Not bad at all. Love the design and the colors they're finally bringing back.

I've been a huge M fan since I was a little boy. They're great cars, but IMO, can't be directly compared to a 911 at all. If you're buying the 911/S for sheer straight-line speed and bragging rights, you're in the wrong showroom.

That said, I'm curious to see how a straight-line race between a 991S and an M4 will go.

 

Not comparable to the 991 indeed. But still it is and interesting car that M3/M4 ! Thanks for posting the link !

 

And while I'm having PDK woes at the moment, guess what popped up first in my mind. Right, "I wonder how that M4 will drive ?"

That car intrigues me !

 

Serious?
Okay... I admit, I'm also curious how it drives, but IMO it's no comparison to the 991. It's a different type of car, what doesn't mean that it can't be a very good car BTW....
I also think the car is a bit "over-designed". To me, the 3-/4-series just don't have the appeal that BMWs used to have and I honestly can't exactly tell why...

Suzy991 (iOS app)

 

Been a big M fan since my 2000 740i M sport. Was not a true M but it's what lead to to a long line of M cars. Previously owned 2 E46's M3's, 3 E39 M5's, 2 E60 M5's and a X5M (not really a M IMO). For the first time in many years I do not own a M car.

While I don't believe that it's an "apples-to-apples" comparison (991 v. new M3/4), IMO the M3/4 will offer significant performance for the $$. The M3/4 have a much younger calling obviously due to the price point and up til now you cannot compare the interior and build quality.

However, when my 991 lease is up in 17 months, I will prob take a look again at BMW. Porsche pricing is getting crazy and tough to justify. I have ADD so now way for me to buy a 991 and hold for 6+ years......

 

Yes serious. And no, it will never be a 991.
The 991 is a modern interpretation of a classic. It excels in efficiency, traction, .. has an aura of heritage about it.

BMW will never have that. Nevertheless I find some appeal in the Bimmer. While it has much less traction with the engine in front, you do gain "gray area" to play with, area between grip and no grip. Some might call it more playfull ?!
I think it is possible to minimize the over-designed details by choosing a dark color like black.

I can say why it appeals less to me than previous iterations. Front light clusters are getting to low/small, and the nose is drooping too much (for pedestrian impact ratings no doubt).

I probably am not going to say no if I am offered a testdrive !

 

Can't disagree with anything

Hopefully it's a true M-car again. IMO the M5 is not what it should have been, so BMW can make up for that with this car. I will also definitely try it if I get the chance, even despite the bad experience I recently had with the local BMW dealer. It's not the only one in the neigbourhood

Suzy991 (iOS app)

 

I'll consider dropping my C4S after they facelift the M3, 4 door M3 suites my DD use well with kids.
But I have to drive one first. I loved my modded E90 M3.

 

The M3/M4, and even the M5, are amazing cars. I've been an M fan since I was a little kid, and my dream car was always an M3. They are perfect cars and are stellar performers. I wouldn't go as far as complaining about heritage, traction, etc.; they have most of these checked off.

That said, it's the brand, the history, the legacy, and the perfection of Porsche you're paying for. The M3, while an amazing car I have mad respect for, is a glorified 3 series. A 911 is… a 911.

If you can't "feel" the difference after sitting in one and driving it, you'll never get it.

 

^ Perfection of Porsche might be right.
Consider that the M3 and C7 need forced induction or 65% more displacement to compete with a 991S.

I do respect that those cars have matched the performance level at a much lower cost.
Also, both rivals will gain significant power increases with aftermarket bolt-ons and a reflash.

 

The ONLY reason I haven't owned a M3 in the past is that the cars were notorious for brake fading ! No such problems with Porsche.
I wonder if BMW finally has that base covered. I've seen carbon brakes as an option on the specs !

 

Don't forget Luna that the last M3 did not use forced induction and it beat the 997.2, and 997.2S in several comparos around Laguna Seca. (C&D tests...I can link them if you don't read C&D) And the C7 manages to get 30MPG out of that V8 and typically be 3-4 seconds faster around any course that is usually a 1:30 track. Which is huge. These are choices the engineers made, and should not be viewed as compromises in design...at all....
I give full respect to a sedan that can even keep up with a 911. And you'll never see me mocking any recent vette!

 

I had a 2002 M3 that was a dedicated track car. Went from garage to track to shop to track back to garage. No plates, no registration. Gutted. For most of the track work I used stock rotors, Pagid brake pads and high temp fluid and did not have fade. If the brake fade is the only reason, easily corrected.

 

The BMW S65 & S85 engines were mechanical masterpieces
I always wanted a manual E60 M5

If you have Laguna Seca lap times (from a same day shoot-out) for a 997.2S and a E90M3 I am curious what those are
I would not be too surprised if the 997.2S got beat as I only considered the 997.2 GTS and GT3 to be worthy track vehicles.

I was going to hold out for the C7 or M4 but the 991S seemed to be more of the total package to me (mostly just better looking)
I wanted something more than a Chevy or 3 Series

I don't know how much of that 30MPG hype on the C7 is really true.
People need to calculate actual highway mileage at 80MPH not just believe what their dash displays tell them for instantaneous mileage

 

I'm in for the 991S as well. I have one coming in springtime. But I love all cars!

I can tell you 30 is a low number for what a vette can achieve. My friends last C6 was getting 32 on a regular basis. He is an aerospace engineer at Northrup and is OCD. If he says 32....take it to the bank! On the vette forums there are lots of 30+MPG. Remember that the engine is turning at a freeway speed what would be idle in most vehicles....and only 4 cylinders are running...I have a good story when I was on a conference call with Vette engineers from a few years ago if you are interested..

Link #1.. perfect comparo. 997.2 VS M3. Apple to apple.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...mparison-tests

Lighting lap at VIR, 997.2S same day, same track:
And this is when I had a 2009 C2S....
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/lightning-lap-2009

Just the fact that the M3 can even hang with the 911 is something. If you read the comments of the test, there is much truth in what they are saying. There is even a test where they put the 997TT against the M3 and remarked that they M3 was faster in any non-straight section. The link is on C&D as well. Another cool thing is that the Center of gravity of the M3 is only about 0.5 inches higher than a cayman, despite the fact that the car is 4 inches taller...and a sedan! That's a hell of an engineering feat for sure. I just wish the BMW brand would stop getting bigger/softer.....and that they would put the vette together correctly.....