German Sports Sedan Shootout

[mikeyb]

'08 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG v '07 Audi RS 4 v '08 BMW M3 - Comparison Tests

Gluttons for Punishment: Three of the best cars on God's Earth run hard in the German countryside, without complaint. And first shall be last, as prophesied.

Theres probably no better place to run a comparo of three examples of automotive gluttony than in Bavaria, one of 16 German states and the one we think has a lot in common with the mind-set found in our own swaggering state of Texas.

Like Texans, Bavarians are pugnaciously independent, quick to recite what makes them and their region so special, and believe that the best way to settle an issue is to put you on all fours in search of your front teeth. Texans invented the beef critter; Bavarians discovered the pig. The menu stops about there and shifts directly to the drinking section. In the Bavarian south, indulging in swine and pilsner is no sinits an inalienable right. Walk into the famous Hofbruhaus drinking hall in Bavarias capital of Munichit escaped allied bombs in World War II, proof that God existsand order up three liters of super-strength German suds to kick off your noonday antics, and no one blinks an eye in horror. To go with it, how about a slab of Limburger, maybe a two-pound pretzel?

So Bavarias culture of carpe diemSeize the day! Hell, carpe everything!is an appropriate backdrop in which to run free in three sedans that any Bavarian would be thrilled to call his or her own.
Throw in Bavarias many unrestricted autobahns, bucolic and pothole-free secondary roads, the glorious foothills of the Alps to the south, and its the place to unleash the power and handling possibilities of three 400-plus-hp sedans.

It should come as no surprise that two of the three cars tested here are made in Bavaria. From Ingolstadt comes Audis all-wheel-drive RS 4. The premier model in the A4 range, the RS 4 comes from Audis sporting subsidiary, Quattro GmbH, the performance outfit that builds the R8 supercar. In that spirit, the RS 4 and the $114,100 R8 share the same direct-injection V-8. Although the RS 4 is now facing its final year of production, it still feels frisky enough to be pitted against some new competitors.

Then theres the 08 BMW M3. As the first M3 to be powered by a V-8 enginea 414-hp 4.0-literthe M3, now in its fourth generation, has some worried that V-8 power has changed its character from race bred to overfed. The new one might in fact be closer in concept to the previous-generation V-8powered M5 than to the old M3. Even if thats correctand were not convinced thats truethat M5 was an astonishingly impressive performer.
The final player in our Its better in Bavaria comparison comes from a neighbor to the west, the state of Baden-Wrttemberg. Its not Bavaria, but its inhabitants like to say, We can do everything any German can do, except speak good German. For them, doing everything includes building the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Unlike M3 devotees, Benz loyalists would never complain about a V-8 in the C-class. After all, Mercedes has been providing V-8powered C-classes since the 1998 C43 AMG. Displacing a very American 6.2 liters, the C63s V-8 puts out the biggest numbers here451 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Its the only car here without a manual transmission, but the seven-speed automatic has one more gear than the others and will do exactly as commanded from its paddle shifters.

Third Place: 2007 Audi RS4

Whats the RS 4 doing back here in third place? It won its last C/D comparo [Rocket Sedans, September 2005] against the previous-generation C55 AMG and M3, although that one was without test numbers and therefore unofficial. In light of the new competition, maybe theres a bit of familiarity breeding contempt, although no driver in this test directed an unkind word at the RS 4. Perhaps its bringing up the rear because BMW and Mercedes took the RS 4 seriously enough to develop their own new models to trump it. Nonetheless, the RS 4 remains a highly desirable car and one wed be happy to own, but all the apologies in the world cant keep it from sitting at the bottom of this heap.

Most of the RS 4s personality comes from the free-revving 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 that is firmly secured just ahead of the front axle. Acceleration times were 0.1 second quicker in the 0-to-60 sprint and the quarter-mile than were those of the last RS 4 we tested. More time might have been shaved off the 0-to-60 blast, but the RS 4, possibly in an attempt to keep from self-destructing, refused to let us dump the clutch at the redline at launch. We were never left wanting for acceleration, but in this group the RS 4 came in third.

