Mike Campbell

This subject gets beaten to death over and over again. You have a large group of Europhiles who have to justify over paying for the wonderful interiors and the so called "free service". Then you have the GS guys who believe they're the only Corvettes ever made !? The fact is that you'll never settle this argument, ever. Plus the Bimmer side will ever admit to anything.. so why bother. Just go to any track and see the real results.

Tour18

Apples and Oranges. It's not fair to their engineers our our engineers to even go there. Both are great machines. Period. So as not to broach the Bangle matter, I will stop right here...

BluegrassMotorsport

The M3s are extremely well-balanced and, to my knowledge, are built pretty solid. But they have less power than the Vette, and weigh a tick more, so you can imagine that they will be slower. Hopefully the C7 will rev as high as the M3 V8. 8,000k? Sounds amazing.

wase13

I just know that E46 M3 was really good. When it comes to handling it's on par if not better than Vette.

OnPoint

rayk

Seriously? Everytime I get on the track, I'm just amazed how sure footed the GS is at speed. I haven't had a problem catching and passing the BMW's I've been on the track with.

LucaBrasiAZ

DSOMC6

I was referring to a base C6. A bone stock C6 LS2 runs a 12.2 1/4 mile. A bone stock C6 LS3 is in the 11's! That's a HUGE difference in performance for far less money. I'm fairly certain a GS will run a much quicker time than a low 12 as well. However there aren't near as many GS owners as base C6 or M3 owners flogging thier cars at the local drag strip. Lastly, your GS 1/4mi time mentioned doesn't include Grandsportman's: 12.3 Again that's a HUGE difference from a 12.7 in the 1/4mi.

An M5 will give a C6/GS a run for the money and the M5 will usually over take it at the top of 2nd gear stock for stock. An M3 doesn't have a chance. This is based on real world...not magazine articles.

DSOMC6

Esecially on the big tracks here in So CA like Willow Springs, Auto Club etc. I have yet to see a BMW stay up with the Vette's and 911's. It doesn't happen.

OregonC6

Now, not to bash the GS ( though I have a low opinion of it ) but a better comparison would be of the M3 with the LS3 narrow body C6. This because the performance of the LS3 narrow body and the LS3 ( identical ) GS is almost identical.

Those gills and that big gaudy emblem don't add anything to performance after all.

McLendon95

But those upgraded brakes, wider tires, stiffer suspension, and dry sump oiling system for the coupes do

boost2na

He's not joking, note that he only mentioned handling, not straight line acceleration. Sorry guys, but my Z06 with DRM Bilsteins and a driver who can run it at 10/10ths does *maybe* 1-2 MPH faster through the same exact curves that I used to flog my E46 M3 through.

Also, try beating an M3 in the rain. Not going to happen, vette will be sideways and the M3 will take off at full throttle in a downpour. I'm a die hard American car guy, but I give credit where it's due.

TMyers

As others have said we are comparing apples and oranges. In one cases we have a sport cars that leans toward being a Grand Touring car. The ride and luxury are missing though. In the other case we have a performance sedan that in no way shape or form meets the traditional definition of a GT car.

Can a performance sedan bet the pants of the vette, yep but the M3 is not it. The M3 is a very capable car, great performance for its class and money. It is easy to live with and fun to drive. Give credit where credit is due. And with the right driver it will make the vette work. But assuming the same skill of both drivers the vette will win the day.

Oh and for all those who say the vette is not as easy to live with as the M3 for daily driver I beg to differ. If you have the need to carry more than one other person I might agree. 6 years of diving vettes now as a daily driver and there nothing it won't do except plow through 3 or more inches of snow. In fact it may just be one of the most versatle cars ever built.

Jimmy W1

Hold on a minute!! Hold on for just one minute!! Let's talk about the real issue here, OK? Because my question is: a guy has a Corvette and he only brags about it and dominates the conversation for an hour about it?? What? Is he shy or something? A guy who has a Corvette should be bragging a lot longer than that!! Right!!? OK. That's all I wanted to say.........

roo97ss

I've owned an e46 m3 and now a 135i, and a bunch of other bimmers for that fact. I've also owned 2 camaros, a t/a, a cobra (97-01), 00 C5, and now a 05 z51 (procharged).

