BMW_Owner

The only thing the AUDI and BENZ can beat BMW engines at is in the looks department... I guess BMW can't be top of everything :P

Just_me

Of course we arent Schumis and even if noone here (including MB fans) arent skilled driver doesnt mean you can have fun with a M3. I dont need the easiest "drive" to have some fun once and a while. I want something fun to drive and just with C63 you can have fun with M3, pro driver or not.
Also I like to rev high as possible and C63 only reev 200 rpm more than my current car so for a change it would be fun to have a car reeving above +8000 rpm. Also reeving to 8400 rpm feels a little bit more racinginspired and although we arent pro's I think M3 and C63 offer different driving experience and so far M havent let me down.
I dont need to be a pro driver to apprecitate the M3 and if I was a M3 owner I would have money to join BMW Club meeting and go to trackmeetings. Just to explore the M3 better and at the same time improve my driving skills. I certainly dont buy the M3 becuase I want to challenge C63's.

If I want a nice engine cover I buy a Alfa Romeo but I plan to drive most of my time with the hood down so no problem if its not pretty.

Personally I think C63 kit is a little bit overdone, particulary the front . I prefer the M3 style, clean and little bit invisible.

Beemer B773ER

Well the wise and mature BMW fans wouldn't do such a 360-turn, but I will admit there are some immature fanboys who would contradict themselves just to wind up MB and Audi fans.

Overall though, who seriously gives a stuff about the engine cover? Might as well start comparing which of these 3 cars has the best looking windscreen wipers.. or best designed seatbelts... useless stuff really.

Compare wheel design or something.. that's at least something a bit more interesting..

Steve

Guys i posted that to see your responses people jumping to defend themselves and BMW. i love BMWs ive had E46 M3, E39 M5, 323ci, 335d ive also had, E55, SL55, C32, Clk320, i loved the first 3 but the clk was RUBBISH. and ive had S3, RS4.

I do feel that there are two sides in all these C63 vs M3 threads.

People will have a personnal prefernece and having read many post before joining the forum there are a lot of biases from members.

Does it really matter that the C63 is faster in a straight line......no
Does it really matter that the M3 can go around a track 0.87 secs faster than the c63.......no
Does it really matter that the M3 has a plastic cover on the engine......no
so on and so forth, etc etc.........

What matters is the the BUYERS likes and dislikes.

IMO after a test drove the E92 M3 i felt that it didnt feel special enough for 55kGBP, didnt have enough torque ( even though it did feel fast) maybe that is because i currently drive a remapped 335d with 500lbft.

So having looked at the C63 hearing its engine noise and the fact that it is auto, and still owning a C32 ( the wifes car) decided that is the best car for me.

People on here that have niether driven either car or is seriosly thinking of purchasing one should just calm down a little as all this arguing is a little tidious

Just_me

I agree with most parts in your post above, Steve.
I driven RS4 and the new M3 and I like them both but the M3 had better roadfeel. Noone here has driven C63 but still we can say bad and good about the car. I can only compare it to previous AMG's I've driven and I rank M above AMG's. Like I said before, C63 need to be really special to win me over from a M3.

I driven old RS6, E55, E63, M5 V10 and M6 the M cars were my favorite cars, I find a bit special to reev +8000 rpm, I dont have the addiction for tons of torque, if I did I would buy a diesel and not a petrol car.
Also I dont mind using a manual and change gear one more extra time just to get good acceleration since thats what I've been doing for 15 years. I also like those seqventiell gearboxes and its going to be intresting to see the new DCT for the M3.

Different cars for different taste. Both cars will sell. No doubt.

martinbo

Perspective. It's an amazing thing. All these people whining about the M3's ugly engine bay...

Now for pete's sake once and for all. The M3 does not have an engine cover. At all. Period. The big black box sitting on top of the V8 is the engine inlet air box or plenum.

Interestingly, when I look at the technical photo's of the M3's engine - particularly the inlet system - I simply see a unique work of breathing art that is unmatched in this class. Eight proud inlet trumpets feeding eight individual throttle bodies. So then, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you don't know what you're looking at then how can you possibly appreciate it fully?

mrkc77

I've found some pics of the engines just for comparison and for me, while the C63's engine block seems to stand out more than the others, the M3 and RS4's engine bay seems to be more "cleaner" and less fussy in appearance.

Anyway to credit is due to BMW (again!!) for taking the M3 to the next level against some improved competition, especially from AMG. I remember not that long ago, when the C63 was unveiled and the specs released, some BMW fans were fearing that the new M3 would lose its crown as the benchmark. It's still maybe early days but the M3 has already "won" 3 comparisons so whilst, it has gone softer than the E46 M3, it still seems to me as the benchmark car in this class.

Regardless, the C63 is still the one I would buy if I had the money simply because it is the one I like most out of the 3. Having said that though, I wouldn't mind having all 3 cars in my garage .

Just_me

Preach!
I'm guilty
Yep, I was wrong, M3 is still the drivers car according to the masses. Also I driven the new M3 and I wasnt disappointed with the drive.

Good choice but not same as mine To each his own.

I agree 130%

mrkc77

^

Cheers Just Me,

As much as I like to see you and other BMW fans shit in their pants when the C63 was unveiled, I always thought that the E92 M3 would still be the benchmark, as much as I hate to admit it.

I remember back then thinking, if a 6 cylinder E46 M3 is a better driver's car than the V8 C55, imagine a V8 powered M3?

Sunny

While the M3 engine bay is nothing to write home about, I am glad they didn't put some heavy metal cover over the intake plenum - like the AMG unit. It would have been cool if they used carbon fiber, but I'd rather pay for CF on the roof than engine bay. (I am sure the CF in the RS4 engine bay is optional - heck it is optional even in R8).

I am also glad BMW doesn't spend too much time on such trivial stuff and rather spend their time on what lies underneath like the independent throttle bodies a few inches below - form follows function. Another car with crap engine bay - 911 - another ardent proponent of "form follows function".

My POV would have been quite different if the engine bay was actually exposed like in R8 or F430, but it is not in these cars.