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  1. #1
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    M3 vs 2011 Mustang GT

    2011 BMW M3 Coupe vs. 2011 Ford Mustang GT Comparison - Motor Trend


    Wonder how the new Boss will do against the BMW...
    "Wise man say: Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."

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    Interesting comparo, Looks like a fun track too.

    Nicely done for the mustang to do what it did.
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    I don't normally like these wildly different comparisons, but that's actually pretty cool. Congrats to the Mustang.
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    Ahhh Top Gear has ruined me. Any time I read anything about autos it comes out in my head with a british accent.
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    I think what this shows most of all is that the M3 should cost less. If enough manufacturers can beat the Germans at their own game, maybe they will get off their badge-snobbery horse and price the cars more reasonably.

    However if I was in the market for an M3, which has basically designed its market segment, I think I would buy an M3. Though if I was in the market for a sports coupe, I would have to take the tire-shredding slice of apple pie.

    Also, this makes me so very excited to see what the Boss can do.
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    Quote Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13 View Post
    I think what this shows most of all is that the M3 should cost less. If enough manufacturers can beat the Germans at their own game, maybe they will get off their badge-snobbery horse and price the cars more reasonably.
    What incentive do they have to price the cars "more reasonably" when people continue to buy them? It's a free market. BMW offers a car, prices it at what they think people will pay, and if people refuse, they lower the price.

    Even if the Mustang were 3 whole seconds faster, Ford still wouldn't have beaten BMW at this game with the Mustang. It's about a lot more than just numbers.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guibo View Post
    What incentive do they have to price the cars "more reasonably" when people continue to buy them? It's a free market. BMW offers a car, prices it at what they think people will pay, and if people refuse, they lower the price.

    Even if the Mustang were 3 whole seconds faster, Ford still wouldn't have beaten BMW at this game with the Mustang. It's about a lot more than just numbers.
    Well said. I think your average BMW buyer doesn't care that there are better or just as good cars out there for half the price. They want to be able to wear the popped up collar pink polo shirts, 100$ sunglasses, tight jeans and say "I drive a BMW" (joking about the first three points, serious about the "i drive a BMW" part).

    Also, as far as "picking up chicks" goes. Which as far as I know, is top priority for at least 60% of BMW buyers. The BMW will beat the mustang by at least five to six dinners or shots (depending on what kind of girls the buyer likes to goes with).



    Disclaimer: let the record show that i am guilty of the same sillyness/irrationality. The mustang is a much better car than a camaro. But the hardest part of the decision making process for me was getting over by "chevy" bias and getting comfortable with saying (with a straight face), "I drive a mustang". As a lifelong two time Camaro owner, this is like converting from Islam to Southern Fundamentalist inbred-hick-redneck Christian. Luckily for me, cooler heads, thus far have been able to prevail. Of course, beating/nearly beating an M3 helps a lot. So does the BOSS 302.
    Last edited by roosterjuicer; 08-28-2010 at 07:04 AM.
    A woman goes to the doctor to figure out why she is having breathing problems...The doctor tells her she is overweight. She says she wants a second opinion...the doctor says, "your ugly".

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    Quote Originally Posted by roosterjuicer View Post
    Well said. I think your average BMW buyer doesn't care that there are better or just as good cars out there for half the price. They want to be able to wear the popped up collar pink polo shirts, 100$ sunglasses, tight jeans and say "I drive a BMW" (joking about the first three points, serious about the "i drive a BMW" part).

    Also, as far as "picking up chicks" goes. Which as far as I know, is top priority for at least 60% of BMW buyers. The BMW will beat the mustang by at least five to six dinners or shots (depending on what kind of girls the buyer likes to goes with).



