Which M3 handles better e36 or e46
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The E36 M3 has never been regarded as a 'great' M-car. With the E46 M3, BMW had restored a lot of the handling greatness that was lost in the transition from the E30 to the E36. The E46 is a better handling car in EVERY way. It has less understeer, it's more direct, the steering has better feel, and the brakes are much more powerful and progressive. Whether the E46 handles better than an E30 M3...well, that's another matter and certainly you could argue that the E30 hass purer and less forgiving dynamics. But the E36 M3 wasn't BMWs best effort.
The E36 was well regarded as having the most neutral steering of any of the m3s. In 1997 C&D rated the E36 against the Ferrari 355, vette, nsx, viper and turbo supra. The E36 M3 was rated the best handle car of all. When the E46 was released it was reported to understeer and some were disappointed.
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I do appreciate all the info. Thanks
Chesty,
I have to disagree with your first statement.
One of the reasons I became interested in the e36 M3 was all of the publicity she received from 95 and on. As I recall every car magazine was promoting the e36 and her amazing handling capabilities.
I am getting together with the previous owner to wax his e46 M3 a week from Super Bowl Sunday, hopefully I will get to drive her and I will post the results of the test drive.
Chesty,
I have to disagree with your first statement.
One of the reasons I became interested in the e36 M3 was all of the publicity she received from 95 and on. As I recall every car magazine was promoting the e36 and her amazing handling capabilities.
I am getting together with the previous owner to wax his e46 M3 a week from Super Bowl Sunday, hopefully I will get to drive her and I will post the results of the test drive.
The E46's more direct and more feelsome steering is light years ahead of the E36s
Well of course it would outhandle a 'Vette, a Viper, and a Turbo Supra. They're the kind of cars that bludgeon roads into submission rather than scale them with delicacy and poise. How an E36 M3 was regarded as "better" in terms of handling compared with a 355 and NSX is beyond me.
I have NEVER seen any reports of this nature with regards to the E46 M3. All reports signalled that the E46 brought the E30's tactility together with the E36's fine power delivery. I've driven E46 M3's and I can tell you that the understeer is minimal: it's built in as a warning that the limits are being pushed, but beyond this point the neutrality and predictability of the E46's chassis is an absolute revelation. I must say that I disagree with almost everything you have argued here.
Well of course it would outhandle a 'Vette, a Viper, and a Turbo Supra. They're the kind of cars that bludgeon roads into submission rather than scale them with delicacy and poise. How an E36 M3 was regarded as "better" in terms of handling compared with a 355 and NSX is beyond me.
I have NEVER seen any reports of this nature with regards to the E46 M3. All reports signalled that the E46 brought the E30's tactility together with the E36's fine power delivery. I've driven E46 M3's and I can tell you that the understeer is minimal: it's built in as a warning that the limits are being pushed, but beyond this point the neutrality and predictability of the E46's chassis is an absolute revelation. I must say that I disagree with almost everything you have argued here.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't love your car. If I had an E36 M3 Evo (Euro version) then I would be an extremely happy man too; safe in the knowledge that I had one of the best handling cars on the planet. But the simple fact is that the E46 moved the game on, and the E36 can't match the effectiveness and tactility of the E46. Like I said before, only the E30 M3 has the handling purity to challenge (and perhaps beat) the E46 M3's. The E36 doesn't figure.
I totally disagree. We've had E36's and E46's and I can tell you that the weighting and feel of the steering in the '36 is less satisfying than in the '46. We had an E36 318is which, in theory at least, had the best steering feel of any of the E36 models (because of the lightweight engine). Now we have an E46 325i and the difference is amazing.
I guess we have to agree to disagree.
I guess we have to agree to disagree.
If you will note, I didn't actually say that the E36 is better, only reported what I read. You even admit that the E46 understeers, so I don't know how you can completely disagree with me. I will try and find a copy of the article (I believe it was C&D) or post a link, and by the way the boxster was in that group of cars.
Link to a copy of the C&D article:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30137
Link to a copy of the C&D article:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30137
Thanks for the link Gary.
Reading that article puts a big smile on my face. Makes me proud to own my baby..
Even though my e36 is 11 years old I am still in shock that I own one.
I remember reading articles like this in the nineties and dreaming of owning one.
I can't wait till 5 so I can get in her and have some fun.
Reading that article puts a big smile on my face. Makes me proud to own my baby..
Even though my e36 is 11 years old I am still in shock that I own one.
I remember reading articles like this in the nineties and dreaming of owning one.
I can't wait till 5 so I can get in her and have some fun.
Any new car from bmw will out ______________ the old one. E36 handles better than e30 (despite weight, suspension technology makes up for a lot), e46 much better than e36, and e90 is in a league of its own. For a matter of car feel, e30 is up top, followed by e36, e90, then e46. but that's not the topic at hand.