RS3 vs M2

[RMJ891]

My two overriding thoughts with the M2, versus the RS3:

1. BMW gets the steps up in 'aggression' of the look of their cars spot on. The M235i is just enough more than the regular 2 series, and the M2 is a good amount more aggression again. Audi could and should learn something from this with their A / S / RS differentiation, as demonstrated by the RS3; and

2. BMW need to sack their interior designers / engineers. Very boring, very samey, very low tech. They should go for a sit inside the latest Audis, as the BMW interiors don't seem to have changed since about 2007.

Fingers crossed on the external front the Audi guys take a leaf out of BMW's book for the TT-RS, though I'm sure they won't (it'll be a TT-S with twin oval exhausts instead of 4 regular ones).

 

[cpc_s3]

i have just come back to s3 from an m3 and reason being is bmw is becoming very boring you are right. the m2 im not a fan of looks very bland an unexciting and all of their rance looks way to exec!

 

[RMJ891]

I think the M2 exterior and TT-S interior might be my ideal car!!

 

[cpc_s3]

Rs3 for me is a winner!! but all black rs6 in the dealership bristol audi looked absolutely perfect

 

[RMJ891]

To me, and I appreciate this is completely subjective, the RS3 does not look 'special' enough. I had a look at my dealership and the dealer confused it with an A3...

 

[cpc_s3]

i think the new rs3 looks the nuts in the flat grey with black package!! the orignial rs3 doesn't look great

 

[45bvtc]

On a cold winters evening with -7ºC tarmac under the corner rubber and wanting to getting from 'a' to 'b' in a hurry, for whatever reason when the weather's against you; or getting to the pub with the white stuff down, then for sure I know which one I'd rather be in:

 

[cpc_s3]

On a cold winters evening with -7ºC tarmac under the corner rubber and wanting to getting from 'a' to 'b' in a hurry, for whatever reason when the weather's against you; or getting to the pub with the white stuff down, then for sure I know which one I'd rather be in:

the only car ever to have a wider track on the front than rear. obviously to put power down but interesting set up. i do like them

 

[RMJ891]

I just think that's irrelevant, because it affects fewer than 1% of people less than 1% of the time. If you live in those conditions frequently, you'd be mad to buy an RS3 - you should just get a Land Rover Defender.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

On a cold winters evening with -7ºC tarmac under the corner rubber and wanting to getting from 'a' to 'b' in a hurry, for whatever reason when the weather's against you; or getting to the pub with the white stuff down, then for sure I know which one I'd rather be in:

totally agree

and its not just snow ..... havy rain / damp roads / cold mornings etc.

Quattro will always inspire more confidence and be safer than a rear wheel drive car.

Having previously had a Nissan 350z and BMW 330i M sport - I would never go back to rear wheel drive.

Quattro is in a different league IMO.

 

[RMJ891]

I think people forget that four wheel drive affects only traction, not grip. It'll help not spinning wheels in the snow, but it won't stop you hitting a lamppost going round a corner too quickly when it's damp!

 

[cpc_s3]

very positive outlook

 

[RMJ891]

Haha I know - well I just mean Quattro isn't muppet-proof!

 

[cpc_s3]

no most people do think it is the car will still slide on all 4, ive over ****** a few roundabouts in my s3 on approach and foot down then throws you off in the direction the wheels are facing lol good times!!! scary also.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

agreed quattro is by no means a licence to do what you want in any conditions.
Just saying vs rear wheel drive - in a lot of conditions - it is far superior and safer.
From personal experience, I much prefer it over rear wheel drive and is why the RS3 will be my 4th quattro car in a row.

 

[cpc_s3]

agreed quattro is by no means a licence to do what you want in any conditions.
Just saying vs rear wheel drive - in a lot of conditions - it is far superior and safer.
From personal experience, I much prefer it over rear wheel drive and is why the RS3 will be my 4th quattro car in a row.

i am bias to a rear wheel drive in dampish and dry conditions theyre so much fun to drive straight line speed audi have always nailed it but for flare i am a massive fan of the old M cars not so much the new ones.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

i am bias to a rear wheel drive in dampish and dry conditions theyre so much fun to drive straight line speed audi have always nailed it but for flare i am a massive fan of the old M cars not so much the new ones.

