Can anyone answer the question:- which is more of a drivers car ( acceleration / top speed / braking / road holding / cornering the works, you get the picture.
BMW M3 or SUBARU IMPREZA ( UK SPEC ).
This is a debate my friends and I can't agree on, some think the BMW is quicker in a straight line but would get left behind on the twidly bits by the SCOOBY.Acceleration could be anybodies, but grip must surely lean in favour of the Scooby.
I know this depends on the conditions of the road but taken the whole picture what do you guys/girls think. If anyone has experienced this debate I would be very interested to hear from them. p.s I am bias to the SCOOBY.

 

Do a search on M3 and you will find a fair number of posts on the comparisons.

 

We've got both cars at work (hard life innit ) and IMHO the scoob is a better car all round.

The scoob sticks to the road, leaves everything standing (including our M3) and all in all is a nicer drive. What more is there to say?

 

Arron,
My previous car was an M3,I now have a P1.Although the M3 was a lovely car the P1 is quicker in every aspect acceleration, midrange and top end, it also handles a lot better. The M3 was very unpredictable on high speed corners when on, or close to, the limit. I found that the biggest problems were a very slow rack and poor throttle response, these two coupled together made it very difficult to control any sort of slide.
The real advantage of the M3 is it's fuel consumption (30 mpg average) but I'm afraid that is it's only better point.
The only thing with this comparrison is that the P1 is obviously new and I have not yet tried the new M3?

 

I have a m8 with an M3 and to be honest I leave him for dead - he only keeps up at the 140-150 mark

however, I drive an Sti so not sure how the UK model compares

 

Thats strange I have a uk my98 and I,ve had an M3 pull away faster than the P1's and Evo vi's did at Oulton Park.I've also come across an old M5 which was faster again.

Andy

 

erm, Kris, i thought you wrote off your M3 for a UK Scooby

 

Damn, cant think of the magazine which had an Impreza that left an M3 on the twisty stuff, dont think the M3 driver was impressed thou, on a wet corner and he nearly lost it!! try to find that mag for you all and post it on here

 

Here is an "Autocar" article comparing the Scoob to an M3, 911, GTI-6 and elise.
the idea was to find out which is best AWD, FWD, RWD (with engine in front, middle and back).
the Scoob won bigtime!http://www.subaru.co.nz/autocar_feature/autocar_content.html

 

Here is an "Autocar" article comparing the Scoob to an M3, 911, GTI-6 and elise.
the idea was to find out which is best AWD, FWD, RWD (with engine in front, middle and back).
the Scoob won bigtime!

 

In 1997, Car & Driver (US car magazine) did a comparison test to see the best handling car in the US. The list of cars included NSX-T, Ferrari F355, Viper, Corvette and some other cars which I don't remember. It also included a US-spec M3. The M3 won the comparison. No Impreza was there so I can't really compare but it shows that the M3 is a great handling car (at least in the dry).

As for acceleration, maybe they're equal to 60 MPH but after that the M3 (Euro-Spec) shouldn't have any problem beating an unmodified Impreza Turbo-UK spec. Top speed goes for the M3 (155 MPH electronically limited vs 144 MPH Impreza Turbo). I think a P1 vs M3 is a more fair comparison.

 

I've never driven an M3, but my thoughts are that it's got 300+bhp or whatever, but it's alot heavier than a scooby. So I'd acceleration would be roughly the same until high speeds were reached where the sheer bhp would push the BM on further than the scooby, hence 155 for BM, and 144mph for uk scooby. On the twisty bits you need to be able to chuck a car about, and obviously a perfectly balanced lighter scooby which has it's layout designed for acheiving just that for rallying, it's bound to be better than it's heavier friend the BM. The 4Wd is just a bonus meaning accel can be harder and earlier out of corners because a fwd or rwd would spin off or understeer, especially the BM cos it's heavier and more powerful, so rear wheel spin has got to be a prob on the twisty bits when accelerating out of tightish corners.

The scooby would beat an M3 on the twisty bits I think, but round a fast race track or in a straightline on motorway the BM would have it I think.

