how fast are the s4's compare to the e-36 m3's?

 

It's funny that you ask that. I spent all day Sunday with 8 S4s and an E36 M3. We were driving in the north Georgia mountains (anybody that went on the drive at MAXUS last year knows what a rollercoaster ride that is). I was riding shotgun with Rob in his modded S4 (ECU, exhaust, coilovers, shortshifter, Michelin Pilots). When Rob was leading, the M3 stayed glued to Rob. When the M3 was leading he was able to pull away slightly on Rob. Oh yeah, the M3 was bone stock. This was on extremely twisty roads. Rob's S4 should be making (according to other dyno results that I've seen) about 320hp and 375lb/ft. So I was amazed that the stock M3 gave the S4 so much trouble. Maybe the Jamie, the M3 driver, was a little crazier and more aggressive than Rob. You have to be pretty crazy to drive that fast on those roads, what with RVs and bicyclists poking around up there. The S4 is also a good bit heavier than the M3. But as far as the old M3 goes, believe the hype.

 

Damn, Micah, do you ever actually drive on that road?

I wouldn't mind riding with Rob sometime up there.

 

Riding shotgun with Rob is too much fun. Especially when chasing an M3. It's my very own BTCC in-car cam.

 

that sucks...I was hoping/expecting a modded S4 would have no porblem with an e36-M3.

 

Another thing was that the Michelins on Rob's S4 were sliding a good bit. If he had his old Bridgestone S02s on, he would have had better grip. Plus, as I mentioned before, the S4 is heavier, and I think that the M3 driver was pushing way harder, diving into blind turns on the wrong side of the road and stuff. Damn, that was fun.

 

it depends if you're talking twisties or "normal" roads. The M3 has a big weight advantage, cornering better than the S4, but the S4 will allow you to get on the power sooner.

However on normal roads, a modden S4 is faster. Jamie (the E36 M3 owner) has driven my car and agrees that the S4 accelerates harder and faster.

I had a hard time with the Michelin Pilot Sports. On the road that I couldn't keep up, I was doing 4-wheel drifts like crazy in the corners and not willing to push it any harder. No more Pilot Sports for me. I'm going to try the S-03's next time.

Modded S4 should be doing 0-60 in around 5 seconds flat. Best quarter mile time I've heard of so far is 13.02 -- that's Stage 3 with aftermarket downpipes (y-pipe in Max terminology). Chip and exhaust should put the S4 around 13.2-13.4 depending on how much you want to abuse the clutch. Reportedly a chipped S4 can redline 6th, which is 172 MPH.

Rob

 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the straight-line acceleration.

 

That's on straights, a modded S4(as he said 320hp and 375lb/ft) can whoop a stock E36 M3 without a doubt.
However in twists, the M3 is sure a better balanced car, it's lighter, handles much better. In fact they say the E36 M3 coupe is the best handling BMW made, the E46 is much softer edged.

 

yup, in a issue, best handling car all year.. meaning, better handling then NSX, as they reported.