WHO IS THE WINNER? Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche 911 Turbo vs. BMW M3- Think You Know?

For the record I'm not mad. And I am going to buy that issue RIGHT NOW.

— Hantra (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 2:33:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

coool!

— Peyton18 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 2:42:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

I am definitely not mad either. In fact I am envious, and perhaps intrigued as to what wonderful drugs where required to induce hallucinations severe enough to make an M3 outrank a 997 Turbo, or GT-R.

I've driven the M3, and have had ownership experience with the 996 Turbo and M6. The M3 is a superb vehicle no doubt, but hard number wise, it does not come close to either of the other two.

I have yet to read the article, but perhaps they were judging the cars more from a "tomfoolery" perspective, in that points were given for tail out hooliganism and drift-type shenanigans. In that case the M3 would be at an advantage...but if not, its not.

— AutoEng (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 2:42:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 13   

Another magical pixies dust working overtime!

— hatepusss (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 2:51:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

What are you even talking about? The M3 is on my list. Go back to bed.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:20:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

what does rs4 got to do with this?....its obviously not in the comparrison as you can see smartypants!

— Audi4Life (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 5:10:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

This just shows that numbers arnt everything. There are other factors in car quality and driving satisfaction.

— carE10 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 2:56:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Can't wait to hear what MichaelTaylor has to say!!!

00J

— Agent00J (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:00:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Ouch... I have no idea how the M3 managed to win, but that's an achievement.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:16:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

German engineering! Enough said.

— Star (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:26:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -10   

At the end of the day I'd take a 911 Turbo.

— Batman219 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:49:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

More interesting is that the 997tt wiped the GTR up in acceleration. As far as the M3, if you've driven one you know it has a terrible shifter, poor on center steering feel and quite frankly isn't that much more impressive that a 335i. My guess is that C&D wanted to be controversial and they sure did that. The reason the M3 "won" was because it's "price as tested" was so much lower (it got alot of points for that) and a bunch of things like trunk space/features and amenities etc.

BTW, the M3 outpointed the GTR and the 997tt on "fun to drive" - now that's just plain a riot. And it outpointed the 997tt in the "got to have it" category.

What nonsense.

nonetheless, the M3 is a great car - and if you can't afford the Porsche or the 100K GTR (with the stealerships markups), it's a great choice

— pcar4evr (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:51:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

ohh so that will be a must read article. Can't wait to see what was their criteria for points...etc.

JUGNU

— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:53:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Can there really be a winner when there are no losers?

All these cars kick major ass.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 3:57:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11   

Just another C&D way to sell magazine by comparing apples and oranges.

Maybe next time they should compare a SL65 AMG to a Lancer Evo and I can already see the result, "Overall, comparing pricing and drivability, Lancer wins hands down".

I laugh everytime when I see they use the "got to have it factors" or "personal preference factors" on these comparison test.

Well, at the end, C&D just another bathroom reading for me when I do my number 2.

— blueshirts0819 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:04:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 17   

The 997 is much better looking IMO; it isnt gaudy. Both the M3 and GT-R have little gaudy trinkets that are unessecary. Im really starting to dislike the M3 design, and the R34 GT-R is MUCH better looking than the R35. The R35 isnt as classy as a Porsche and the new M3 looks too much like a boy-racer's car. Performance wise, i like all of these cars.

— Rennsport (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:24:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Agent 001

I own a 997tt and a 335i - my BMW dealer let me have a M3 coupe (was thinking about trading in the 335i for the M3) for an extended test drive. I did not find the difference between the 335 and the M3 that significant, other than the screaming V8. But compared to my turbo? lol

— pcar4evr (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:40:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

Sure the M3 is an outstanding vehicle, but I believe this articles is biased and inaccurate

— xzil3d (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:51:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I'll certainly be looking for the article when it's posted.

I'm curious to see if this is one of those comparisons where one car beats the other in the performance tests but loses the overall contest based on other factors.

