Video: 2008 BMW M3 vs Audi RS4

that's French.

I was just gonna say that..... can anyone tell us who they chose as a winner?

M3 won because it had a better engine, was faster on the track and cheaper.

Which is basically what anyone in this market wants....

You just can't say that, M53R. I don't think the M3 has a better engine- they're about equal. But the RS4 has better steering, AWD practicality and unlike the M3, they're not a dime a dozen in wealthy areas.

Lets play the numbers game since niether me or you drove the M3. The M4 gets the exact same number of hp, from a smaller engine, and can rev higher. Plus in almost every review the M3 was praised for the engine and in many cases it won the comparison with the RS4 because of the engine. Not saying the 4.2l V8 is bad, but the 4.0l V8 is the winner.

The RS4 doesnt have a better steering, thats why the M will win around the track. The RS4 just feels more accurate in lower speeds.

As for the AWD, thats the beauty of both machines. One is an awesome RWD, and one is an awesome AWD. If you have a RWD doesnt mean you will get stuck in snow that much easier, and if you have AWD doesnt mean your car wont be fun to drive!

and if it bothers you to see so many M3s, just go for the indivisual, have a special paint in and out.

"The M4 gets the exact same number of hp, from a smaller engine, and can rev higher. Plus in almost every review the M3 was praised for the engine and in many cases it won the comparison with the RS4 because of the engine. Not saying the 4.2l V8 is bad, but the 4.0l V8 is the winner."

In fact, the two have won the exact same amount of comparison tests. I have counted, yes. I'm waiting for the tie-breaker.

The 4.2L is a masterpiece- much moreso in the RS4 than in my car. But both engines (BMW and Audi) are super-high-revving, beautifully guttural, perfectly-engineered V8s that pretty easily trump just about any other eight on the road. Obviously, some are more powerful, but they all either have forced induction or larger displacement. 420hp out of either 4.2 liters or 4.0 liters is hugely impressive, and I commend BMW for taking Audi's efficiency a step further.

The M3 is a better track-day car, but the RS4 is a better everyday hero. Both are somewhat docile around town, but it's the RS4 that will get your heart racing even in highway driving- it has the best exhaust note I've ever heard. The usability of the AWD doesn't heart.

But to be honest, I really, really want both. My idea of perfection is an M3 convertible and RS4 sedan sitting in my driveway.

sedan versus a coupe...why?

BMW needs to update those tired old yellow angel eyes...make them white please!

Audi doesn't make a coupe version of the RS4, and BMW doesn't make a sedan version of the M3. Thus you have a sedan-vs-coupe competition. The cars are also roughly the same size, have the same horsepower, and are in roughly the same price bracket. The coupe might be sleeker, but the sedan has 4-door practicality. (Believe it or not, some gearheads have families, so why not compare a coupe to a sedan?)

Audiphile,

Audi makes a coupe version of the RS4, it is called RS5
BMW makes a Saloon version of the E92 M3, it is called E90 M3- and yes there will be one as there has been in the past.

admiral- so where is this so called RS5? I have yet to see one on here or seen any video of it. Why? you ask cause its not out yet, either is the sedan version of the M3.

will there be a rs5 and sedan M3, yes, but there not out yet so how can they compare them.

No matter how many times i say it, it never seems to sink in. Sedans today are much different than they used to be and the gap between coupes and sedans is becoming infinitesimal. Anyone want to take a guess what the weight difference between the 335i sedan and coupe? 30lbs. They are basically the same car with varying doors. The M5 and M6 are a similar story.

I don't expect much of a difference when the RS5 and M3 sedan come out, so why not compare these 2.

"Audi makes a coupe version of the RS4, it is called RS5
BMW makes a Saloon version of the E92 M3, it is called E90 M3- and yes there will be one as there has been in the past."

jmr beat me... neither of those cars are out yet! That was a profoundly stupid comment. How the hell could they ever have been tested if neither is going to be out for at least a year???

two brilliant machines! each one with its own strong points.It´s a matter of preference to choose between them. I for one take the M3....

Exactly. I'd take the M3. RWD!

I've always preferred sedans

true

Too bad M is getting AUDI-zed to even produce sedan version of M3.

An M3 "Black Series" will be a much better choice than sedan.

It's called the CSL Einstein.

CSL?

