditions will be a lot faster in a s55 engined car. I certainly am, because firstly I dont have to be revving the nuts off it all the time, and second I am a crap driver.

You cant stick 100bhp and 100 torque on the e92 with a stage one tune, and the 0-100kph are a little more than 0.1s different, I had a couple of runs against a manual e92 at the runway club event last year and totally monstered it, not even close (e60 m5 on the other hand got away above 200kph)....every generation of m3 has been a big improvement on the previous albeit that some aspect of the previous cars beloved character was lost in the new one.

Cars now have become so fast, powerful and so technical that its really only how they feels that differentiates them. One of the problems I have with fast Audi's (and possibly the new m5) it that is doesn't feel like anything at all. I am a bit nervous about the 2020 m4, as the m3/4 is becoming more like a m5, and the m2 has been introduced as a "sportier" car

The seduction of torque
Generate a lot of torque at low RPM and everything feels effortless and easy, but that's more the nature of the torque, the power is easily accessible, there's no huge noise and the torque is consistent as the revs rise. Compare this with the naturally aspirated V8 and the fanfare of it revving it's head off as you approach peak torque, but you absolutely need to work it.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the difference in pace, in stock form there was 13 seconds difference between the E92 M3 vs the M4 around the Nurburgring, the DCT E92 M3 is veraciously quick from a standstill and you have the closer stacked rations of the DCT box.
Everyone talks about the lower torque of the S65 being an issue, the E39 has nearly 100 lb/ft more torque than the E92 and it wasn't evident at all.

I'm not in any way bashing the M4, I think it's an awesome car, I see Marks one quite regularly and always find myself geeking out over the details, they are gorgeous.

However, I don't believe BMW went to the S55 because it was a better engine, it was all about economy and making the car more efficient which you simply couldn't do with the existing V8.
The end result is a car that is a objectively, vastly superior all rounder to its predecessor.

As you say, it's all about what you want, I've always loved NA engines, you need to dial into them over time to get the most out of them, it's a process that I love, I guess it has a lot to do with riding bikes as you can balance a bike and alter it's lean angle with the throttle, I just find it much more rewarding than boosted engines, but there's no arguing with the effectiveness of the S55.

[Moe]

Well Dave sound like you need a spin in my m4. We shall arrange. I found the performance difference to be quite profound.