Hanging the engine ahead of the front axle allows Audi to package some of its all-wheel-drive hardware and transmission in a small space, but at the same time it results in a front-heavy weight distributionits like a Porsche 911 in reverse. Fortunately, Audi worked to keep the front-heavy RS 4 from understeering the driver to sleep. Just as a 911 seemingly repeals the laws of physics, so too does the RS 4. Neutral handling, quick turn-in, and perfect balance inspire confidence. During the back-road section of this exam, the Audi almost proved to be too easy to drivesome pilots complained that working hard in the M3 and C63 was more rewarding than the effortless manner of the RS 4. This Audi is too civilized to make you sweat.

No one complained about the RS 4s ride quality. Thanks to dynamic ride control, the car remains composed whether youre shuttling elderly women to bingo or qualifying for Pikes Peak. To accomplish this, Audi ties together the hydraulics of the diagonal shocks. The result is excellent damping and a suspension that resists dive, squat, and roll. The RS 4s high-speed ride and its chassiss stability were deemed best in test on the autobahn.

On a grumpy note, the interior is looking slightly dated next to the newer entries. We make no complaint with the chosen materials or constructionits just looking a bit too familiar in this grouping. However, we all agreed that a good ol Audi interior was preferable to the spaceship-console approach of the M3. Our European-spec RS 4 wore some equipment that distinguished it from the stateside model. An annoying start button for the ignition, lightweight racing-style seats, roll-up rear windows, and optional 15-inch carbon-ceramic front rotors ($7000) are features unique to the European model. We get luxurious power seats, power windows for all positions, and the carbon-ceramic brakes arent offered. The price for our RS 4 worked out to about $10,000 over the C63 and M3, most of that due to the brakes on our Euro-spec car. But we still felt that the RS 4 shouldnt command a premium over the two other cars. So maybe it shouldnt win, but third place? A car this good at this many things finishes last? Not to worry, a new RS 4 should arrive in about a year or so, and it will undoubtedly be looking for revenge.

Highs: The perfect ride, the sound of the V-8 at 8000 rpm, idiot-proof handling, tenacious grip, a joy at 10 mph or 150.

Lows: Not quite as involving as its competitors, sticker shock. The Verdict: Being easy to live with and overall competence arent enough in this group. You also have to offer roller-coaster thrills.


Second Place: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

First of all, forget what you know about AMG C-class models: the relentless understeer, the heavy steering, the subtle styling additions, and the last-place comparison-test finishes. Mercedes now intends to go apex to apex with the M3.

A good start is the C63s immensely powerful 6.2-liter V-8, designed and built by AMG, the high-performance wing of Mercedes. This V-8 makes 451 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, which is 89 more horsepower and 67 more pound-feet of torque than its predecessor, the C55. But we were even more interested in what AMG had achieved with the significantly reworked front suspension that results in a 1.4-inch-wider track. Could the C63 dance like the brilliant $140,000 CLK63 Black Series?
Hoist yourself into the deeply bolstered front bucketeasily the best seats of this groupingand grab the sculpted, flat-bottom steering wheel. The shift paddles are at three and nine oclock, and they respond instantly. Theyre still connected to a traditional automatic, but the quick responses and the blipped-throttle downshifts make you forget.

Did we mention its loud? Well, not cruising at 70 mphthere it was the quietest of the three. But mash the gas, and the car behind you will get an earful of loud, even at speeds above 100 mph. And be sure to downshift for some glorious gurgling-and-popping engine braking.
Since most AMG cars are now powered by this engine, we thought Mercedes might artificially hold back on this historically most-inexpensive AMG cars performance, so were pleased to report that this beastly Benz can outrun AMGs costing more than double the C63s $63,000 projected price.

An aggressive right foot generates cant-help-smiling burnouts, while a more restrained squeeze yields a fuss-free launch, followed by a hair-raising 3.9-second explosion to 60 mph, easily outrunning the other two. Upshifts happen quickly, leaving just the smallest interruption in the surge of power on the way to a blazing 12.3-second quarter-mile at 116 mph, and the Benz keeps charging hard until it runs headfirst into its 153-mph speed governor.