— cyco (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:56:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Too bad the 911 Turbo and GT-R will spank the BMW M3 in every acceleration test, handling test, track test and any other performance test that uses numbers to reach its final conclusion, not opinion.

C&D is the most BMW bias magazine there is.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:56:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

wow what a complete joke. i always knew car & driver and autospies shared some degree of bias towards BMW but goddamn...thinking a M3 can take on the 911 turbo or a GT-R is funnier than saying bush will get elected again. every non-bias car enthusiast knows the 911 turbo and GT-R will hand-chop the M3's @$$ without even getting near the redline.
this shouldnt get anyone mad nor should anyone take it seriously. there were numerous tests done to these cars along with the R8 and i dont recall the M3 even coming near the top spot. yeah the m3 is a great car but the GT-R will murder that thing like a bug to a gorilla.

— KZ258 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 4:57:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I'm laughing harder now since I'm reading the "final Results" of how M3 beats GTR and 911. M3 bascially took all the points because of "rear comfort"??

Since when do I bring my kids or my in-laws when people drive these cars? Is not a freaking sedan!!!

Another reason this magazine is only good for when I do my number 2.

— blueshirts0819 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 5:24:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

I'm a big BMW fan but I can't see how they gave the nod to the M3. The GT-R will destroy the M3 in every performance measure. These are performance cars, aren’t they?

Car and Driver is now what I consider to be a crap magazine. Their BMW bias is sickening. Maybe I should read the article first before I say that :-)

— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 5:40:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

haha, this is some funny sh*t. So what happens when these M3 owners get smoked at the track by these 2 superior cars? They say " but car and driver told me I bought the ultimate driving machine, I cant lose!" ROFL...although as a daily driver the m3 is a logical choice...but when your buying true sports cars logics out the window and speed is king!!!

— xlr8 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 5:59:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

how is it that the slowest car is the best? Watch this video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hjwJl4t-DF8

and decide for yourself.

— KillBot (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 6:07:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

fast is fast no matter what its called.

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 6:16:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

In any case, this is not a good news for Porsche. They don't have a good product coming out in the near future. So, I think, maybe, lower their HHHHight prices is a good option.

— MZauto (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 6:29:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Everyone who has subscribes C&D know that they are a BMW bias.

— Brembo (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 6:33:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This victory validates the M-division credo of:

1. Naturally aspirated engines.
2. Rear-wheel drive.
3. 50/50 front/rear weight bias.

The M3 V8 may produce at least 160 less hp than each of its rivals, but this proves that on-paper numbers are deceiving. An engine must never, never be faster than the chassis of a performance car. So says the book of M.

— weaponX (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 7:28:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Another extremely controversial topic waiting for flame wars to happen. Don't even bother commenting on this as the Nissan, Porsche, and BMW loyalists will back their brands respectively.

These 3 cars are spectacular in their own right.

Porsche - enough said
GT-R - has proven to be a great car and as usual great value for the price. Can't beat Japanese pricing.
BMW M3 - lives up to its hype. Sounds great but the looks are subjective.

Truth be told. I'd be happy to own any of these but I would still get a 911 Turbo because I love the wide hips and the iconic Porsche look. Of course it's in completely different price ranges but the other cars are NOT duds!. STUDS all around.

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 7:59:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Regardless of the outcome, I think it's great that we have 3 awesome cars at different price points which all would bring a smile to our car loving faces!

— TimmyG (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 8:16:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

This is how I rate these cars:

1st) Porsche 911 Turbo - tie

1st) BMW M3 - tie

2nd) BMW X6

48th) Nissan GT-R

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 8:31:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7   

so from what I am getting from most bias people here is that if it was

GTR in first-it would be expected, BMW sucks, Porsche sucks.

BMW in first (as is the case)-Autospies is bias, C&D is bias and not a trustworthy source.