#1 Apples to oranges for the cars. You've got a coupe with a back seat (or sedan for the newer m3) that has room for 4 or 5, a decent trunk and a relatively high driving position.

#2 Ride is completely different, we're talking about a car that doesn't have the edge of the corvette. It's easy to sit back and just cruise in the car, plus between the higher driving position, the muted exhaust and the smoothness of the car...the bmw just feels much less connected in many ways. What i mean is it's a bit boring...which for a daily driver is not a bad thing.

#3 Handling, the bmws while bigger and heavier somehow feel light years lighter and more nimble. The vette is big, wide, low and has steering tuned by the dump truck division compared to the BMW. It's an interesting experience to drive my 1 series compared to the vette, it's heavier yet feels half the weight.

#4 Confidence....for the average guy - not either some guy with ball$ of steel or some guy with extensive track experience, the BMW will go through the turns and run the road much faster. Many guys that drive BMWs will be MUCH faster driving the BMW than the vette, it's so easy to drive the car fast, very predictable and has a bit of understeer at the limit to bail the novice out.

#5 interior...why bother to comment the vette is bargain bin cobalt sharing (at least it includes comfort access though), while the BMW is solid and well put together with much nicer materials. True Audis are nicer as are most benzs but the interior is very nice and holds up well in teh BMW as well.

#6 track...edge going to the vette when you can drive the vette to the limit, from base c6 vs m3 it's close, but add GS or z06 and on a high speed track it won't be close. A tight track, i'd prefer an e46 m3 vs the vette, but high speed the vette and the newer m3 is better.

#7 fun factor....here's where the BMW FAILS big time. It's TOO good, TOO smooth, TOO boring to be the weekend warrior. It doesn't have the edge of the vette, and honestly i'm not sure the base/GS cars would have enough of that edge for me either. The z06 or in my case a procharged and exhausted ls2 has enough of that edge. I wouldn't want to drive the vette daily, nor would i have an m3 or 135 as my weekend warrior...

About my 135i. The 3.0 TT is a very tunable car with huge low end power. My car has an upgraded intercooler (600$) tune (800) downpipes (500) and it probably makes nearly 370/380 at the wheels. Add meth cooling and race gas and you'll be well over 400 (all bmw _35 cars are capable of this). Stock the little 135 is about 13.4@105, but with the above mods mine has gone 12.5@114. It's fast and capable but doesn't put the smile on my face the way the vette does.

rotneyg

It's purely a personal choice. If you want to support the German economy, buy a BMW assembled in Germany. If you want to support the US economy, buy a Corvette assembled in USA.

z51vett

For those who want a BMW if its out of warranty or needs non warranty work you better have a boat load of cash for repairs and upkeep.
z51vett
Oh i'm retired and drive my Z06 2012 everyday its not raining in Atlanta traffic. You sissys play nice now can't daily drive my vette shush.

roo97ss

i could easily drive my vette daily. it's a much better car than say the 97 and 99 camaro ss that i once drove daily. However i'd just prefer the comfort of the bmw for daily use.

upkeep is NOT expensive for regular maintenance, if the motor goes, ya that's expensive, but i don't think the parts are overly expensive. Yes, the dealer will rape you - worse than chevy, but a good indy shop or a good diy is fine. I've had many of my cars up to say 80k miles and things like suspension, brakes, bushings, thermostat, occasional sensor, etc are parts that cost me no more than parts for a GM.

Snakes & Arrows

The M3 although a nice, fast car that handles well is just too small for adult men. Not to mention the car is fem without any question.

phileaglesfan

From what I heard German quality is not all that great anymore. BMW has some of the most boring looking interiors in the world.

M5 is closer but also a lot more (almost ZR1) type money, definitely a well optioned Z06.

If I had to buy a high performance German sedan I would probably go with the Audi S4. AWD, quick and definitely interesting to look at.