However, resorting to 55-percent-more engine displacement and 50-percent-more torque than the M3 to make the two-ton C63 outrun the BMW, which is lighter by 463 pounds, may indeed generate grins, but not admiration as an engineering marvel. How can the Benz weigh 220 more pounds than an Audi burdened by its heavy all-wheel drive? And even in this fuelish trio, the C63 stood out for fuel economy, 29 percent worse than the two others, averaging 10 mpg over 700 miles, or almost $200 per day in Germany, where premium gas is $7 a gallon.

Still, AMG has done a commendable job concealing the C63s weight by its quick, light, and accurate steering. But when the limit is approached, as it is in our lane-change test, the differences are clear. The M3 is far more willing to turn in and is quicker to transition, slithering through the lane change visibly quicker than the C63, although the Benz outpaces the Audi by a wide margin.

The upsize AMG brakes somehow managed to stop the heaviest-in-test C63 in 155 feet from 70 mph, the best of the day, although by only the slightest of margins. However, the C63s binders didnt have the initial bite so praiseworthy in the M3, and they were the only ones that got noticeably spongier after the testing regimen.

What really killed the Benzs chances of upsetting the M3, however, was its harsh ride. At low speeds, the suspension seems overly damped; the C63 dutifully tracks every lump in the pavement to the detriment of the jostled occupants. As the speeds rise, on back-road two-lanes, for example, the problem disappears and the Benz feels extremely capable and secure. But at even higher speeds, on unlimited sections of autobahn, the bucking behavior is back. It never caused the C63 to feel unstable but was nevertheless clearly the worst of the three cars.

In the end, we found the C63 to offer the most special experience in this highly desirable trio, but as the days wore on, we became slightly less enamored with the Mercedes aggressive behavior and looksthe creases, the bulges, the vents, and the gaping front fascia could almost pass as an aftermarket job in this tasteful group. But if you like to be seen, heard, and talked about, the C63 is your Lamborghini of sports sedans.

Highs: Shocking performance, heroic engine wail, the worlds best automatic, excellent seats.

Lows: Harsh suspension, over-the-top styling, overweight and a gas guzzler to boot.
The Verdict: The overtly aggressive sports sedan.

 

[mikeyb]

First Place: 2008 BMW M3

The M3 has been a work in progress for 20 years now, and this fourth-generation car arrives with double the number of cylinders as the first one and more than double the horsepower. Still, some feel that the race-car-like character of the original has been diluted by weight, horsepower, and electronic aids such as adjustable power steering, electronically controlled damping, and the iDrive interface.

After 700 miles behind the wheel of this M3, we feel confident that much of the simple, honest goodness that made the M3 the envy of the automotive world is present in the new car. It’s no longer a homologation special, but next to the C63 and RS 4, this latest M3 offers the purest, least diluted, most involving, and best-in-class driver-and-machine relationship. Those characteristics are what made the M3 great, and they’re still evident in a faster and more refined package.

At 3571 pounds, the M3 is the lightest car here (243 fewer pounds than the RS 4 and, as noted, a whopping 463 pounds lighter than the C63). The newest M3 might be 177 pounds more portly than the last M3, but with the competition in mind, it comes off as positively svelte. The weight saving is achieved via the carbon-fiber composite roof panels, aluminum-suspension components and hood, and new 4.0-liter V-8, which, according to BMW, is lighter than the old 3.2-liter inline-six. In this group, the BMW is also closest to having perfect balance between the front and rear wheels (51.9 percent in front and 48.1 percent in back). The net effect of paying strict attention to the issue of weight results in razor-sharp responses and a chassis that is easier to control when flirting with the limits of adhesion than in those two other cars. For those who value the objective over the subjective, the M3’s best-in-test skidpad and lane-change numbers bear witness.

Still obsessed with numbers? The M3’s acceleration times landed it midpack, despite having the best power-to-weight ratio. Roughly a half-second has been lopped off the previous M3’s time to 60 mph, and owing to the massive increase in horsepower, 150 mph arrives 8.4 seconds sooner than it used to. On the autobahn, the BMW hits an effortless 161 mph before the governor shuts down the fun. At that velocity, the electronically adjustable shocks keep the chassis planted and secure.
Unlike the two other V-8s in this comparison, the BMW V-8 doesn’t provide laid-back power. With the smallest displacement (4.0 liters) and the least amount of torque (295 pound-feet) the BMW V-8 demands that you rev it toward its 8300-rpm redline. Oddly, from inside the car, the sound is raucous and metallic, not unlike that of the previous inline-six. From outside the M3, the quad exhaust belts out a classic V-8 soundtrack, although hearing the engine run past 6000 rpm might cause those raised on lazier V-8s to **** their heads like the RCA mascot.

