the m3 is nice... bling bling but i'm into modding cars soooo.... as said above, spending both arms & legs to get **** fixed on a bimmer.

 

Dude Evo all the way. Used to love the M3, that is... until I got my EVO 8. Its the thrill of driving on the edge, the M3, just it has awesome power, 333HP. but for me thats less than what I have on wheels on my evo. Nonetheless, the M3 never gave me the thrill and excitement of driving. Its too... smooth... the EVO on the other hand has given me what I needed, the excitement of always wanting to get back in the car and just drive all day.
EVO's are one of the best vehicles out there... I say that with confidence.

I do wish I had another gear... especially on the highway going to work everday.

 

If you want a road going race car-EVO
If you want luxury and performance-M3

Also,the fastest E46 M3 just run 11.9@125MPH. In order to build a 11sec M3,you will need 15 grand. In order to run 11sec on EVO,you will need 4k max with a 1.7 60'.So,think yourself.

 

ok this is the internet, so if u're being sarcastic i can't detect it.

Evo mag. just did a test that showed the Evo IX fq320 (which is basically usdm Evo IX) is faster around a lap than the rs4. the rs4 being quite a bit faster in the straightline than the IX means that the IX outhandles it by quite a bit to be faster around a lap.

5th gear's Tiff Needell (sp?) did a test btwn the rs4 and m3 on slightly wet roads. the rs4 killed the m3 easily around a track due to better handling (Tiff emphasized this in the vid IIRC). this would mean this: rs4 >m3, but since evo IX > rs4, evo IX >m3 around a track.

granted the outcome would probably be a bit different on different tracks, but judging by how much faster the IX was than the rs4, and how much faster the rs4 was than the m3, i'd say the Evo IX's the faster car around the lap stock for stock against the m3.

on the highway however, the M3 should be able to take any stock Evo VIII's. i knwo this by experience. not sure about the IX, but dont think the outcome would change that much...

stock for stock Evo's have trouble with 350z's above triple digits, and m3's can take 350z's quite easily at those speeds....

 

An evo 8 with 750 bucks of mods will pull on an e46 any speed (TBE + flash).

 

I wondered about that handling comment from the former M3 owner as well. Not my experience, at all. If anything, the EVO handles about as well as the Carrera S I test drove. Much better than the STI, which should also out-handle the M3 easily...

 

Evo magazine times on the same track showed the IX FQ340 to be about 84 secs and the M3 to be about 89 secs. Handling and a fast lap time are two different things though.

If we are talking about handling being the feel and response of the car, I think the Evo still handles better, having recently sold the M3 to buy the IX FQ340. The steering feel on the Evo is better as well as having a quicker rack, the brakes have more feel, and I find I can read the breakaway better on the Evo than the M3. The Evo is a league apart on twisty/bump road where the M3 just skips about... if you tyres are off the tarmac you have fewer options LOL. On the same road I can go about 20-30mph quicker before the Evo starts to skip about. Absolutely astonishing difference in body control over the rough stuff. M3 had just as much grip on a dry smooth bend though at high speed.

 

jcsbanks, can you summarize what the FQ340 has going from the factory that results in so much more hp than we get? I've seen the stats in the back of EVO magazine and wondered. Is it mainly tuning or are there better internals?
It is interesting that we can get to that mid-300 whp number with minimal mods with our USDM model.

 

Magazine racing, it's like sitting in a high school cafeteria.

 

Without a doubt the stock EVO IX will out handle and out accelerate the stock 2000+ ///M3 sedan with the S54 "333hp motor", Prior to 2000 the M3's had the S52 motor with 240hp. Now the ///M roadster 2001+ with the S54 motor 315 hp detuned from 333hp will accelerate very comparable to the stock EVO IX, The ///M roadster is what you have to worry about.
M3- 1/4 mile 13.4 only with the auto, 13.6 with the manual
M roadster with a good driver 13.0, 5 speed manual only
EVO IX with a good launch and driver 12.9

The M roadster weighs about 400 pounds less than the M3

I have a 2002 ///M roadster for sale PM me if your interested.

 

LOL! The IX MR is different from the VIII. Go and read on it. Better turbo and we are at 10.5 instead of your 9.5. add the 6-speed with a close ratio and there you go.

 

If I were cruising on the Autobahn everyday at 100mph+ then I'd take the M3. For other uses I'd take the Evo.

Of course everyone here is going to say get the Evo, now go to a Bimmer forum and they will all say get the M3.

 

Internals unchanged. HKS downpipe, stock cat, HKS Superdrager cat back, Ecutek remap, HKS hard intercooler pipe kit. 345 BHP. Also has leather/alcantara seats, Smart Nav, GPS tracking unit. Overall the exhaust is 2.5" to the cat, then 2.75" after that. Costs 33000 GBP!

FQ320 is the same without the (performance) remap - 326 BHP, possibly with a UK fuel remap. 30K GBP. Also loses the tracker/leather/alcantara.

FQ300 is the JDM model, possibly with a UK fuel remap. 28K GBP.

They all have Xenons, S-AYC, ACD, 235 section A046 rubber.

On most UK dynos, 320 WHP is about the limit on the stock turbo on 98 RON (like your 92-93 PON). Mine did 345 WHP simply because I used a dyno that is less lossy, but about 400 BHP is your lot on a UK dyno.

 

just a minor correction, the e46 chassis did not have ///M3 sedans

 

Thanks much! I appreciate the summary. We're getting a bargain on our IX MR's for mid-thirties, imo. I love EVO mag and picked up a copy last time I was layed over at Heathrow. They really like the EVO and so do I!

On an aside, I'm amazed reading the Brit mags just how different your driving experience is - interesting technology for avoiding speed traps, etc...

Cheers!