Audi hammering BMW at its own game

BMW propellerheads always yell out "Just a VW" before the run and hide. History on the race track has proven it. Every time Audi hits a series where BMW is. BMW decides to run and hide rather than compete.

Lamborghini has beautiful Audi switchgear and HVAC controls in the Gallardo.

That puts the whole VW arguement down.

how can you compare an old platform to the new one? Of course it's going to get beat by a modern car. The M3 is still a great drive. The RS4 will be a hard one to beat though, but I'm sure the new M3 will be right on par with it.

Audi fans comparing apples to oranges again...

The current M3 has been clocked at 4.5s in some tests and somewhere between 13.5-13.6secs in the 1/4 mile....add 70+ hp to the new car and RS4 times will be there....what about the CSL...that will be even better....

This article should be titled "Audi Hammering BMW's Old Models" to be accurate.

I never understood why BMW fans cant just face the fact that the RS4 is faster than the cureent M3 in every respect. Apple and oranges huh? I'll tell you about apples and oranges...comparing Road & tracks Audi RS4 0-60 times against Car & drivers M3 0-60 times. In any controlled experiment there has to be at least one constant. For example, the instrumentation used by that company doing the experiment in the first place.

GermanNut you keep telling us that Audi sucks and that you are going to have your next car be a BMW then you keep posting stuff like this. WHAT IS THE DEAL?

I am sure bmw fans don't need you and I know Audi fans don't want you.

Cpillar- the current M3 does 4.5? only downhill with a headstart. my S4 (with a little help from some tunning) is a 4.7 car and I havn't see a stock m3 that is close. (of course most people can't drive)

CPillar- Every Audi that comes out will be compaired to the old model (in less they come out the same day)

When the new M3 hits I am sure you will hear Audi fans talking about the next generation S4 or RS4

When the new RS6 hits you will hear BMW fans talking about the NEW M5 and so on.

the M3 is still a year away and by that time you will be within a year of the RS4 refresh. Remember the M3 was to have come out last year but was delayed (for some reason right after the RS4 was anounced.)

When the M3 comes out I will be telling you about the 2009 RS4 that uses a Hyperdrive from a jet fighter and you will let me know about the 2011 M3 and the fight keeps going on and on and on and on

This thread was started in response to the "BMW beating Audi at their own game..." or something thread. Trolls, all of them...

Will- to be fair. I've actually noticed a lot of naive BMW guys that are comparing the "old" (current model) M3's to the current undisputed king of sport compacts...the RS4. Also I'm saying that up until the RS4 the M3 was king. was...

BMW Run and hide or satisfied to simply place?

Anyone would be a fool to say the 3 series is not a successful series. However for remarkably similar companies the Audis and the BMW never really compete against each other much on the track where the real boys play.

When the paths do cross the BMW’s seem to be at a distinct disadvantage.

Examples:

DTM Racing a unique German Series originally created in 1984. BMW initially participates until 1989, however Audi starts in 1990 and BMW leaves the series and Audi wins the series in 1990 and 1991 in an Audi 100 and again in a TT in 2002 and again in 2004 in the A4. The series does not run from 1995 to 1999.

WTCC- SEAT (owned by Audi) is currently leading the series. BMW is in second

Championship Rally 1983 and 1984 Audi took the world championship with the Quattro. Not a BMW in sight.. Actually since the advent of AWD in Rally not a single BMW has ever competed successfully that I can tell.

Speed World Challenge

2000 Audi enters mid season, and barley loses the entire series by 20 points to BMW
2001 Audi S4 takes the series closest BMW overall is 5th place
2002 Audi S4 takes the series closest BMW overall is 25th place
2003 Audi RS6 takes the series BMW is 2nd place
2004 Audi RS6 is 2nd place closest BMW is 27th Audi pulls out to pursue other interests

American Lemans: Audi enters and wins series in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and is undefeated in 2006

24 hours of Lemans: Audi wins in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004,2005, 2006 2003 was an basically an Audi R8 raced under the Bentley banner which took the race. BMW won in 1999 and the Audis placed 3rd and 4th in their debut.

So the question is why and where are the BMW’s? and more importantly why does BMW pursue other efforts when Audi announces it is going to play.

I have NEVER seen a BMW M3 clock faster than 4.7 seconds for 0-60.

I don't believe that an M3 has been clocked at 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds unless you show me proof.

There is proof that the Audi RS4 has been clocked at 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds when it was tested against a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 or 4s I believe in the Road and Track article.

I write articles like these to bring out the arguements from both sides. As you all well know, I don't favor either BMW or Audi. I currently drive an Audi and also spend quite a bit of time behind the wheel of various BMW models.

It makes me laugh to see everyone tear at each other.

I drive an Audi and all the Audi fans love me and BMW fans hate me.

Soon when I drive a BMW the BMW fans will love me and the Audi fans will hate me.

GermanNt- You will have been seduced by the dark side.

