S4 vs M3

[Dippy]

After years of S4 ownership I finally went up against an M3 last night.

I was at the traffic lights of a motorway roundabout in the left lane. I was headed left down a dual carriageway. A car pulled up to the right of me (this lane can be left or straight on), but I didn't bother looking at it.

When the lights turned, I pulled away quite normally. As I usually outpace 90% of road cars anyway I tend not to race from the lights. However I noticed that the car to my right was racing from the lights, and as we went round the corner and he pulled ahead of me, I noticed that it was a (latest model) M3.

I saw that ahead on the dual carriageway it was clear for maybe a quarter mile, and then there was a single car in the left lane. So I thought maybe I would test my acceleration against the M3, and booted it.

The scene was briefly as it was in car movies like the Fast and the Furious, where one car edged in front of the other as there was a slight difference in gearchange. I also noticed that the M3 made a hell of a noise, like a cross between a chainsaw and an vacuum cleaner on overboost.

My plan (as always) was to not exceed *** miles per hour, and as it turned out I was doing that speed by the time I caught up with the car ahead and was happy to break off the race.

So fellow S4 owners, who do you think won?

By the way, I was pleased at the way both of us peformed our driving completely safely and within UK road laws and guidlines.

[SimonS4MTM]

I had a similar experience a while back, I had the slight edge.

[maxxximus]

An E46 M3 is pretty much like for like if your stg1 but stock hed have the edge.

Must say that having owned an S4 now for 11 months i can count the number of 'encounters' with top marques on only one hand. Pretty disappointing as im always up for some tarmac terrorism if conditions and speed restrictions allow.

Best encounter recently was with a DB9 on a dual carriage way. Spotted the driver making excellent progress in my rear view - he was not hanging about. Let him pass me and he gets caught by a set of lights. He chooses outside lane even tho it was clear both lanes. I choose lane 1 of course but hang back slightly - good tactic i find. On the signal he floors it but is suddenly finding himself looking a bit of a tit as some anonymous audi smokes rubber in his face . But my victory was short lived - as he got the edge above 80 and then stormed it. Couldnt wish to be beaten senseless by anything better.

[ZeroK66]

I am looking forward to the day I come across an M3... just hope that I perform well - I will be gutted otherwise!

[harry]

I pay them (M3) no mind TBH - well it'd hardly be a fair comp now would it?

[andy1234]

My friend has an e46 m3 with the SMG box and we have had a few runs on a very long dual carriageway. From standing he gets quite badly done over, but when moving it becomes a bit more even. Over 1/3 of a mile ive pulled about 15-20 car lengths on him. He gets done over in the coners as well when its even slightly damp (although in the dry his car is awesome). Are drivetrain losses going to be a lot higher on our cars compared to them tho?
On a slightly different note, i got made to look like a right plonker yesterday when i was taking one of my friends over to a bodyshop. We got lost, the guy that runs the place came to meet us and show us back to his industrial unit. He turned up a SL65 AMG biturbo, and made us look like we were going backwards on the way back to his. Awesome bit of kit!

[ZeroK66]

OUCH - even wtih your K04's...

I should hope you can piss all over M3's wtih your setup!

[GrahamS4]

Mr T says "I pity the fool who messes with an AMG '65"!

I know someone with a modified CL65 - he has been to various VMAX events at Bruntinghthorpe - if you see one, save your self respect and play it cool - that goes for those with an R in front of their S too!


It's only been a few weeks but I've not had a run with anything interesting yet .... fingers crossed.

I'd like to know what I can contend with in stock form!

[andy1234]

E46 m3 is 345 bhp, and mines prob around the 370 bhp mark so im not going to leave it for dead by any means ( hence my question about transmission losses). All the more reason for me to pull my finger out and get the bigger injectors,fuel pump and rs4 ICs that my cars been needing (if i dont have to sell it to fund housing that is ).

[ZeroK66]

Ahh, didnt know that you had not done the full hog!! Your car is a beast waiting to happen, how can you resist??? Forget the house!

[andy1234]

Can i come and live with you then?

[harry]

Just put the back seats down and sleep in the back mate - helps the BHP too don't ya know

Forgot - you don't have an avant - yet!

[MarkB]

Come on Dippy... Spill the beans, who won?

[KayGee]

Upto a hundred S4 chipped should edge an M3 (1-2 car lengths) unless it is a CSL in which case it will win by approx. the same margin. I agree about those engines, sound horrible to me, like a bag of spanners falling down a metal staircase....

Stage 3 S4 beats a DB9 fairly comfortably BTW.....happened twice, a maroon one and a black one, black one with an Aston Martin member of staff driving.

We have a local dual carriageway they use to test/demonstrate them on.

[harry]

Yeh Kevin those dual carriageways/roundabouts round your way are awesome - I had much fun on them the day I was down at yours