Video: 20 years later, is the E46 M3 still a competitive track car?

And a question for the audience: Do we like these data-driven track tests of older cars?

And I don’t think it made the final cut, but I remember JG saying something like if I wasn’t there, he could have found another half a second. :) 

In reply to CrustyRedXpress :

Yup.

An x:xx.xx lap time doesn’t mean much until you add the benchmark. More like this to come. 

i'm obsessed with measuring (i.e. objectively) things.

Lord Kelvin:

please feel free to measure and publish anything you can!

I love the track data traces.  It's facinating to see where and how the time difference it made up.

I think if i was buying another car to play with, the Hyundai might get a chance - bet its as fun as the bmw and the consumables would be less expensive and with the lap times that close, driver technique would be more the deciding factor than any real performance differences in the cars, but I am guessing the bmw has more performance left untapped and available than the hyundai. Any thoughts?

Hmmm, which one to actually buy and live with? I’d love to hear which you all would choose. 

David S. Wallens said:

And a question for the audience: Do we like these data-driven track tests of older cars?

yes.  yes we do.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Then we will have to make more. 

Yeah, I think this is pretty cool. I like looking at Lightning Lap times to get an idea of relative performance. Then I start thinking about how tires have come a long way in the last 20 years.