Porsche comes in first-Autospies is bias, only posting german stuff, C&D is bias

So from what I'm getting, most blind fanboys here will not except anything less than what they want to happen.

— ThierryHenry14 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 8:39:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I say who cares what rank they come in. I haven't read the story or anything, but if I had to choose, I'd definitely choose the GT-R because it'll chew the behind out of the M3 anyway. Plus, you'll turn more heads.

— SSP350 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 9:21:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Funny thing about the whole thing is how you schmoes argue through it all. It's like a pissing contest for guys with small peckers.

— TheDevil (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 9:43:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Car & Driver's results are quite shocking considering the GT-R walked all over the 911 Turbo in the Road & Track comparison.

— MunichRob (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 10:02:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Thierry Henry we are simply asking for magazines such a Car and Driver to base their final rankings of these 3 cars on their measured performance figures and not price.

TO say that the 911 Turbo or R8 buyer would also be considering an M3 as an alternative to their Porsche or Audi is simply ridiculous. No one I know goes shopping for a $120K+ car and at the same looks at a $65K car as a possible alternative.

BMW is not that good - and that is clearly evidenced by the Porsche and Nissan's superior performance figures for every single category tested.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 10:26:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

This test came down to price. the M3 was last in every performance test. But it offered similar performance for a much cheaper price. The Porsche was fastest and Most expensive. The The GTR was extremely fast and brand new and offered great handling but was ugly and the M3 was fast and inexpensive when compared to the GTR and Porsche . But for the price of the Porsche you could get a GTR and an M3.
T

— TauronB2G (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 11:22:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Exactly my point Agent and Tauron. Sure, the M3 might be cheaper, but it is so much cheaper and its performance numbers everyone knew would not be nearly as strong as the 911 Turbo's or GT-R's and Car and Driver goes ahead and gives the M3 the win purely based on price which is not even a category that an actual person would consider when looking at the 911 Turbo vs. the BMW M3.

No one cross-shops a $120K+ Porsche 911 Turbo that can go 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and blitz the 1/4 mile in 11.7 seconds with a $65K BMW M3 that can't even clear 4 seconds to 60 mph and can't clear 12 seconds in the 1/4 mile.

Next time if Car and Driver uses criteria that people looking to buy these 3 cars ACTUALLY USE it would prove for a much more realistic and accurate description of these cars performance capabilities.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 11:44:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Car & Driver no longer has any credibility left, this just proves that fact, not a single driver enthusiast to be found in that camp, they just went collectively loco... it's like when Roger Ebert gave "The Usual Suspects" 1.5 stars - when clearly, it was one of the best movies to come out that year, what a bunch of nut jobs :)

— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 5/30/2008 11:53:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

"GermanNut" I don't understand your reasoning, if BMW isn't that good in your eyes then how is Audi so good? They're even further behind than BMW when being compared to the performance machine that is Porsche.

— MunichRob (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:01:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

I got this issue yesterday, have it in front of me.

Here is their reasoning:

"The voices in our head say: 'How could the M3 win against a GT-R and a 911 Turbo? Are you guys goofy? BMW jock sniffers! How could you let this happen? Impossible!' ... The extremist voices of the Porsche and the GT-R are just not present in the M3. ...the M3 doesn't skimp on supercar performance. It just happens to be dressed in a polished and practical package.

"As one test driver put it, 'The M3 is the car that the driver has the most control over.' Oversteer, understeer, and neutrality are all on the M3's resumé, but they're dependent on the driver's inputs."

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:27:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Well, everyone has a different opionion. In the end though, I would have to say the GT-R dominates both cars. Each person has to choose for themselves though.

— PerformanceGuy (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:42:15 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

"As one test driver put it, 'The M3 is the car that the driver has the most control over.' Oversteer, understeer, and neutrality are all on the M3's resumé, but they're dependent on the driver's inputs."