A majority of the participants on this site do not own, can not afford, nor have ever driven an M3 or a RS4. Get real kids.

Very Reliable sources (within Audi AG) that I know personally have assured me that the next generation RS6 will not be beaten by the upcoming M5....I wish all you bickering sally's on here would come to terms with the fact that VAG (Volkswagen Auto Gruppe)own VW, Audi, Lambo, Bentley, Buggati, Seat, Skoda, and Porsche now have a 25% stake in the company...BMW is on it's own and builds fine cars, but in the long run VAG is going to kick their ARSCH!!!!!

I personally think the new 335i is simply the best car in class.

Not only is it as fast or faster than the current straight-line leading Lexus IS350, but it's the only car that has the best acceleration with a manual tranny.

We can never forget about BMW's driving dynamics which are the best in every class when compared to Audi, Mercedes and Lexus.

For the aforementioned reasons I'm getting a 335i for myself.

Color combination will likely be Sparkling Graphite on creme beige with dark black high gloss trim (almost like the piano black)

Another stupid article.......

Another thing to consider......what is the price difference between the current M3 and the RS4? I wouldn't complain if either landed in my driveway, and I agree with BavarianMotorrad, the majority of posters on here probably haven't ever driven a BMW or an Audi for that matter unless their parents have a base model 325i sitting at home, so most of the so called "experts" on the site are talking out their arse.

What the hell are you talking about? The BMW is over 5 years old and the RS4 just came out. The RS4 costs 15k more than an M3 and why are you even talking about the next M3 if you don't know anything about it.

Lets hold the conversation to what is out currently.

Yes, there will be another M3 in the future and an IS500 as well.

For the time being unfortunately there isn't an M3 with 400 horsepower or an IS500.

Right now at this current point in time the RS4 is clearly the best performing luxury sport-sedan on the market.

Didn't I hear BMW is coming out with an M3 sedan for the first time in a while? If so, that will be the show down, the M3 sedan vs. the RS4 vs. the IS500. Then, when the A5 and IS coupe models come out, the M3 coupe vs. the RS5 or S5 (not sure yet) vs. the IS500 coupe will be the big brawl. Who will win (bum bum bum).... Audi of course, haha, just kidding... No one can possibly know.

Well...
This is the first time I've spotted this post. From an un-biased view, I wanted to comment. A couple of things I want to say, but firstly. I had an E46 M3 which I loved and now I have the new RS4, which I also love. They both had/have their faults, what car doesn't? Anyone who has driven either will tell you how good they are. Yes, the RS4 is quicker on road and on track and it's power is more accessible. Yes, the RS4's roadholding is awesome in the wet and would destroy the M3 in terms of traction. It's more practical with 4 doors. However, the RS4 cannot match the M3 in many ways. The M3 is plainly more fun and I like that in a car, it has more character. The M3's balance is astonishing, It's hard to describe really unless you've driven one. Put simply, it's sublime. My M3 averaged 26.1mpg as opposed to the RS4's 20.7 I'm currently getting. Also the RS4 seems to be drinking quite alot of oil, which isn't cheap at 16 quid a litre! Resell values are clearly something worth talking about on cars that are as expensive as these. I paid £48k with options for the beemer and after 3 years with 30k on the clock i still got 29k from a dealer. That may sound like alot of depreciation, but it isn't. That's still 61% retained value, which is bloody good. I paid £55k for the RS4 with all the same options up to the same spec as the M3. I'm forecasted a 53% retained value after 3 years, which leaves me with £29,150. A £6,850 deficit. Obviously these are guestimates, but that's what I have been told.

People on this forum seem to have a huge problem with comparing the E46 M3 with the current RS4. Why? They're both on sale for the general public and are worthy contenders for your money. Just as when the E90/92 M3 comes out next year, they will be fighting for your wallet. It's all about weighing up the pros and cons of either car and asking yourself what you want from a car, not this nonsense of whos got the bigger penis, with 0-62, 0-124 and all that crap. If that's how you compare your cars then you're an idiot. How often do you sit there at 0mph practicing your perfect starts?

In conclusion to a very patchy and long comment, the newer car should always benefit from newer technology, making it better to drive, live with etc. etc. So until the time that these rivalling manufacturers release cars at similar times, quite simply - The better car for you IS the better car for you, regardless of when it comes out.

jtgct:

"The M3 is a great car for the money."

So what you're saying is the M3 is a poor man's RS4?

kitkat14- Thanks for the unbias comments. We could use more level heads around here.

wtf, someboby please tell me you did not just suggest to compare two vehicles seperated by 6 years

AnS4inOC.

Surely a Subaru Impreza STI or an Mitsubishi Evo IX is a poor mans RS4? Not an M3... We're talking about a couple of grand in price difference between the M3 and the RS4.
I'D PUT MONEY ON THE EVO-340 (AT £33k) DESTROYING BOTH THE M3 AND THE RS4. Which isn't bad for the money is it? But all of us here would rather have the german machines even though there is a huge price difference.