As the lightest car here, it should come as no surprise that the M3 was the most fun to throw around on secondary roads. A close-ratio gearbox with short (if slightly rubbery) throws and perfectly placed pedals made downshifts a pleasure. In the normal mode, the steering felt a bit light and numb, but in the sport setting, the power assist backs off and gives a bit more heft. Unfortunately, there isn’t any more feel to be had. Strong brakes with a firm and reassuring pedal kept us out of trouble.

The M3 wins because it is the best—the most sporting and emotionally appealing car in this group. It’s not the fastest, but its relatively light weight and deft handling, and the relationship it fosters with the driver, are the most compelling. And by the way, it is the least-expensive car of the three.

Highs: Communicates to the enthusiast driver, the thrust of the high-revving V-8, lightweight feel, unflappable brakes, lowest price.

Lows: Ungainly iDrive tumor in dashboard, iDrive interface, slightly rubbery shifter.
The Verdict: The M3 grows up, but not to worry— it still thinks it’s a race car.

- Car and Driver

 

[mikeyb]

Either C&D really can't wait, or the delay of Lexus's handing the IS-F to the media cost it the participation in a very relevant comparo. Can we demand a retest?

Sounds like typical C&D comparo. Mercedes is too heavy, Audi not involving enough, BMW is best in every non-quantifable way.

 

[mikeyb]

MT: Big Thunder Shootout

Big Thunder: Three power-stormers converge in the sleepy German countryside to wake the locals and make some noise

For much of the day, the quiet Taunus mountains in Germany -- rolling green hills, prosperous farmland, dark Hansel and Gretel pine forests, Volkswagens driven slowly by well-groomed women on narrow smooth roads -- sound like Darlington raceway. From sleepy hollow to days of thunder.

You just don't hear sounds like this in Europe. Cars here have four-cylinder engines, coarsened by diesel rattle. Even performance cars, short of the big-ticket Ferraris, have turbocharged four- or six-cylinder motors. In this neck of the woods, V-8s-and only V-8s can make this kind of sound-are as rare as Ford pickups and Dunkin' Donuts.

But the brand-new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and the more mature Audi RS4, especially in thunderous sport-exhaust mode (yes, a switch dials up the Darlington on the Audi!), sound like Jeff Gordon's DuPont Chevy coming pedal-to-the-metal around turn four-big revs, big bellowing exhaust, big power, big American noise.


All three sedans have V-8 power. All three, then, are Yankee-inspired, for while America didn't invent the V-8, Detroit (and Henry Ford) certainly popularized it. They made it American shorthand for musclecar.


Originally BMW's M3 used a far more typical European formula for big speed-a high-revving silky sweet Formula 1-based four-cylinder engine. Since then, in the need for speed, four cylinders became six. Now, with the newest M3, six turns into eight.

Audi's fast-car history also is peppered with small four-, five-, and six-cylinder engines, usually turbocharged, invariably quattro four-wheel drive. Yet with the RS4, which first went on sale in the U.S. in August 2006, Audi dumped all that dainty, less-is-more Euro sophistication stuff and shoehorned the biggest possible V-8-of 4.2 liters-into the engine bay. The result was an M3-beater, the first time anyone has been able to say that about a small fast Audi.


So to beat the RS4, BMW followed suit. It's got to be a V-8. And don't spare the horses.

Mercedes has known about the advantages of big V-8 muscle-think outgoing C55-for some time. Maybe it was the Chrysler link that taught it the lesson. The new C63, with 6.2 liters of lung power, has the most Detroit-like spec of any small European sporting sedan. These are Detroit-size lungs. This latest fastest C-Class is as German, in fast-car philosophy, as a bowl of grits and a glass of Southern sweet iced tea.


On this glorious fall day in Germany, on winding roads that snake up and down the sides of mountains, all three cars assemble.