With adjustable ride height, bump and rebound, as toe and camber, Black series advances much more terms of concept.

A lightweight version is not enough to take on new competitor, especially the upcoming GT-R. Although E46 CSL run the Nurburgring at around 7:50, the new GT-R, in its standard spec, is already lapping at 7:38.

Time for Bimmer to work on some real sports car, not just making big money w/ sport sedans and stupid stuff like X6.

Yeah because cars from Japan are soo mutch lighter.

You know this thread was going well, great comments, no troling, no disrespect and very open minded comments. Even the disagreement between the sedan coupe thing was very mature in the debate, however ignorant comments like rice master just disturbed the peaceful mature discussion about these two cars. I was thinking to myself this is going too well as I read until i came across his comment. Oh well better luck next time, oh yeah both of these are phenominal cars for what they are.

The new M3 sedan will be launching soon, then we will be able to get a better comparison. At the same time the M3 sedan is launching, bmw will launch its new Dual Clutch transmission which is supposed to be even faster than the SMG III. In this comparison the RS4 had a Dual Clutch trans. while the M3 had a manual so the M3 was at a disadvantage there but of course it is a coupe and the RS4 is a sedan so you cant compare them now even though they each have their own disadvantages.

bmw- what are you talking about the RS4 had a dual clutch trans? You have to be kidding right, the RS4 ONLY COMES IN A MANUAL TRANS.

There is no option for the DSG on the RS4. U are confused with the R8 having the E-tronic from the lambo.

i love how I get negged for just telling a fact.

I didnt bash the M3, i love the M3, just stating a fact that both were manual.

This site is going to shit with half the retards on this site.

Jeez.......I swore it had an S Tronic box, well w/e. BTW im not a retard, I just made a mistake.

Very nice video, but who is the winner in the end?

Wooohooo!!! who is the winner? who is the winner? all the fanboys are yelling so they can start a flame war...
Well I am sorry to disappoint you all but there is no winner. It's a tie, as you can read, 0-100KMH, weight, max speed, the Audi is a bit more expensive. How ever the test driver does mention that the M3 had a little brakes issue, but we all read that before, so no news here.
So it comes down to preferences, to them those cars are absolutely equal, but the Audi is a better all around, all weather "family car", the M3 is more aggressive, is a coupe, performs a bit better on the track, but is less practical. So at the end the conclusion is:"if money is no object I'll take both".

Yes, an RS4 sedan and an M3 convertible. That would be perfect.

Basically, there is no winner.
The professional driver said he would love to have both as they are very, very close together.
Of course both have different points: one is based on a sedan and the other on a coupe.
The M3 has a little of an edge on the track but is betrayed by its weak braking.
Both have the same 0-60 time but the M3 is slightly heavier than the RS4; remarkable weight for the RS4 when you consider that the RS4 has Quattro.
In the end, if price was no object, he would buy both cars.

He didn't say the M3's brakes were weak, no, he said compared to the RS4 (optional) ceramic brakes they were "weak". Indicating how good the RS4's brakes are.

Agent 001, please ban amazinBimmer.

His comments are as unecessary and degrading as BenzW124's.

amazinBimmer provides no factual information to support his opinions and his only reason to post is to support BMW while purposely degrading Audi's image.

Autospies is an enthusiast website and can not tolerate having people that post solely to ruin the image of one of the world's great car brands.

amazinBimmer's posts degrade Audi's image, ruin public perception of the brand and are not based on any factual information, rather only opinion.

We can't see this blatant disregard for the Audi brand any longer.

I ask that you please take action immediately, Agent 001, and ban amazinBimmer from further destroying your credible website.

I agree he's a jackass but there are plenty of similar Lexus and Audi folks on here. If we're going to lay down the law make sure it's across the board.

Yes, I 100% agree with germannut. We do not need people like amazingbimmer and david898 or that houstoncutie, they just do not add any value to this forum/website. Either ban them or give us the option to put those users on IGNORE.

I bet agents won't do anything. But I can post this post like crazy until they see us and hear our requests. It's not fair for people looking for car facts to hear non sense based on no facts what so ever from some lunatics.

Referring to an Audi as a VW is just amazinbimmer's low IQ attack at something he's afraid of.

"I agree he's a jackass but there are plenty of similar Lexus and Audi folks on here."