Good job UK roads are more twisty than not eh!??

 

(IMHO)
I sold my M3 for a UK scooby ..... Says it all really !!!!

I found that the BMW was better than the scoob in
1. outright power and braking ability
2. Build quality
3. Trim level

HOWEVER .. the scoob was better in
1. Level of grip
2. Turbo fun
3. Handling in the wet
4. General driveability

The BMW was excellent at everything to the stage it was boring. And when it was wet it was lethal. Also they cost a fortune to run and service and you have to be careful where you park them ( the wing mirrors alone cost £300) !!!
Scoob is better drivers car giving more FUN and they are tunable and you can fiddle with them. You cant do that with a BM.

k

 

I have got an M3 convertible and a scooby V3 Vltd and the m3 kicks the scoobys **** in a straight line( certainly from 60 upwards ) The scooby is quickest off the mark but with 320 bhp from the M3 it doesnt stay infront for long. However when you come to a corner the M3 is left, it is a convertible so the ride is set slightly softer than the hard-top but i cant imagine the coupe M3 having more of a chance on the corners.

M3 cruising, Scooby everything else.

cheers scott

 

Not quite off-topic, more slipping to one side.

I had an 323 Coupe which I did not even get into for three months when I got my Sti V. I then only used it rarely until it went back to the company.

Today I have just tried a 330 CI - it is one of the very few cars that I have driven since getting the Scoob that has impressed me in any way. It is an order of magnitude better than the old 3-series in terms of handling fluency, throttle response and brakes.

Where the old car was lardy and lethargic the new car is all action and ability - plus incredible refinement. Even the Scoob felt laggy and slow when I got back into it (until I powered up the boost )

My point is simply that if the 330Ci is this good, then put my name down for the new M3 - 0-60 in 4.7, it's going to blow most Scoobs into the weeds. BMW have actually built a decent car I am loathe to admit

So, I agree with Jonathan for a change

Things must up in the Kingdom of Denmark.

R

 

Rannoch

Fair's fair, the M3 would blow most BMW's into the weeds as well.

 

The new M3 is also a lot more expensive than all but the most outrageous Scoobies.

 

Mungo

Not sure the M3 will be a lot more expensive than the new STI Scooby which is its direct comparison.

Importers seem to be quoting 33k for a new STI. Most dont even seem to be looking to import them. When IM import the STI and rebadge it you can bet it will be in the same region. An M3 from europe can be sourced for around 35k. So not sure where you find the difference ?

Jonathan

 

As I understand it the new shape Scoob has not found favour with the importers due to currency and conversion costs - one major Scoob importer said it would be £30k on the road for a Jap spec WRX, so imagine £33-35 for an STi.

On this basis they will not bring them in as when they did this originally people would pay as there was nothing else even close in terms of performance for the money.

In a years time there will be more competition at lower prices.

Also, based on what I have seen, tried and read, the new STi will have to be absolutely astonishing to beat the new M3.

I vowed I would never get in a Beemer after my last ownership experience, but I may just have to change my mind and join the enormous queue that has formed!

R

 

Saw one today (new M3) looks lovely, esp the arches.

One question, arent BMW having a few probs with some sort of variable valve thing at the mo?. In which case, best to stay put until its sorted then get one?

 

....Tried my best me `ol mate , but sold it repaired good as new... ahem officer !!
k

 

cash, sold as seen, ahem officer?

 

Sunilp - where did you see the new M3? I didn't know that they'd been released to the public.

Stuart H - Do you have an M3 as an unmarked pursuit car?

 

Not sure about the new M3 - haven't seen one in the flesh yet. Guy at work has a 323 Ci and another colleague is ordering a 330 Ci Sport (with all the bells and whistles), so this should make for some interesting comparisons. The car I really like at the moment is the new M5 - great Q car - quite subtle - (apart from the huge wheels and the four exhausts ) and it makes a fab sound.

Chris

 

Chris

The M5 is still pretty pricey though. Best part of £50k.

 

Very true - I was just dreaming - would be nice to be in position to afford one though...

Chris