I drive an M3 out from Britain, so let's start with that. While the exterior of the M3 is virtually all changed compared with the normal 3 Series coupe-of special note is the carbon-fiber roof-the cabin is almost identical to the normal 3, apart from some M-Sport jewelry and (of necessity) bigger numbers on the dials. That's a disappointment because BMW's cabins don't have the architecturally technological designs of the better Audis, nor the quality of finish.

Never mind. The steering wheel is a chunky, thick, three-spoker-note the light-blue/dark-blue/red M stitching on the leather rim. The BMW propeller points to your heart from the wheel hub. This is appropriate; BMWs are at their best when they play with your emotions, entice your senses. So you push the start button, plain black on that fascia alloy strip, and the tool that stokes your emotions hardest fires up. BMW engines, as with Ferraris, are the heart and soul of its cars; it's why you buy a BMW. And the 4.0-liter V-8, brand new, exceptionally light, and amazingly efficient (104 horses per liter) is one of the best engines ever to leave Munich.

So we drive, fast and easy from London to the English Channel, cross by undersea tunnel, and then power across northern Europe for our rendezvous with the Benz and Audi.

This is just as well, for when we hit Germany the speed limit disappears and now we're doing 140 mph and more. You have to concentrate, hard, at speeds like that.


We reach our rendezvous in Wiesbaden on the edge of the Taunus mountains. Editor MacKenzie comes by RS4 from nearby Frankfurt-it's motor show time in Germany's financial capital-and tech editor Reynolds arrives in the C63, heralded by the booming Darlington roar of the Benz's big-capacity V-8. MacKenzie and I agree on one thing immediately: The Benz sounds best, its deep bellow tingling spines as it echoes through the valleys.

The BMW by contrast is more like a Formula 1 engine, more roar than rumble, more buzz than bellow. It's the highest-revving motor here and sounds it. At full chat, a glorious 8400 rpm, those beautifully crafted pistons are traveling at some 69 feet per second, not so much slower than a BMW F1 engine (about 80 feet a second). The higher the revs, the more the engine plays, the more spirited it becomes, the more responsive, too. Push past 8000, and beyond the redline on the tach, and you're entering a special zone, an almost auto-erogenous zone, when the engine note turns from howl into full bloody anger, when the engine still pulls after you expect the staccato tat-a-tat-tat of the rev limiter to spoil the fun, and the engine feels hyper-alert, hyper-responsive, and you thank God you're piloting one of the finest engines ever fitted to a road car. Only a Ferrari F430, among V-8s, revs harder and more eagerly.


Repeated drives up and down the mountain roads reveal that the M3 is fantastically agile. Nearing the limits of its Michelin Pilot tires, it remains razor sharp and throttle responsive-back off to bring in the nose, power on to push the nose wide. All this despite flawed steering. The latest Servotronic system, despite its M Dynamic adjustments, is the weak dynamic link: It's gluey, a touch artificial in feel. Another flaw is that manual gearbox, surprisingly sticky and sometimes difficult to drive smoothly. Brakes, though, are brilliant; grip and handling balance exceptional; cornering speed the highest here.

 

[BlackCherry06]

If MB would drop a 6-speed in that C, it'd be perfect. I love the new look. Having said that, the Audi is still my baby.

 

[mikeyb]

We come into the C63 with muted expectations. Usually motoring missiles more than genuine sporting cars, AMGs make the right noises and go hard but fail to produce the sensitivity and subtlety you expect from top Europeans. But the C63 immediately impresses, and it isn't just the encouraging comments coming from Reynolds, fresh from a 50-mile drive, or that uplifting engine bellow that bounces off the mountain pines to announce its approach. The cabin is classy and roomy, especially for rear passengers.

Less impressive is the style. We agree the rakish BMW-the only coupe in this company-looks sportiest, the RS4 is the most classically sober and elegant, the C63 the gung-ho gawkiest. There are so many fiberglass accoutrements the styling could be the work of a SoCal tuning shop. Full of slats, scoops, wedges, humps, and strakes. And all that ornamentation on top of the normal C-Class body, which has more surface entertainment and odd angles than your average sedan.