Lexus, yes of course, but Audi? It seems like most of the idiotic Audi fans (actually, all of them) have either left or been banned.

Biggest Audi clown ^^^^ yes thats right..... GermanNut.

germannut

I agree with you 100%, same with BenzW124 and david898

There is no room for the IS-F to join the competition. Just look how beatiful those cars are, they sound really amazing too.

But at the end, I take the M3.

The IS-F is more the C63 AMG competitor. On paper it has nothing against the M3 and RS4.

RS4
M3
- both V8 around 4 litres
- high-revving
- track-focused handling
- 6-speed manual gearbox
- 420 hp both

C63 AMG
IS-F
- both automatic gearbox
- big-displacement V8 engines
- big torque
- 457 hp against +/- 425-430 hp in the Lexus
- Lexus 7000 rpm redline, Merc 7500 rpm redline
- available track performance package on C63

I can't believe anyone has the audacity to include the IS-F in a class with these classy iron fist in a velvet glove sedans. The CTS-V is the only other car that arguably deserves to be included with the M3/RS4/C63.

Sad to see that the S4 looks more composed than the M3. Unless the M3 driver is gratuitously hanging the tail out just for the hell of it, the Audi is keeping up with little fuss.

This is an RS4, but yes, I agree. The RS4 has better steering, but the M3 has better handling. There's a difference.

And why would you be sad? This just pushes BMW to go back to the drawing board and create a better M3. Audi will do the same with the RS4. Choice is good.

Both awesome cars. The M looks a little more fun as it can be tossed around so easily. Would clearly just come down to what you prefer as neither one is better than the other.

It used to be that the M3 was so much better than anything in the class that to pick something else was just because you were different...now the RS4 is a credible alternative who would have thought?

This is a super-hard decision. In my situation, I'd take the RS4. It offers slightly more practicality (although basically no more usable rear seat space), better steering feel, a manual tranny and of course AWD. But the M3 would definitely merit tough consideration if I lived in a warmer climate. Don't think the RS4 is a compromise because of were I live- it's not. I would probably take it over the M3 anywhere, because there's a certain mystique that RS cars have that M cars seemed to have lost in the last decade.

I have driven both RS4 (on multiple occasions) and the new M3 and I too prefer the RS4 steering. It feels better weighted and you always know where the front wheels are. The M3's steering is extremely precise but a bit too light for my taste. But I guess I could get used to it. Enginewise, the M3 takes the cake. It feels it could do more than 8400rpm unlike the RS4 feels a little out of breath above 8000 rpm. Don't get me wrong they are both amazing engines but Motorsport GmbH has much more experience in building high-revving engines and it shows.

I wouldn't buy the RS4 now, because there is a new A4 that looks so much better. So M3 for me.

I don't think the new A4 looks "so much better." It is still being compared to the RS4, after all, and last-gen or not, the RS4 looks amazing.

I would get it in either black or Sprint Blue, with the Titanium Package. In case you don't know, it gives it dark-gray wheels, all-black trim and black exhausts. I'm sure it looks incredible.

BTW, I DO think the B8 A4 looks so much better than the B7. I was just comparing the B8 A4 to the B7 RS4. I can't wait for the B8 RS4...

Germeezy, since when have you been a valid car enthusiast. M has always been better than the RS or AMG? If you go back to 2003 you'll see the RS6 hands easily out preforms the bmw, and barely behind the AMG. Please...

It's people like these that should be banned, not the comedics Ie houston cutie or the other ones who i cant remember.
The sad thing, i think geermezy might have been serious.

The unfortunate truth is, my E46 M3 will probably be my last, as they have become about as common as Honda Accords here in the south west.

When I had my E30, I'd hardly ever see more than a couple outside of race days, but now, I see them everywhere.

That saddest part is that far too many of my fellow E46 owners inform me that they bought the M3 simply because it was the 'top/most expensive model' 3-series, and not for its performance potential.

Darned Poseurs!

dlin...Black Series is with MB AMGs. CSL is with BMW M cars, particularly M3. Got it? :)

It certainly looked like it was a lot easier to drive the Audi at the limit than it was the BMW. I guess it depends on whether you want the excitement or not as to which vehicle you'd feel more comfortable with. It also looked like the two vehicles were pretty much head to head so with either one you have a winner.