At last my turn came to drive it. Few road-going cars produce as nasty an exhaust note, nor anything nearly as mechanically stimulating as its sweet cacophony of engine noises. Blip the throttle and pure racecar technology barks its command like Brigadier-General Seeley did to his Canadian Cavalry Brigade, only this time 333 eager horses respond with drive-by-wire immediacy. Its pedal positioning is near perfect, complimenting a purposely weighted clutch that transmits control to the driver like few I''ve ever tested. The short throw 6-speed transmission is velvety smooth allowing quick intervals between blasts to the engines 8,000 rpm redline. Its relatively small 3.2-L displacement inline 6-cylinder''s 262 lb-ft of torque doesn''t rival competitive V8''s, but the M3 is all about power. How much power? It takes only 5.2 seconds to eclipse 100 km/h. How fast is that? It''s just a fraction short of the 2002 Porsche 911, fast company indeed. A 6-speed transaxle connects to the rear wheels, tamed by a battery of electronic and mechanical traction and stability control devices - that incidentally can be switched off.
But straight line performance is only one measuring stick. Even leaving the parking lot I noticed its taut suspension. This is no poseur. The M3 posts a 0.91 g rating around the 300-ft skidpad, a similar number to that of the superb 911 as well.
So, why am I making all these comparisons to the Porsche 911? After all, a base 911 costs $25,800 more than this relative upstart. Well, truth be told, the reality of a wife and two kids has made me a fairly practical guy. If I''m going to even dream about owning a sports car, I''ve got to consider taking my family with me at least some of the time. The 911 has always been high on my wish list for the simple reason of its miniscule rear jump seats - just capable of squeezing in my 9-year old. The M3 is limousine-like in comparison. Its rear accommodations are large enough for my daughter, my boy and his car seat and possibly a little something in the future. I''m sold!