Clash of the German Trio.....again.

Here is an excellent objective comparison of the Audi RS4, BMW M3, and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

Each car has its own strengths:

The Audi RS4 has Quattro AWD, understated looks, a glorious exhaust note and better handling than any previous Audi. It is truly a confidence inspring car with the looks, price, interior and sound to match. Although based on a 7 year old A4 chassis, the RS4 still is capable of rivaling the newest high-performance M and AMG products from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The C63 AMG is powered by its huge 450 horsepower engine, while also delivering the most torque out of this trio. Its looks are the exact opposite of the Audi. With creases, bulges, vents and bumps everywhere, the C63 is anything but understated and it makes sure everyone knows this is not an ordinary C-class.

The BMW M3 is powered by a V8 also featuring 420 horsepower. Although not as raw as the previous E46 model, the M3 exhibits excellent handling, steering, feel and competitive acceleration that keeps it just behind the C63 AMG in straight line performance.

At the end of the day though, it is the Audi RS4 that wins this test. It was the car that forced BMW and Mercedes to go back to the drawing board and re-think their future competing cars. The RS4 is a champion of its time and as stated a huge upset since it was declared the winner against the perennial favorite BMW M3 and the sledgehammer C63 AMG.

The current B7 Audi RS4 will be out of production within the next few months, but there will be a new RS4 based on the B8 platform. With much improved handling, look for the B8 RS4 to offer even better performance.

It is truly great to see Audi forcing its competition to raise the bar and then still managing to stay competitive, and in this case, defeat its German rivals.

It really comes down to preference to decide which of these three cars wins comparison tests. As you know, Car and Driver declared the BMW M3 the winner in their comparison tests while the RS4 has been declared the winner in many different comparisons.

All three are great cars and it should be very interesting to see where this contest goes from here.


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S4cabriofoxone - 10/29/2007 10:38:04 PM

+3 Boost

CAR is an excellent magazine. I always enjoy reading it and always pick it up if there's a new issue at Borders.

And I still say I want all three... well, because I do, I really do. I wouldn't be able to choose between them without months (years?) of back-and-forth.

golfer38 - 10/30/2007 10:57:40 AM

+1 Boost

I totally agree with you, that's why I'd pick the C63. I know that's a contradiction but here's what I mean. All things being equal, looks inside and out, equipment, etc., that last, but in this class, the most important thing is performance. I like all 3 equally so to make my decision, I would simply choose the fastest one, and the C63. I'll never see a racetrack with any of them so I don't care which one is quicker around a track by a tenth of a second. All I will experience is when anyone pulls next to me at a street light or rolling on the highway with an M3 or a RS4 all they will be seeing is my tail lights which is truly the essence of performance, who ever crosses the line first.

britbox - 10/29/2007 11:26:26 PM

+1 Boost

I think CAR is the best auto magazine ever. The quality is so above the American publications here. I owned a E46 M3 and LOVED it. I drove an S4 and loved it. I love the styling details in the Benz. I will be looking to purchase in the next year so I am doing all the research now, which is half the fun. I can't wait to see the new RS4 and the new SMG transmison in the M3. I do think that whatever of the three someone picks they are going to be stoked because they are all so close with not one being a huge standout over the others. The best would be to test drive all three and then go home. The right car will choose you.

seevemonka - 10/30/2007 12:12:59 AM

+2 Boost

Very good objective comment britbox..

GermanNut - 10/30/2007 1:06:42 AM

-2 Boost

Of course the RS4 is weak it has only defeated the new BMW M3 in 5 comparison tests.

I can see amazinBimmer you are giving in to Audi's success.

It is limited edition because Audi does not want to sell a zillion of their high-performance specialities.

These cars are all sold out, but the uinque thing about Audi is, unlike Benz which throws an AMG badge onto every model lineup, and M which is started to expand its lineup as well, Audi wants its cars to be a rare find and they sure are.

