dut

- im sad now, the m3 was my dream (reality dream) car

steve c

Nah, the base 911 is faster than the E46M3 in any match up as is the heavier and slightly slower C4.

My S54 M coupe which was a couple ticks faster than the heavier E46 was walked by an 02 C4 and 00 C1 on the highway.

03EBZ06

Their times are pretty close, with Z06 edging out et by few tenths and 0-60 by few tenths as well.

under-rated

911 undoubtedly handles better.

The E46 M3 will run faster 1/4 mile and is stronger at higher rpms. 911 has nice low end tq out of the hole and pretty solid mid range, it does pull pretty nice to redline, I don't recall 7200 or something on the 911 can't remember correctly. I also have a few buddies with 911's so in my experience... My M3 is the faster car straight line, esp from highway rolls. 70-140 + esp.

I like the 911 though, could be my next car... I also like the new C6, =F there all nice. Dut, the M3 is a solid well built all around performer w / luxury / appealing aesthetics, probably the best buy in my opinion in the 57-60k range. There's always someone faster who gives a =F.

I'm defending the M3... again.

I'm done.

Fanman

Sorry, but this is completely false.

I ran several M3's from a roll, and from a dead stop and the acceleration was identical every time. I have several friends with M3's so it's not just one particular M3. The only time I lost to an M3 happened to be a SMG equipped M3 at Palmdale, and he beat both me & my other friend's M3 becuase that night the weather was cold, and the surface was hard and smooth. We would rev to only 2500 and we were still spinning. Other than that if you have ever ran a 3.6 L 996 it would be a dead heat. The numbers back it up, and my personal experience with probably half a dozen M3's backs this up. I've driven up aginst m3's from a dead stop, 30mph to 100 mph. 75 mph to 150 mph+ (out in Riverside late at night). All dead even.

BTW, I ran into a Corvette, even the regular ones put some distance on me from a roll. The torque just made it impossible to accelerate from speed. I dropped it to 4th, but they still pull. Any car in the M3, SLK 32, 911 class will have this trouble with the Vettes. On the track it was a different story.

under-rated

Only b/c of your opening statement, I'll respond. BTW, what was false. It is fact based on my experience.

My car has software, intake, a few other weight reductions, and upgraded suspension... basic mods and I've also walked other E46 M3's... So I'm faster than a stock M3 / so I should also be faster than stock Carrera / competetance (I know my car well) has to account for something. My car had the software upgrade right after the break in which was 1200 miles.

Another thing though. Redline M3 8,000 stock - 8,150 on my car > peak hp stock 333 / (355 hp / my car).

As for the 911 Carrera. Hp for both the C4S and base Carrera is 320 hp on the 02+. C4S is also heavier than the base Carrera however. The new C4S I raced, I killed. I beat him by 4 car lengths from 70-140 on 1-90 headed into the city.

You and I already know both cars are very comparable in straight line and the 911 is superior to an M3 "handling wise". M3 does pull harder at higher rpms, my car won't give up at those high revs, it just keeps pulling.

So if you ran the 1/4 mile only than I can see where it will be a dead heat... as you stated. I've taken my 04 M3 up to 175, it felt like it had more throttle.

When I ran the C5 all I had was stage 1 at that time. We only ran from 5-100 mph, dead even... I've heard of other M3 vs C5 encounters... where the C5 won't start pulling away til 120. I'm not mad to admit the C5 is most likely faster... There the C5 is faster than the 911 and M3... Z06 is faster than all of us.

S2000_Europe

excluding a 911 turbo and GT2 this cars will outrun the Vette

MrGTR

Man you defend your car like no other.

Z06 any day of the week, any week of the month, any month of the year, any year of the century, any century of the..... I don't know what comes after century

derryck

I'm surprised the M3 owner doesn't have aftermarket headers...he's really hurting himself there. The two biggest gainers on the E46 M3 are probably cams and headers assuming the exhaust beyond that flows well. Not surprising that the heavier and less powerful car lost.

dut

- yup, he does on mostly all his posts.. even if there isn't an m3 in the conversation, he brings it up... if I had an m3, I would too probably...