Exactly why Car and Driver has lost its mind. The drivers who buy the Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R want their car to go like a wild beast that, if controlled properly, can deliver driving thrills the BMW M3 dreams it could.

The Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R were not built for understeer. The cars were designed to be uncompromising sports cars that put their drivers on the verge of shitting themselves as they get near a tricky corner but if handled properly, few cars can delivery such addicting thrills and the M3 would not even come close to being one of those cars.

MunichRob can you please explain how the Audi R8 which has defeated some variant of the Porsche 911 (including the 911 Turbo) in 9 comparison tests is behind BMW's M3 which has only defeated the Porsche 911 in one comparison test?

MunichRob you are telling me the Audi R8 with its upcoming 520 horsepower V10 (numbers are confirmed) is farther behind BMW in challenging Porsche when the 420 horsepower V8 R8 has already defeated the iconic Porsche 911 Turbo on more than one occasion.

Come on fan boy let me hear your reasoning on this one.....

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:58:27 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Car & Driver's goal: Let's pick the car with the best performance and driving thrills

Car and Driver's Assessment: Let's pick three cars which we know won't all be cross-shopped against each other (Porsche 911 Turbo vs. BMW M3) and let's pick one car that costs half as much as the most expensive car in the test (BMW M3 at $65K vs. Porsche 911 Turbo at $125K) and we know its performance doesn't even come close to the other two cars and give the cheapest car (M3) the win even though buyers of Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R are specifically looking for a no-compromise, raw, hard-edged, sports-car designed to rip the track apart with no concern whatsoever for practicality in any sense of the word.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 1:04:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

I like how all the Audi fanboys have to talk about audi on every thread.....lame.

— 911gt2 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 1:19:12 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

This is truly scary shit going on here. The BMW lovers are going over the limit, pathetic. The Porsche and GT-R are beyond even the M5, yet the M3 beats them??

This is disgusting to read honestly.

— Designer1 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 1:58:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

one interesting observation is that this GT-R was way slower than the one C/D tested earlier. Quite intriguing how that can happen, I'm talking 9 miles per hours difference in the trap speed.

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 2:28:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

It is a wrong question. Who will be a winner of 2nd hand vehicle in after 5 years (in 2013)? Because considering the durability, BMW M3 and GT-R will loose. The real rank can be:
1. 911 Turbo
2. M3
3. GT-R

— deepwater (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 3:14:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

for me they are all ( NO. # 1 ) The differences is a matter of taste and personality. I haven’t driven a GT-R before but I feel that it will fit my personality and satisfy my needs :)

— almady (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 3:19:24 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

This is all getting real stupid. I have made my mind up to where I will lay my hard earned money. These brain washing magazines have gone so low to bullshit the public that they are not worth the paper it's printed on.

— simmonsdp (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 4:35:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

M3 is not in tha same league, otherwise we can include few other cars in this test. And if even God makes a car and they(C&D) compare it with a BMW,fot them the BMW wins. These thisng about BMW become realy ridiculous. And this part of the article about the ISF show how much Agent00j loves just to see how easily he can play with us. Let's open all our eyes and don't get emotional just because the Agents want it.

— EL44 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 5:13:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Everybody should check out Chris Harris' Autocar Magazine review. It's pretty clear, the M3 doesn't hold a candle to the GTR. He also uses a GT3 in this comparo.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bAYJLCrLjOM

— Bmw8ter (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 7:50:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

I wonder how much money BMW pump into this magazine. Maybe they should call it BMW & Driver.

The most recent road test article of the FX50 they quoted "Infiniti's FX gets a makeover to become better. Faster, and stronger. But we're still not sure exactly what it is."

Hmmm..that's funny, when they review the X6, which I think is in the same category, they ended with the quote saying "After all, the heavier, slower, and half-as-capable Range Rover is an aspirational luxury SUV for many."

They sure can figure out a BMW X6 came out just 6 months ago but not a Infiniti came out around 7 years.

