With its huge rear antler, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS was the king of the circuit. Now BMW gives wings to the M3, lowers its weight and puts a cane on its engine. Can you beat 911?
The duel is alive “orange”. Flame orange and to be exact: shade code U 94. The guys at the paint shop can now use the correct shade. I’ll bet anything: from now on we’re going to see a lot of flashy fiery orange BMWs on the road… and not just in Germany.
Fans of the blue and white brand have a new demigod, a new Bavarian king, a new member of dynasty 3.
BMW stands up to the Porsche 911 GT3 RS with its M3 GTS. Lighter, faster, more expensive, more striking and extreme in every aspect: with that idea in mind, the Stuttgarters have taken the 911 to the top and BMW has turned its M3 into a racing car suitable for the road.
Which one is faster then? Front or rear engine? V8 or six-cylinder Boxer? Double clutch or manual transmission? M3 or 911? It is the war of the systems. The BMW system improves the displacement of its eight cylinders so that a 4.4-liter engine comes out of a four-liter engine. To this must be added a more refined engine, improved aerodynamics and a lighter body. In addition, the bodywork is more at ground level, it has a threaded suspension on the front and rear axles, a safety cage, instead of rear seats, and wider wheels. The M3 GTS comes very close to a full-blown racing car.
Porsche drivers should listen to the patch when their engine starts. Wonderful! At idle it rumbles, resonates and bellows in a way that silences the Porsche. Ahead of him, the Boxer caws intimidated. Between that and the metallic screech of its lightened flywheel, the Porsche looks sick and weak. Luckily, the 911 knows how to do a lot of things well.
But let’s go by parts. The powerful M3 launches into the ring without hesitation and positions itself as a racing car should: satisfied, calm, neutral and with precise steering. Even without electronic supports, this projectile can be mastered.
It’s fine like that, almost 136,000 euros nobody likes to throw them against the vegetation. Still, seasoned driving wizards will almost certainly criticize the GTS’s lack of mobility: no trace of the slightest help, via weight shifts, when cornering. In the limit zone, the BMW is inclined to understeer, something that both car lovers and artistic gymnastics sumo wrestlers like.
Its six-cylinder predecessor, the 2003 M3 CSL (E46), not only had a minimum weight of 100 kilos less, but it was fitted with Cup tires, which hardly have any tread. In fact, the CSL was quicker on some sections than the previous 911 GT3 (996): a marvel.
It is clear that BMW wants to continue in that line. The DKG dual-clutch automatic gearbox is capable of changing its seven gears at lightning speed: perfect for road and track. Regarding the M3 series, this model has much larger fixed caliper brakes that react with rage and firmness. In contrast, the BMW has nothing to do with the masters of the track in the section of lightness. With a curb weight of 1,538 kilos it is almost 140 heavier than the Porsche.
The M3 GTS looks like something out of a tuning catalog
At BMW they pride themselves on handiwork, but on closer inspection I discover high-end details on the GTS: interior lights on the grille bottom, slots for the luggage rack on the carbon roof, and buttons with no function on the steering wheel. All this leaves the impression that this super M3 has come out of a tuning catalogue.
Despite its light body, it makes clumsy corners. Of course it is not because of the engine, quite the opposite: despite the fact that in the M3, which is over-engined at some points, this defect was already noticeable and has not been corrected. When accelerating in a curve, it is only with a lot of effort that it manages to hit the ground running. On the straights it stumbles and transmits its 450 CV to the propulsion with less effectiveness than the Porsche.
And it is that it rests in a unique way on its rear wheels and sneaks through the curves by sheer brute force. In the Porsche 911, the driver can brake much later and then slow down in the corners, ride calmly and let himself be carried with total precision. And then there is… that sound!: a tenor is nothing compared to it. With moderate acceleration it is easy for the noise of its 4,000 rpm to force compensation to be paid.
That is when the 3.8-litre boxer with a smaller displacement (the normal Carrera has more, but with a smaller diameter) opens all the floodgates and launches, at the blast of a bugle, to attack the lord of the Bavarian castle… And, furthermore, he wins the battle. The Porsche laps the AUTO BILD circuit almost two seconds faster than the BMW. Come on, in other words: the GTS doesn’t stand a chance. Not even with the best Cup tires would it be able to beat the fastest naturally aspirated 911.
Of course, it is clear: the GT3 RS is closer to the 911 racing than to the road. With hardly any soundproofing, but with giant wheels, which maintain a constant “music” in the background and which makes the use of earplugs inevitable. Despite everything, the suspension is not bad. Its firm racing bodywork absorbs expansion joints on the motorway more smoothly than the BMW.
Without air conditioning or radio: here every gram counts
After all, the M3 GTS lives up to the claims of everyday racing cars. With either one you can go from your home garage to the Nürburgring, Silverstone or Monza, show your rivals who’s boss on the tarmac, and then drive back home. Only that it would not have to be so hot and boring for the co-pilot, since, although the air conditioning and radio do not usually come as standard, at least they could be as extra equipment. In truth, it is something that purists do not care: they sweat and keep silent, that’s why they are purists.
They are also silent when it comes to talking about the price. So little comfort for so much money requires specialized knowledge of fast driving. Whoever has it will be richly rewarded. Both with the Porsche and with the BMW. The owners of an M3 GTS are also graced with an enormous privilege: the firm of the M only plans to produce between 130 and 150 units until the end of the generation of the 3 Series (E92).
Of course, you have to be careful when picking it up at the factory because if you are not very used to this type of car you can run out of points before reaching the first traffic light.
Conclusion after the comparison between the BMW M3 GTS and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS
My colleagues were beside themselves: “Yours is the job of our dreams”, they said while admiring the candidates in this comparison. You are right! Both culminate the pinnacle of super sports cars. It’s hard to find more fun. For my part, the two take an outstanding ‘Cum Laude’ in fascination potential. And that there are differences. The most visible is the most advantageous price of the BMW. It is about 25,000 euros cheaper than the Porsche and offers almost the same benefits. Indeed, only “almost”. Many details make it dynamic, consistent and fast.