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate rear wheel drive for driving involvement they deliver and having the front wheels just do the steering.
The 350z I had was $hi* tbh, but that was back in 2005 and a Nissan so a decade ago now, I then had a BMW 330 which was MUCH better but still made me slightly nervous driving in heavy rain.
With the Audi quattro cars I feel confident to floor the car in heavy rain and traction is always impressive.
In a couple of winters, it has got me up inclines where rear wheel drive cars could only dream of.
Had a few near aqualplane moments in the Audi's too, one earlier this year on the M1 at high speed where I was pleased to have quattro over 2 wheel drive too.
So for me personal choice and circumstances I go for quattro - just my personal preference.

 

[u3sport]

M2 vs RS3

 

[u3sport]

just joking... it was just an A3 1.2 S-Line

Now real RS3 (yes, did you noticed that 19"?)

M2 vs RS3

 

[Terminator x]

The RWD will be "exciting" in the middle of the UK Winter

TX.

 

[Terminator x]

To me, and I appreciate this is completely subjective, the RS3 does not look 'special' enough. I had a look at my dealership and the dealer confused it with an A3...

Horses for courses though as I like the stealth look eg almost a proper Q Car.

TX.

 

[cpc_s3]

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate rear wheel drive for driving involvement they deliver and having the front wheels just do the steering.
The 350z I had was $hi* tbh, but that was back in 2005 and a Nissan so a decade ago now, I then had a BMW 330 which was MUCH better but still made me slightly nervous driving in heavy rain.
With the Audi quattro cars I feel confident to floor the car in heavy rain and traction is always impressive.
In a couple of winters, it has got me up inclines where rear wheel drive cars could only dream of.
Had a few near aqualplane moments in the Audi's too, one earlier this year on the M1 at high speed where I was pleased to have quattro over 2 wheel drive too.
So for me personal choice and circumstances I go for quattro - just my personal preference.

i agree with you completely ive had 3 m3s and this car arriving before xmas will be my 3rd s3 tfsi are very capable engines and with the wheels being pushed forward under the engine the handling is noticable between 8v and 8p and the refined ko4 turbo is a wicked bit of kit.

e46 m3 for me is the most fun to drive having debated with e92 and e46 back to back the newer bmws really have lost me with lack of flare. but again ridiculously high maintenance with subframe cracks vanos discs and pads are 800 all in and tyres similar if not more. none of my audis have ever let me down and i dont exactly give them an easy time but always well maintained.

350z are shocking i smoked a 370z in my e46 m3 cab and it was just pointless him trying.

but now i have a little one on the way there will be no skittish driving for me or the mrs in the s3 thats why i bought it they are planted cars.

 

[RYuill]

Like most BMW's it's really ugly

IMO

 

[45bvtc]

I just think that's irrelevant, because it affects fewer than 1% of people less than 1% of the time. If you live in those conditions frequently, you'd be mad to buy an RS3 - you should just get a Land Rover Defender.

You're absolutely right, RJ891; been suffering for some time now as this will be my 5th year for me and my RS3's winter madness: not just the quattro mind as my spare rims with Wintrac 4xtreams will be fettled next week ready for suitable conditions to arrive, like so:

You've no idea how SAFETY mad me and my RS3 are...

 

[RCD6FC]

All right, John. I'll see your piddly little snowfall and raise you this:

We usually get two or three of these dumps each winter over here and often it doesn't completely melt until the spring. That's my old Merc C300 (RWD) waiting to be rescued about three years ago. I had winter tires (sorry, John: tyres!) on her and had no issues getting around but there were still times when the back end wanted to have a bit of fun no matter how light I was on the throttle.

I've had the TT for just over a year now and I find that the Quattro with winter rubber is much more planted when I have to head out somewhere!

On a cold winters evening with -7ºC tarmac under the corner rubber and wanting to getting from 'a' to 'b' in a hurry, for whatever reason when the weather's against you; or getting to the pub with the white stuff down, then for sure I know which one I'd rather be in:

 

[45bvtc]

All right, John. I'll see your piddly little snowfall and raise you this:

View attachment 71081

We usually get two or three of these dumps each winter over here and often it doesn't completely melt until the spring. That's my old Merc C300 (RWD) waiting to be rescued about three years ago. I had winter tires (sorry, John: tyres!) on her and had no issues getting around but there were still times when the back end wanted to have a bit of fun no matter how light I was on the throttle.

I've had the TT for just over a year now and I find that the Quattro with winter rubber is much more planted when I have to head out somewhere!

But you get DRY snow, Damien; not this wet stuff we get over here, that you may or not remember; the snow we still get is wet and slippy. I well remeber that evening in January 95 exiting Pearson and seeing Rocky with a white sided whatever and thinking what the am I dong here, and the next day at Niagra it was all:

 

[RMJ891]

Beautiful, I think!