Forget the style; let's hit the road. The big V-8 is fired into action by a conventional key; even at low revs you can feel that power. Maximum poke is 451 horses (Audi and BMW ring in with 414 and 420, respectively), top torque a mighty 443 pound-feet (BMW 295, RS4 317). And while the Benz is the heaviest car here, the weight surplus isn't enough to blunt the power and cube advantage. Zero to 60 comes in a claimed 4.3 seconds, a few ticks quicker than in the rivals. All three cars are electronically muzzled at 155 mph.

The Mercedes's power is marshaled to the rear wheels by Benz's impressive seven-speed automatic gearbox. You can drive it in normal C for Comfort mode, the shifts smooth and imperceptible. You can choose S for Sport; gearshifting is 30 percent quicker, kickdown more eager. Or you can choose M for manual and use the aluminum paddles behind the black-rimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel for fast shifting. The throttle blips-loud and thunderous-on downshifts. You end up downshifting just for the soundtrack.


But we're used to powerful AMGs dripping with high-tech, whose engines serenade with their music and thrill with their performance. Sad to say, we're also used to dead steering and lumpy rides. Fast Mercedes usually make their drivers passengers not participants. But this AMG, the C63, is different.

The Benz's steering is beautifully linear and nicely weighted, the best of any Mercedes. Choose ESP Sport from the three-choice electronic-stability-control menu, the rear wheels start to break free, and the AMG feels tight and lively and nimble. It makes you think, for the very first time, here's an AMG that's more than just a big, powerful brute. Finesse tempers force. Turning ESP off is an option but not recommended. Not with this much rear-drive power ready to break grip.


So can it match the M3 on these challenging German roads? Not quite. The lighter BMW is the more responsive, the more agile, its front end gripping with greater eagerness (the C63 will be understeering wide while the M3's nose is still under control; so will the RS4 run wide while the BMW tucks in nice and tight).


The ride of the C63 also is firm, and when the road starts to deteriorate, the AMG bucks and kicks and jars. At times, it becomes downright uncomfortable.

The Audi is a fine compromise between the agile BMW and the monstrously fast AMG. It's superbly well planted on those winding mountain tracks; its quattro grip slingshots it from slow bends with great urgency and precision (better than either rival). The engine feels louder, bigger, and meatier than the M3's. It also revs to the stratosphere-the fun stops at 8250-though the engine is never quite as responsive as the BMW's. The six-speed manual gearshift is slower and longer of throw-but more precise and offers a smoother drive.

The steering also is more linear. As with the C63's steering, you guide the RS4 with precision and no fuss. There's more entertainment and feedback coming from the BMW's three-spoker, but, ultimately, the Audi's steering inspires more. The Audi also is roomier than the M3, has a better cabin, and delivers more performance punch in the important midrange, never mind that 0-to-60 and top-speed figures are the same. It's more fast cruiser than tearaway express, more sport sedan than sport racer. And that's just the way Audi intended it.

All three cars have different types of sport switches to boost entertainment. On the Audi, the changes include seat adjustment: The lateral wings on the driver's seat pinch your buttocks and torso a bit tighter, ready for action. We love that. Plus the engine note deepens, from V-8 grumble to V-8 rumble. Darlington, here we come.

Verdict time. The oldest car of the bunch, the RS4, is the all-arounder. Comfortable, sure-footed, roomy enough, the best cabin. The composed cruiser. Plus M3 fast. The most poised in slippery conditions. Rain hardly bothers it, not with all four wheels clawing at the road. The Audi also is best at punching its way out of tight bends.

The C63 is the fastest, the most exhilarating, the most spacious, the one that can best play at being a normal sedan. It's the car that surprised us most. Poise finally meets AMG power. In sheer performance terms it out-thrills and outpunches the M3, the breed that's ruled the small sport sedan class for two glorious decades.

But I'll take the BMW. The driver's choice. It has the best handling, the fastest cornering, the most responsive engine, and is the most nimble. Plus, when you're bearing down on the 8400-rpm cutoff, engine yowling like a Formula 1 racer, you know you're in something truly special.

Not that it's the racer's choice. For sheer speed, M3 now makes way for C63. A car that proves there is no substitute for cubes. As Detroit, home of the V-8, has known for years.