Fivewaysto skina cat
The Specs
BMW M3 PURE MERC-AMG C63 S ALFA GIULIA Q ALPINA B3 S RS5 SPORTBACK
BODY 4-door, 5-seat sedan 4-door, 5-seat sedan 4-door, 5-seat sedan 4-door, 5-seat sedan 5-door, 5-seat sedan
DRIVE rear-wheel rear-wheel rear-wheel rear-wheel all-wheel
ENGINE 2979cc inline-6cyl, DOHC,
24v, twin-turbo3982cc V8, DOHC, 32v,
twin-turbo2891cc V6, DOHC, 24v,
twin-turbo2979cc inline-6cyl, DOHC,
24v, twin-turbo2894cc V6, DOHC, 24v,
twin-turbo
BORE X STROKE 84.0 x 89.6mm 83.0 x 92.0mm 86.5 x 82.0mm 84.0 x 89.6mm 84.5 x 86mm
COMPRESSION 10.2:1 10.5:1 9.3:1 10.2:1 10.0:1
POWER 331kW @ 7000rpm 375kW @ 5500-6250rpm 375kW @ 6500rpm 324kW @ 5500-6250rpm 331kW @ 5700rpm
TORQUE 550Nm @ 1850-5500rpm 700Nm @ 1750-4500rpm 600Nm @ 2500-5000rpm 660Nm @ 3000-4500rpm 600Nm @ 1900-5000rpm
POWER/WEIGHT 212kW/tonne 223kW/tonne 237kW/tonne (tare) 199kW/tonne 192kW/tonne
TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch 9-speed wet-clutch auto 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic
WEIGHT 1560kg (est) 1680kg 1585kg (tare) 1630kg 1720kg
SUSPENSION struts, coil springs, adaptive
dampers, anti-roll bar (f);
multi-links, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll
bar (r)
A-arms, coil springs, adaptive
dampers, anti-roll bar (f);
multi-links, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll
bar (r)double A-arms, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll
bar (f); multi-links, coil
springs, adaptive dampers,
anti-roll bar (r)struts, coil springs, adaptive
dampers, anti-roll bar (f);
multi-links, coil springs,
adaptive dampers, anti-roll
bar (r)multi-links, adaptive
cross-linked dampers, coils,
anti-roll bar (f/r)L/ W/H 4671/1877/1431mm 4756/1839/1426mm 4639/1873/1426mm 4632/1811/1431mm 4783/1866/1399mm
WHEELBASE 2812mm 2840mm 2820mm 2810mm 2826mm
TRACKS 1579/1603mm 1609/1546mm 1555/1607mm 1539/1556mm 1598/1588mm
STEERING electrically assisted
rack-and-pinionelectrically assisted
rack-and-pinionelectrically assisted
rack-and-pinionelectrically assisted
rack-and-pinionelectrically assisted
rack-and-pinion
BRAKES 380mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 4-piston calipers (f);
370mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 2-piston calipers (r)402mm ventilated/drilled
carbon-ceramic discs,
6-piston calipers (f); 360mm
ventilated/drilled discs,
single-piston calipers (r)360mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 6-piston calipers (f);
340mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 4-piston calipers (r)370mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 4-piston calipers (f);
345mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 2-piston calipers (r)375mm ventilated/drilled
discs, 6-piston calipers (f);
330mm ventilated/drilled
discs, single-piston calipers
(r)
WHEELS 19.0 x 9.0-inch (f); 19.0 x
10.0-inch (r)19.0 x 8.5-inch (f); 19.0 x
9.5-inch (r)19.0 x 8.5-inch (f); 19.0 x
10.0-inch (r)20.0 x 8.0-inch (f); 20.0 x
9.0-inch (r)20.0 x 9.0-inch (f/r)
TYRES 255/35 ZR19 92Y (f); 275/35
R19 100Y (r) Continental
ContiSportContact 5P245/35 ZR19 93Y (f); 265/35
ZR19 98Y (r) Michelin Pilot
Super Sport245/35 ZR19 99Y (f); 285/30
ZR19 98Y (r) Pirelli P Zero
Corsa245/30 ZR20 90Y XL (f);
265/30 ZR20 94Y XL (r)
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S275/30 ZR20 97Y XL (f/r)
Continental SportContact 6
PRICE $129,000 $160,900 ($172,900 as
tested)$145,900 ($159,860 as
tested)$116,990 (driveaway) $157,700 ($167,050 as tested)
PROS That price, extreme pace, still
pretty after all these yearsExcellent powertrain, steering,
classy interior, engaging techStriking looks, effortless pace,
ride and handling mixRorty engine note, huge pace
for little bucksGecko-like grip, suave interior,
comfy ride, insane
acceleration
CONS Doughy steering, coarse
engine note, low speed tip-inFeels a bit tubby, traction
woesUnnatural brakes, mysterious
ESP and cabin qualityDated cabin, traction woes,
imprecise handlingNumb steering feel, weight,
slow responses
STAR R ATI N G 11112 11112 11113 11123 11113MAIN
All fivecarsuse
twin-turbocharged
enginesand,
excepttheAMG,
justsixcylinders➜
interior is beautifully designed, but it’s all compromised by
some questionable fit-and-finish. The gearshift lever’s dim
back-lighting is unacceptable at this price point.
This leaves the M3 Pure and C63 S. If both cars fit your
budget, despite the yawning $31,900 price gap (before the
AMG’s options), then the M3 would be mighty tempting. Its
performance has only been enhanced by age. Munich worked
hard to fix its spikey power delivery and spooky rear-end
over its life cycle and the Pure distils that learning into a very
attractive deal.
But as the faster car it’s also the firmer one. It bobs a touch
more over humps and drones a bit more inside over the coarse
chip stuff. Its pedals are also crude looking and the shiftpaddles, while they work with a crisp click, are undersized and
look nasty. You never really fall in love with its engine, either.
On balance it comes close, but falls short of a cigar.
Mercedes-AMG obviously slaved away at the C63 S and it’s
paid off. It brings the luxury of the Audi, the smoothness of
the Alpina, the front-end accuracy of the Alfa Romeo and then
mixes it all with the pedigree of the M3. But it’s also a V8 lunatic
with enough power to overthrow a government.
Ride comfort is good. Meanwhile, the interior’s taken strides
forward in technology, as have the car’s stability systems,
and while it’d be easy to pick any of the others for your own
reasons, anyone would be very happy to take its keys at the end
of the day. Now, where’s that pesky Cadillac ATS-V?