    Disclaimer: let the record show that i am guilty of the same sillyness/irrationality. The mustang is a much better car than a camaro. But the hardest part of the decision making process for me was getting over by "chevy" bias and getting comfortable with saying (with a straight face), "I drive a mustang". As a lifelong two time Camaro owner, this is like converting from Islam to Southern Fundamentalist inbred-hick-redneck Christian. Luckily for me, cooler heads, thus far have been able to prevail. Of course, beating/nearly beating an M3 helps a lot. So does the BOSS 302.
    Despite the image and everything BMWs are still brilliant cars to drive. Also, there's a part of the story that the cold numbers can't tell and it's the feel of the thing. I haven't driven any Mustangs, by BMWs have adriving feel that is hard to beat, independent of the speed you drive at.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    Also, there's a part of the story that the cold numbers can't tell and it's the feel of the thing. I haven't driven any Mustangs, by BMWs have adriving feel that is hard to beat, independent of the speed you drive at.
    Thats the difference between the mustang and the camaro. The camaro feels like an appliance with a powerful engine, the mustang feels like a sports car.
    A woman goes to the doctor to figure out why she is having breathing problems...The doctor tells her she is overweight. She says she wants a second opinion...the doctor says, "your ugly".

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    Nevermind lap times, the Mustang must quite a lot more fun. And that's all that matters.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
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    gotta say I'm quite blown away at how well that new 5.0 performs. I doubt it'll change anyone's opinion/mind on the cars they've set out to buy though. Regardless of their similarities in performance, they're still marketed towards two very different types of people. I'll have the BMW, black/black.

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    I think this article shows just how far ahead of the game BMW was when they made the E9X series M3. The car is coming up to its third birthday while still maintaining the slightest of overall advantage against a car that is completely brand new.

    I think that people should consider the reason why MotorTrend and others initially thought that this comparison would be unfair/Odd/Unlikely or anything other than a completely valid comparison...

    Cars are not priced by performance alone. Something that many people seem to forget. It is plainly obvious why the BMW costs more than the Ford. Marketing factors such as Brand value and Perceived quality make up a good portion of the difference as well as the fact that it costs more to make an E9X series M3 then it does to make a 2011 Ford Mustang GT, even though they literally achieve equal performance (IMO).

    However none of this is to detract from the Ford. It is a great car and the engine is simply awesome. Randy Probst's comments tell of somewhat lose suspension control that ultimately leads to the Mustang requiring a larger set of brass ones to eek the peak performance out of it. However he did praise the overall balance of the car which I would say is the biggest "win" over the BMW.

    According to Randy though, it looks like the BMW is safer and inspires more confidence which inevitably leads to it being easier to drive to the limit.

    In summary: The Mustang is a brilliant car and with a professional driver behind the wheel it achieves performance equal to a modern M3. However in the hands of Joe Average, it is the BMW M3 that still maintains the advantage. Which is highly respectable for a car approaching its third birthday.
    Last edited by hightower99; 08-24-2010 at 02:19 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by hightower99 View Post
    In summary: The Mustang is a brilliant car and with a professional driver behind the wheel it achieves performance equal to a modern M3. However in the hands of Joe Average, it is the BMW M3 that still maintains the advantage. Which is highly respectable for a car approaching its third birthday.
    If I'm not mistaken it was the Mustang that was faster in the hands of the writer. Personally I found that article to be horrid. My criticism is not directed at either car nor the choice to compare them. Instead it's at the editors who posted numbers but almost nothing in the way of qualitative information about either car. For instance, the feel of the motor is very important in a BMW. It's not just about power but delivery, throttle response etc. The article hardly mentioned any subjective information about the BMW engine. Heck, they didn't say much about the Ford motor either. The writing was formulaic and lacked any sort of insight. Overall it reflects the poor state of auto journalism at MT.

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    Quote Originally Posted by culver View Post
    If I'm not mistaken it was the Mustang that was faster in the hands of the writer. Personally I found that article to be horrid. My criticism is not directed at either car nor the choice to compare them. Instead it's at the editors who posted numbers but almost nothing in the way of qualitative information about either car. For instance, the feel of the motor is very important in a BMW. It's not just about power but delivery, throttle response etc. The article hardly mentioned any subjective information about the BMW engine. Heck, they didn't say much about the Ford motor either. The writing was formulaic and lacked any sort of insight. Overall it reflects the poor state of auto journalism at MT.
    Watching the video does fill in some of the feedback that you're looking for.

    EDIT: As a matter of fact, the article was merely amusing. The video was actually informative.
    Last edited by ThisBlood147; 08-25-2010 at 11:24 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by ThisBlood147 View Post
    Watching the video does fill in some of the feedback that you're looking for.
    definitely
    A woman goes to the doctor to figure out why she is having breathing problems...The doctor tells her she is overweight. She says she wants a second opinion...the doctor says, "your ugly".

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