The RS4 is in production when your so-called king is kicking everybodys butt, even though your so called King got its butt kicked here and in a couple of other reviews by the Audi RS4.

Wake up idiot, its only November, the RS4 is still in production and has been tested against your M3 and whopped its ass.....again.

JRobUSC - 10/30/2007 8:35:49 AM

+3 Boost

kudos to Audi, the RS4 is an amazing car. We all know that. But get off your podium there and stop acting like the RS4 is destroying all comers in every test. You left out a lot of text from that article where it explains the reasoning behind their choice ("the M3 is more entertaining, would be faster in the hands of a skilled driver, etc.". And FYI the RS4 has lost at least as many comparison tests to the BMW as it has won.

They're both awesome. Let it go. Why are you so hellbent on proving something you can't prove? Is your head that far up Audi's ass (or do you really hate BMW that much)? Seriously, get over the inferiority/little man complex. They're both great cars.

Star - 10/30/2007 8:51:39 AM

+1 Boost

"I agree, that on a track, the M3 will devour an RS4",
"Let me put it this way. For a blast, I’ll take the M3, but to live with, I’ll take an RS4"

So this guy understands that the M3 is the superior machine, he would just prefer the RS4 as an every day driver. GermanNut you are close to becoming a psychopath with this fanaticism when it comes to Audi. You should post the original article instead of your incredibly biased interpretation of it. The Audi didn't win anything in this comparison. The guy that wrote this article said he would prefer the RS4 as a daily driver but admitted that the M3 is by far the superior car when it comes to performance. STOP LYING... GermanNut. I know you hope people will not read the original article and form an opinion based on your twisted interpretation of the article but is not going to work. Again...STOP LYING.

JRobUSC - 10/30/2007 10:25:59 AM

+1 Boost

I know you weren't directing that at me, but first, that's hardly "universal", and second, I'd personally want to own the car that was the most enjoyable to drive. Whichever one was going to give me the biggest grin on an open road. They're all fun, they're all nice, they're all great. The one that I enjoy driving the most is the one I'd buy. I've never driven any of them, but if we're talking "universal" most magazines have given that edge to the M3.

Star - 10/30/2007 10:44:03 AM

+1 Boost

"because of course you would rather have an M3 as your day-to-day over a car that almost everyone universally says is the best day-to-day sports car on the market"

Actually most of the reviews chose the M3 as the winner.
So, first this BMW M3 is criticised for losing its edge in the sense of being to much of a daily driver, and now is criticised again because it looks too hardcore compared with the grandma's RS4. Why would somebody choose a water-down version of a performance sedan like RS4, over the all-fun mighty M3? Whoever says this BMW is too hardcore for everyday driving never drove the previous models obviously and never really wanted a performance car in the first place.

golfer38 - 10/30/2007 11:05:58 AM

+1 Boost

It is amazing how contradictory some of these articles can be. I read an article about the C63 a few weeks ago and they said that it was the most comfortable of the 3, then recently I read an article that said it was the most uncomfortable of the 3. It makes it very hard to use a writer's opinion to support your own view especially when some of these testers don't have a clue.

Yonder7 - 10/30/2007 11:38:55 AM

+1 Boost

He just express his own view point. From mine, I'll be happy, only with the C63, It have so many amenities that weights 400+ pounds more than the M3, however the M3 wont be able to catch him, lets remove the governors and the M3 will bite the dust and the Agility mode in the merc helps a lot if you consider that it is 400 punds heavier than the M3 and stil just one mille slower in lane change and 3 more faster than the Audi. Can you imagine what C black series can do....This is a great year for all Bimmer, Audi or Merc fans because we cars that we will enjoy a lot at their limits.

golfer38 - 10/30/2007 4:38:31 PM

+1 Boost

..aahhh, what?

BMWfan_Alfredo - 11/1/2007 2:41:23 AM

+2 Boost

M3 <3

POINT IS!

German cars are the sex :D

993Turbo - 11/2/2007 6:18:38 AM

+1 Boost

They are too slow developing next gen A8