Is F V New M3

[Realitycheck77]

IMO I think not only wil the IS F be quicker and more powerful but it alos looks better IMO, but with looks theirs not much in it to fair the new M3 looks nice aswell, but again I prefer the IS F, especailly in that Blue, but I think it will be very nice in Silver aswell.

Oh and interior, well IS F all the way!!!!!

[Rsarin]

so realitycheck you are saying the ISF will be faster than the new M3,based on what?the figures on paper?that means bugger all im afraid.IMO its too soon to say,but my angle is its highly unlikely to be quicker.BMW rarely miss out on shocking with performance.The F will have to beat it on the ring aswell b4 any awards are given out.

[javadude]

295 ft lbs of torque

Hey thats what ths IS220d has got too tho its a wee bit slower than an M3

[swfcdan]

on another note i read the other day that Audi have stopped making the RS4 ready to launch a new car in the future.

whichever way we look at it...for those who have the cash there 3 quality cars to choose from! 4 if you include the new C class AMG cars!

[johnboy]

I think MB and BMW have had there day now, its time for soemthing new and better to take over.

I would go for the ISF any day

Most people, especially estate agent buy a BMW just for the badge, and to tell everyone what they have, not because they are any good.

I have driven many and dont know what all the fuss is about, and there are so many around this area, incl M series they out number the fords. There a bit like chavved corsas.

i thought this was a Lexus site, not BMW appreciation site

[Rsarin]

youre right johnboy1,I back the lexus,**** the bmw sucks ***,ill save my love for bmw for a bmw forum.

[Rikos]

I like the IS-f :shutit:

Lets just all get along! :P

[Parthiban]

I think it's gonna be tight between the IS-F and the M3, but I'm with Rsarin on this one, until I'm proven wrong, my money would lie with the M3 being the better performance machine.

While I think BMW have lost it a bit, the M division is still something special, and the current 3 coupe is really good looking, just shame about that horrible interior.

I hope the IS-F can put up a fight against it, but I think it's going to be a heavy autobahn stormer than nimble track day car - hopefully I'm proved wrong :)

I think I'd still buy the IS-F though, as a car to own, BMW leave a lot to be desired, and don't think I could live with that horrible carbon fibre roof on the new M3 (unless they decide to paint it)

[maneesh]

it's gonna be interesting, as Lexus with it's eye on refinement and passenger luxuries, have tended to make their cars less connected to the road than BMW, in order to give the car that unique Lexus feeling when driving or riding around in one.

It will be extremely fascinating to see if they can actually launch a "true" rival to the M3. The M3 has a lot of pedigree and heritage in the fast coupe world, and rightly deserved.

I for one, hope that the new IS-F is as good to drive as the figures on paper suggest.

[Mike_B]

Most people, especially estate agent buy a BMW just for the badge, and to tell everyone what they have, not because they are any good.

I have driven many and dont know what all the fuss is about, and there are so many around this area, incl M series they out number the fords. There a bit like chavved corsas.

BMW 3-series do, in fact, outsell Ford Mondeos in the UK.

Not quite sure why really, the Mondeo is a great car and a fair bit cheaper. I think perhaps it's because cars have got so much bigger these days for their class, that you can easily get what you need into a Focus and not need the bulk of the Mondeo. My Dad has a 2 year old Mondeo estate and it's very, very nearly the size of my 6 year old GS!!

[aido]

Yeah know where you're coming from Mike, I'm a massive fan of the new Mondeo, think it looks the boy!

I'm really not sure what's going to happen here, Lexus may make inroads into the performance saloon market but it wouldn't surprise me if the entire package of the M3 would outclass the IS-F at the end of the day.

The biggest challenge is going to be getting fans of the M-Series or S/RS-Series to realise that there is another challenger on the market - and in all fairness I don't think Lexus will be able to pull this off too well at the first attempt - maybe three or four cars down the line things will be different imho.

I know currently I can pull on M3's in a straight line but they'll be all over me on a roundabout or corner, a friend of mine really is a good driver and he scared me in his M3 - weird how the noise makes so much difference!

Like it's already been said - you want fast in a straight line - AMG are your boy - for the handling Audi and BMW have it sewn up, the Quattro seems to put the power down better in all conditions however, but when I was out in a standard S4 it just didn't seem that fast due to the power delivery - not a bad thing but it was nothing compared to the modified RS4 I was out in, now that was fun :D

[LennyLexus]

^^

Yes there are 37 3 series to one lexus (all models). If I was in the fortunate position of having to worry about which of the two i would buy, I'd go for an F, even tho the M might be a better PERFORMANCE car, but its way to common, BMW time done. I think the next revision of the IS-F, maybe coupe version, will give Beems something to worry about, maybe not the British public are still quite ignorant about anything that isnt from mainland Europe.

[aido]

Yeah good point Lenny, I reckon the F division will make bigger inroads in the USA first of all, before it really takes off here anyway!

[Tango]

roughly:

the E46 weighs in at 1500 kg

the is250 at 2000kg

Bazza....Now you know that isn't true :shutit: as my IS250 SE-L complete with all it's electronics, heated and vented seats etc. weighed in last Saturday at 1557 kg :)

[Bazza]

roughly:

the E46 weighs in at 1500 kg

the is250 at 2000kg

Bazza....Now you know that isn't true :shutit: as my IS250 SE-L complete with all it's electronics, heated and vented seats etc. weighed in last Saturday at 1557 kg :)

you are quite right

the figure for the m3 was kerb weight

and the figure i had for the ISF was for gross weight, which equates to a kerb weight of roughly 1500kg

so after further research it puts them on almost equal weights

now who is going to win !! :D

[Rsarin]

its actually 1635kg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/fu...version_id=5694

[aido]

Sorry to be a mong but why is gross weight so much more than the kerb weight - what's the difference?

Is kerb weight just an empty car and gross weight fully loaded?

[Bazza]

its actually 1635kg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/fu...version_id=5694

and the m3 is 1655kg

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/fu...version_id=5417

Sorry to be a mong but why is gross weight so much more than the kerb weight - what's the difference?

Is kerb weight just an empty car and gross weight fully loaded?

in a nutshell yes :)

[Rsarin]

sorry bazza were discussing the e46 weight,its 1570

http://www.stevecarter.com/m3bmw.htm

[N23733]

your all forgetting about the

AUDI RS5

[Rsarin]

problem with a comparison like that is,its unfair,the rs5 is gonna be a 500hp monster,that would then have to be compared to the 500hp M5,not the M3 or ISF.

[Bazza]

sorry bazza were discussing the e46 weight,its 1570

http://www.stevecarter.com/m3bmw.htm

this thread has lost me

the other thing is that we are comparing it to the IS250

rumours are that the ISF will weigh more ! guestimates at 1700kg

just wait until the GSF comes along

[Rsarin]

im comparing the old m3 to the isf and the new m3 to the isf,we digressed.

[maneesh]

my GS has got a kerb weight of 1841kg, so i beat the M3 and the IS-F in weight...

[Parthiban]

Following the discussion on weights, what's the point in quoting the gross weight then? Surely it depends on how fat the passengers are and how many pies are in the boot? :P

All Lexus has to do is make a car that sits between the Merc and the BMW (better handling than the C-class and more comfortable than the M3) and then they'll have the more usable car of the three :)