Sport Auto Comparison Test: M3 vs. Audi RS5 review

[Zafiro]

It bugs me they didnt drive these two cars on N-ring.

 

[klier]

wow, lol, sorry for the thrash talk - but after all that build up, the rs5 got freaking owned. :d

and to add insult to injury, "sport auto even liked the ride in the m3 (edc) more than audi's adaptive suspension. On top, the m3 testcar was roughly 10k € cheaper."

so in jist, if you want to spend 10k more on a slower car that is less fun and less comfortable, audi has you covered.

And here comes footie with excuses...

epic

 

[DeDe]

Video: RS5 doing 275 km/h

Well... the acceleration above 200 km/h is pretty impressive IMO.

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[footie]

 

[footie]

wow, lol, sorry for the thrash talk - but after all that build up, the RS5 got freaking owned.

And to add insult to injury, "Sport Auto even liked the ride in the M3 (EDC) more than Audi's adaptive suspension. On top, the M3 testcar was roughly 10k € cheaper."

So in jist, if you want to spend 10k more on a slower car that is less fun and less comfortable, Audi has you covered.

And here comes footie with excuses...

Why would I need an excuse?

One test with one outcome. Not an expected one but then i did tell you all that the Competition pack was developed to bridge the gap (even though guys like you laughed at this) which in this test it appears to have more than done, I don't think this test will be typical, not if the information I have is anything to go by.

BTW 0.5s at 200km/h does not equal 100ft gap, reason being it that the half second must be the difference between the 200km/h that the M3 is doing and the probable 197km/h that the RS5 is doing at that exact moment. If I wasn't packing I would work it out for you but it's closer to 1 car lengths.

Also we have seen video footage on an RS5 accelerating to 275km/h and compared it to video footage of owners with M3s the different to these speeds are within a second by the finish so we know something was wrong with this test. What that is, no one knows but I have my opinions.

Questions need to be asked why a TT-RS was quicker and why this M3 weighed less than a stock DCT version, even one with extras like EDC which adds weight, not take it away.

 

[Mr Robert]

It would have been very interesting to have an M3 without the Competition pack in the test. Then the discussion regarding the impact of said option could have been a bit more interesting.

 

[south]

Questions need to be asked [...] why this M3 weighed less than a stock DCT version, even one with extras like EDC which adds weight, not take it away.

That's not true, my friend. Remember sport auto gives the curb weight without any driver or luggage. For comparison, the 6MT E92 M3 in the sport auto Supertest weighed 1608 kg.


Best regards,
south

 

[Zafiro]

the M3 was the quickest on the track and acceleration. M3 won fair and square in this test. No need for excuses or explanations. Kudos to the M3 for still being so competitive after all these years. I'm already looking forward for the next generation M3

 

[Karabiner98k]

Data by Sportauto for the 335i with PDK and with 6speed manual:







Interesting to see that the 335i has at lower speeds better acceleration data then M3…maybe there were better weather conditions etc…

Who said 335i has better acceleration than M3 at lower speeds????
M3 335i

80-120km/h in 5th: 5.6s 6.7s

80-120km/h in 6th: 7.2s 8.0s

The above is the data according to Sport Auto.

It is clear that even with 6-speed manual transmission M3 has better acceleration than 335i with 7-speed DKG at lower speeds.

Even lower than 80km/h M3 pulls better according to AMS in a head to head test:

M3 335i

60-100km/h in 5th: 6.1s 6.4s

 

[Tarek]

Interesting how the S4 is doin so well against the 335is while the RS5 sucked,Audi bring the TT V8 now.

 

[footie]

That's not true, my friend. Remember sport auto gives the curb weight without any driver or luggage. For comparison, the 6MT E92 M3 in the sport auto Supertest weighed 1608 kg.


Best regards,
south

I honestly thought that Sportauto measured the same way as BMW do and Audi have done for the RS5 which they quote at 1800kgs. If true then that means this particular RS5 weighed in at an incredible 1891kgs so clearly this example was loaded to the gills with options which all things considered does put a slightly different perspective on the outcome.

the M3 was the quickest on the track and acceleration. M3 won fair and square in this test. No need for excuses or explanations. Kudos to the M3 for still being so competitive after all these years. I'm already looking forward for the next generation M3

I did tell you that the next M3 will by all account be something special and that opinion still stands.

 

[south]

I honestly thought that Sportauto measured the same way as BMW do and Audi have done for the RS5 which they quote at 1800kgs. If true then that means this particular RS5 weighed in at an incredible 1891kgs so clearly this example was loaded to the gills with options which all things considered does put a slightly different perspective on the outcome.

It had the Recaro bucket seats and the Ceramic brakes, so it could be worse. Honestly, I'm fairly sure Audi chose the configuration they considered to perform best (sport auto mentions adaptive suspension, torque vectoring diff, ceramic brakes and Recaro seats, the latter two save weight).


Best regards,
south

 

[Centurion]

this example was loaded to the gills with options which all things considered does put a slightly different perspective on the outcome.

Lousy exuse I'd say. The majority of tester cars are fully loaded with options that would maximise the experience of driving the car.

 

[Sunny]

Manuelf (think he is also a member here) posted the jist of the article.

just read the article today in the Sport Auto.
tester/author was Anja Wassertheurer. She is a very fast driver - participating also at the 24h at Nürburgring.

I was totally shocked/surprised by this article.
I expected the RS5 to take a slight win over M3. But it was completely the other way round.
There was not ONE point where the RS5 could shine.
RS5: Heavy as hell, very bad steering
High speed driving comfort on the Autobahn was way better in the M3 with the EDC
Fuel consumption lower with M3
DCT/Motor characteristic of M3 better
Handling (slalom) M3 much faster
Hockenheim race track: M3 1,1s faster
....

Frankly speaking and reading a bit between the lines: It was a slating review by the sport auto magazine.

While I don't think the car is by it self is a fail, Audi's effort behind the car is a big ass fail. They had 3 years to test the M3 and better it and yet what a royal fock up.

 

[Tumbo]

Why am I not surprised?


Best regards,
south

Ask around man.. And you'll be surprised. Approach normal people on the street and ask them. Which car do you want most. And you'll see. M3 is a great car, but in terms of looks, its far behind here.

 

[Sunny]

Ask around man.. And you'll be surprised. Approach normal people on the street and ask them. Which car do you want most. And you'll see. M3 is a great car, but in terms of looks, its far behind here.

Normal people on street can't tell the difference between a A5 and RS5 and 328 and M3, so if you want to base your decision on how to spend 70 big ones on what people think, you are doing it wrong.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Normal people on street can't tell the difference between a A5 and RS5 and 328 and M3, so if you want to base your decision on how to spend 70 big ones on what people think, you are doing it wrong.

And that's the truth right there.

 

[south]

Ask around man.. And you'll be surprised. Approach normal people on the street and ask them. Which car do you want most. And you'll see. M3 is a great car, but in terms of looks, its far behind here.

All I'm saying is that it's purely subjective. Some prefer this, some prefer that, but there's no such thing as an objective superiority.


Best regards,
south

 

[Lemantech]

Well, this comparison changes my mind about which car i would choose. The M3 clearly dominated the RS5 in every performance category whilst having a better ride. Plus, it looks just as good as the RS5.

 

[Cashmere]

wow, didnt expect the M3 to still dominate that convincingly. Sometimes I wonder what the F Audi is up to.