 

[xBox]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, an M without M-mirrors ..... as justifiable as a threesome, with two

No CF roof, no bonnet bulge, fine its only a 2er, so I get it.

 

[RCD6FC]

The problem is we get EVERYTHING here: wet snow, dry snow, freezing rain and other Biblical plagues. For the most part, yeah, it's dry snow, especially in the dead of winter. In fact, we're expecting our first dusting tonight!

Back to the original topic: personally, I think I like the looks of the M2 from the few images I've seen (thanks to asport for the ones posted here), but I prefer the Quattro so I can keep mobile in all four seasons. They didn't send the last gen RS3 over here to Canada, and I'm not sure if they'll give us the new one. Hatchbacks don't sell well in the United States and we tend to get lumped in with them when it comes to the models they bring over. We've heard rumours of an RS3 sedan being made available in North America, but I'll believe it when I see it. We only just got the new TT into dealerships this summer, so we're well behind the civilised world in that respect!

But you get DRY snow, Damien; not this wet stuff we get over here, that you may or not remember; the snow we still get is wet and slippy. I well remeber that evening in January 95 exiting Pearson and seeing Rocky with a white sided whatever and thinking what the am I dong here, and the next day at Niagra it was all:

 

[cpc_s3]

think it looks shocking an insult to the 1M which was an epic car
!

 

[Snake Pliskin]

I knew those reflectors on the BM reminded me of something ...

 

[tankclark]

The M2 looks fantastic much better than the RS3 BUT it's 46k with DCT and for that you don't get M mirrors like other M cars, you don't get a carbon roof like other M cars, you don't even get an M interior as it's the same interior as the M235i with an M stiched in the seat, you don't even get nappa leather like the M3/4 you get the bog standard Dakota leather like the M235i, you only get 4 colour choices aswell.
That being said it's as fast off the line as the RS3 using RWD so it's no slouch and as for the winter argument I've driven an M135i all through winter before and it was fine, we didn't even have any ice in Kent last year let alone snow!

 

[Terminator x]

Well my 130i was a nightmare in snow and and ice. Unusable on any sort of slope.

TX.

 

[Snake Pliskin]

Same with my 330i.

Dreadful on snow & ice ... was an ordeal just getting off our housing estate at times which is not gritted !

 

[FBF01]

This any day over an m2

 

[u3sport]

The M2 looks fantastic much better than the RS3 BUT it's 46k with DCT and for that you don't get M mirrors like other M cars, you don't get a carbon roof like other M cars, you don't even get an M interior as it's the same interior as the M235i with an M stiched in the seat, you don't even get nappa leather like the M3/4 you get the bog standard Dakota leather like the M235i, you only get 4 colour choices aswell.
That being said it's as fast off the line as the RS3 using RWD so it's no slouch and as for the winter argument I've driven an M135i all through winter before and it was fine, we didn't even have any ice in Kent last year let alone snow!

With 11k less than a M3 / M4, they can forget that m-mirrors and carbon roof

RS3 is almost equal (exterior and interior) to an A3 1.2 S-line thats far more serious!...
(ohh 2 big exhausts, it's an RS3)

BMW 2 Series M Pack vs M2... there are some more differences

 

[FBF01]

yeah, nice mod to go to the track, park, and take the M2

Ok that does look like damn good fun ha. Two things I took from that...460Nm of torque ?!?!?! Wtf that's ridiculous. And second of all, that noise...hmmmmm, not sold in it at all.

 

[u3sport]

Ok that does look like damn good fun ha. Two things I took from that...460Nm of torque ?!?!?! Wtf that's ridiculous. And second of all, that noise...hmmmmm, not sold in it at all.

Same as RS3 isn't? 465nm torque. M2 include additional +35nm (total: 500nm) with overboost under max acceleration.

That car must push very well. DCT version weighs the same as the RS3, has the same power, and being a rear-wheel gets the same acceleration from 0 (4,3s), 0-62mph. That's not usual, all-wheel drive cars have a lot of advantage in starting up from 0.

 

[GRE57Y]

I wonder if the BMW 0-60 is with launch control though? I'm sure I read somewhere that the RS3 0-60 is without using launch control?

 

[u3sport]

I wonder if the BMW 0-60 is with launch control though? I'm sure I read somewhere that the RS3 0-60 is without using launch control?

Yes with LC.

• 0-60 mph: 4.2 sec (w/ DCT and Launch Control)