[quote=AN]
I agree with you it’s not always about the number. But numbers are not irrelevant either. A G37 is hardly like a Camaro and a 328i is hardly a Mini. The Camaro is ~500lb heavier than the G37 and the Mini is ~500lb lighter than the 328. Weight, like all other metrics is one of a factor. But if it’s as important as you suggested, then the 328i should be more fun than the M3, since the M3 is heavier. The 328i is 200 lb lighter than the G37 but it’s 100 HP less. 200lb is much harder to notice than the 1400lb example you just gave.[/quote]
You won’t find an argument here. Like I said, it’s subjective, and you have to weigh every factor, not just weight. All else being equal, if one car is 50 pounds lighter than another, I’ll take it even if my butt dyno can’t tell the difference, but I CAN tell a 200 pound difference. One of the most fun cars I’ve ever owned was an ’87 924S, which didn’t make enough power to get out of its own way, but it excelled everywhere else. The example I gave with the Mini was just an exaggeration to show WHY I like certain cars more than others. Some people prefer a boat with gobs of torque – more power to them.
[quote]
Would you take a Miata over a S2000 or Z4M because it’s lighter? It also make significantly less power.[/quote]
I would take a used Mazdaspeed Miata over an S2000, certainly. If I could manage to get over the looks. Given those choices, the Z4M wins.
[quote]Since you open the can of worms wrt modding… I’m not too sure you can say slapping $2k in mods in a new Turbo I4 328i will allow it to “embarrass” a G37 or the 335.[/quote]
You’re right – the BMW will cost more to mod, because that’s how the BMW aftermarket is. (I am VERY impressed with the low-end torque of the new BMW turbo 4, btw.)
By “embarrass” I was actually aiming pretty cheap, as it wouldn’t be embarrassing to be beaten by another bimmer 🙂 … as in Cobalt SS or SRT-4. Those two by themselves make ridiculous amounts of power for very little. To give an example of a car that I am more familiar with (my wrong wheel drive daily driver):
’10-’12 Mazdaspeed 3 – $25k off the lot
$350 – Autotech high pressure fuel pump internals
$340 – Cobb intake/turbo inlet pipe
$500 – downpipe
$520 – Cobb Accessport (for tuning)
$120 – stiffer rear motor mount (to dampen the horrific torque steer and wheel hop)
That $1,800 results in somewhere just north of 300hp/350tq (up from 240/260) to the wheels and will easily stomp a 335 or G37. In fact, when you see a lowered MS3, it most likely has all that under the hood.
[quote]A street legal Vortech system in an older G35 makes close to 400WHP. There’s no way you can mod an I4 to get that kind of power.[/quote]
There are several MS3s with big turbos at over 500hp at the wheels. That’s a $1,500 kit plus the above bolt-ons, with completely stock block/pistons/cam/rods/etc. That’s a reliable (as long as you keep an eye on things), 2.3 liter 4-banger. Granted they’re useless in the rain 🙂
Visit the SRT-4 and Cobalt forums for other examples of even easier and more ridiculous power. Not that I would ever buy either one.
Regardless, it’s a pointless argument, because my tastes are different than yours. My dream car is a Cayman R with a GT3 swap, not a Ferrari or Lambo. If I had a more understanding wife, I’d be driving a Dinan 335 right now, but until then, I keep up with a stock 335 (and G37, and 996) just fine.