Go figure.

— blueshirts0819 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 9:00:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I'm realy surprised by this article. I start to beleive that C&D is in tight relation with BMW company.By the way i was hasitating between the M3 and the ISF but after trying both of them i've ordered an ISF. Here in Switzerland all ISF's are sold out and the statistique say that more 35% are old M3 and AM owner(mostly AMG owners).. Agent 00J or you're so immature to right this kind of articles or you're a BMW fanatic.

— LE34 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 9:10:03 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

You too

— EL44 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:26:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

If your concerned with purely accleration numbers then the M3 looses, but there are other factors for example the M3 had the best handeling, it had the fastest lane change time at 75.1 mph which was 3 mph faster than the GTR. When grading the cars they looked at all aspects of them, they looked at the vehical in terms of livability, the quality of the powerteran, the chassis, the experience, and how each car balances all of these aspects. I dont think its to far out there for a group of people to pick the M3 as there favorite considering its the most livable,best handeling, best engine,best chassis,most fun and engaging to drive, and its the cheapest! Sounds like a winner to me.

— 911gt2 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 11:07:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

If your concerned with purely accleration numbers then the M3 looses, but there are other factors for example the M3 had the best handeling, it had the fastest lane change time at 75.1 mph which was 3 mph faster than the GTR. When grading the cars they looked at all aspects of them, they looked at the vehical in terms of livability, the quality of the powerteran, the chassis, the experience, and how each car balances all of these aspects. I dont think its to far out there for a group of people to pick the M3 as there favorite considering its the most livable,best handeling, best engine,best chassis,most fun and engaging to drive, and its the cheapest! Sounds like a winner to me.

— 911gt2 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 11:08:05 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

poor guy!

— EL44 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 12:28:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

we need a car and driver/motor trend/road and track comparison. i used to think motor trend was a dead last publication, but lately car and driver has really been making the other two look really really good.

— gsh23 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 2:09:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

don't really care. don't read C&D years ago. Prefer UK's CAR and EVO.

Maybe an "isolated" case. In most tests, GTR came on top.

— mwrmmg (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 3:06:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

this comparisson is just hilarious and rubbish...how can you judge by some points such as rear seat comfort and space? did the gtr and the porsche recently get an optional 2nd row? no dont think so

— Audi4Life (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 5:17:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Why did my posts all get deleted?

— henbmw (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 6:24:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Soon Autospies,C&Dand Edmund will compare the BMW with god.And believe me the BMW will win.

— EL44 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 7:39:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

C&D might as well have pitted the M3 against 2 F1 cars with a conclusion like that, in the article. The F1 cars are faster, handle better, and cost more than the M3 but oh wait....the M3 is more practical.

— Bmw8ter (View Profile)

Posted on 5/31/2008 11:55:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

"GermanNut" look, you can't use a car that Audi has not yet put into production to their credentials. The fact of the matter is BMW has considerably more raw, better driving, track oriented machines in their line-up than Audi. You can't argue that.

True the R8 has beaten the 911 on many occasions, but how many cracks at it have they given the M3 in comparison? Obviously not as many considering the 911 & M3 don't compete, but here we are with probably one of the only comparisons on hand between the two, & the M3 came out the winner.

I also looked up some performance numbers on R&T's website for the M3 & R8 & found the M3 to be the stronger athlete.

R&T's #'s

R8
0-60:4.3sec
0-100:10.7sec
1/4 Mile:12.8@109.8
Slalom:71.1MPH
Weight:3650

M3 coupe
0-60:4.1sec
0-100:9.5sec
1/4mile:12.5@114.8
Slalom:71.4MPH
Weight:3600

That is my reasoning to why I feel Audi is further from Porsche performance than BMW. However don't get me wrong, I recognize that Audi has a more desirable dream car on their hands than any BMW with the R8.

