F1 is about winning, not about drivers having fun . . .

 

Yup...to make the closest apple-to-apple comparison you have to add a total of $4,150 to the M3's base price, bringing the M3's "IS-F-level" base price to $57,950, although it would've been nice if Lexus didn't make the moonroof standard and offered a lower base price without the moonroof.

 

thats really bang for the bucks

 

Some owners do track their cars on weekends. That is the beauty of the M cars..

We are talking about cars here, not anyones momma. See page one of this thread were the IS-F seems to enter the frey. All in fun baby.. I have a Lexus of my own in the garage.

Yes agreed. I may seriously get this car later down the road myself. Possible $649 lease deals for the new M3 on the horizon..

 

Last time I checked, F1 never used a torque converter. And speaking of 0.1 shift time being proudly quoted for IS-F, E46 M3's SMG shifts at 0.08 and that's what 6+ years old??

And even if M3 were more expensive, it would've outsold IS-F by wide multiples. Now with base price below what people were expecting, there will just be far more M3 than any from the group of RS4, S4, C63amg, and IS-F.

 

Did you miss the post or the BMW press release where they said months BEFORE pricing was set, they plan on selling over 100,000 M3s this generation.

BMW has their sales targets irregardless of what else is out.

 

Wow that's very competitive pricing....this price and 6MT option will make this a winner

 

achieving such shift times on a torque converter, widely considered to be the weakest of transmissions is a feat in itself.

M3 is more expensive if you put it against a base IS-F, base price is irrelevant when these things will come loaded from the dealer with market adjustment fees

 

BMW releases official info on M-DCT w/ Drivelogic (BMW's new dual clutch transmission)

Full info/PDF:
http://www.m3post.com/forums/s...07582

DCT acceleration specs:

M3 coupe manual: 4.8s 0-100kmh (1580kg by DIN)
M3 coupe M DCT: 4.6s 0-100kmh (1600kg by DIN)

M3 sedan manual: 4.9s 0-100kmh (1605kg by DIN)
M3 sedan M DCT: 4.7s 0-100kmh (1625kg by DIN)

M3 cabrio manual: 5.3s 0-100kmh (1810kg by DIN)
M3 cabrio M DCT: 5.1s 0-100kmh (1830kg by DIN)

So by BMW standards, it and the IS are neck and neck if not the IS faster. But they can thank R&T for saving their behinds..

 

Oh yeah?

 

damn convertible takes a big performance hit

 

Although it is lower then I expected I still think paying over 50K for an small entry level lux/sports sedan with a v8 or higher tuned engine is just too much for what you get which is it just being faster and handling better then the standard model. Also it is absolutely rediculous that BMW has the nerve to charge extra for metallic paint, leather, 19in wheels, etc at this level. As soon as someone tried to charge me thousands extra for those things that should be standard in this caliber of car I would walk right out the door. Sure BMW may have a somewhat attractive base price to some but once you start adding up everything that should be standard and a few extra options like NAV the car becomes way overpriced. I would not be surprised if BMW starts charging thousands extra for power windows, power seats, power mirrors, HIDs,cruise control, etc as long as people keep paying extra for these things that should be standard. Not trying to pick on just BMW as I think the AMG C class, S4/RS4, ISF are all way overpriced at over 50K for hotrodded versions of small entry level sports/lux sedans.

 

Everyone knows that BMW figures are very conservative. Real world figures have been clocked @ 4.1s
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=329624

It's possible for the M3 DCT to hit 60 in 4s?

I don't know about you but I only trust human shifting my stick.

 

i think you know better than that

with DSG i think its safe to say the m3 will be faster in a line vs the is-f:
1 it weighs less
2 it has at least as much power
3 it has an edge in powerband for performance
4 it has significantly more aggressive gearing throughout its speed range
5 its transmission will provide contant power delivery, with higher efficiency

bmw claims are VERY conservative.
by their estimates the is350 should be faster than the 335i..but we all know how that one would work out

 

So many inconsistencies in this post and others in this thread that I just have to laugh.. Metallic paint is not thousands of dollars for BMW's. Please check bmwusa.com and build any BMW to your liking. I have the optional Titanium metallic on my X3 and the cost did not exceed 1k. People bring up gas guzzler tax. lets look at the EPA numbers for these factory hotrods.. 16 city 23hwy, 14 city 21hwy, 13 city 20 hwy, 14 city 21 hwy. Now lets play the game of which is which...Kinda hard to decifer the M3, IS-f, RS4, C63from the numbers above eh? Heck, all of these machines are all gas guzzlers So in closing,people really don't buy an M Car for it's fuel efficency.