Also the whole fanboy thing bares no weight coming from you. The difference is I'll see an R8 on the road & hype it up to whomever I'm with, you'll see an M6 or M3 on the road & downplay it.

— MunichRob (View Profile)

Posted on 6/1/2008 7:40:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

smh @ C&D silly magazine...
that youtube video is the truth...
godzilla is the baby veyron

— Denali (View Profile)

Posted on 6/2/2008 1:12:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I don't know what C&D were thinking by putting up two high performance road raging bull of cars like 997 turbo and the GTR to a very different car in M3. They just don't match up in their specs, respective performance targets, and surely customer target. M3 is a great car, but really it has no chance against the other two in any road surface when you want to go fast. If you want to put forth the agrument that M3 is better because it has a more pliable and livable drive, then i guess you are in the wrong blog, because this is no place to raise your buttock's comfort issues, but rather it is about which car goes faster, and which drives more responsively, and which is the funnest to drive. And both GTR and 997 turbo trump the M3 in big leaps in these regards. The C&D people would have been much better off comparing the GTR and the 997 turbo against the R8 of Audi, because all have similar objectives of dominance of supreme performance.
My choice is as follows:
1)GTR(simply because it is the fastest of the lot and is earning a reputation as being the poor man's veyron for it's ground breaking technologies, record breaking performance figures, and a reestablishment of the revolutionary raw charm that was first introduced by the previous Skylines)
2) R8 (It is the best looking car by quite a margin, but it's performance figures are not as supreme as that of the GTR(acceleration 0-60 in 4.2 sec compared to GTR's 0-60 in 3.5 sec), but it is better than the 997 turbo because of it's seamless engine and magnificent gearbox. I choose the GTR over this just because it is faster and for me that is what makes a car better).

3)997 turbo( A supremely talented and thoroughly well rounded car that we know as the king of the sports cars under the bunch of the supercars(ferrari, lambo, Koeinegsegg, Pagani), but the car has been around for some time now, even the 997 incarnation, and i would much rather opt out for the newer more exciting generation of high performance sports cars in GTR and R8).

— farabira1 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/2/2008 6:36:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

My previous car was an M3 (of course not the new one) and I have always been fond of BMW; however, I am not biased toward a brand or any one manufacturer. I have also driven a GTR about 150 miles as well as a short test drive of the new M3. The GTR is very well put together and does not have the fit and finish or quality issues some of you are assuming it has based on it being a Nissan. It is extremely liveable day to day and the performance is almost unbeatable. I can assure you the GTR is in another league than the M3 and it is immediately apparent when driving both. It is obvious to me that C&D has different priorities than I have when analyzing a vehicle which is why you should take these comparisons with a grain of salt.

— Randry (View Profile)

Posted on 6/3/2008 6:16:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

It amazes me that so many people compare cars strictly by their zero to 60 numbers or a few track tests. When it comes to tenths of a second performance differences you have to compare much more. I like the M3 because it combines luxury and outstanding engine performance. The Porsche is a great sports car and for pure speed so is the GTR. Nissan can make fast cars, but lets see where the resale value is on a GTR in 5 years. I wish the Porsche interior was nicer and had more features- they lag the competition and have for years in this area. Porsche does have awesome engines and exterior body style. The GTR and Porsche are also really 2 passenger cars with tiny rear space, which is fine if you are single or have 1 friend. For me, the M3 has the best combination of technology without going too far with extra gadgets or plastic like the Japanese do with their cars. I bought the M3 hard top convertible- truly awesome convertible for $69k. Someone tell me a better hard top convertible out there for that price??? Outstanding combination of performance with room for my kids or friends in the backseat and it is a blast to drive at any speed. Love the styling and it turns heads wherever I go. P.S> Sales of M3s in 2008 were up 50% year to year despite the terrible car market.....that tells you where people are putting their money!

— irongate (View Profile)

Posted on 2/4/2009 11:23:50 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1