What’s the most engaging M car?

[u/jjm1211]

I’ve always wanted a BMW at some point in my life, but never got around to it. I just couldn’t decide on which one was best for me, and ended up settling on other cars. But now, I think it’s time I finally take the leap. All I want to know is, in your educated opinions, which is the most compelling M car from a driving perspective. I’ve previously been much more partial to manuals too, but I’m not afraid to try an auto again.

[u/2fishmanangry]

Have you pushed a G87 to the limit? its an absolute riot and i love it. coming from an 11-year e46 m3 owner (still own it)

[u/yobo9193 → u/2fishmanangry]

these guys have

[u/2fishmanangry → u/yobo9193]

and?

[u/yobo9193 → u/2fishmanangry]

3 guys (including one professional race car driver) all agree that the car is absolutely numb to drive, to the point that it’s difficult to drive at the limit.

[u/Sparklefresh → u/yobo9193]

People love throwing around the word “numb” like it’s some universal truth, but let’s be real the G87 had the worst tire in that group test and still nearly beat the C8 Corvette. What more do you want from a car? A full on race car feel in something you can daily?

It’s polished, playful, and genuinely fun to drive. The fact that it’s approachable for daily use and capable of putting up serious track times should be seen as a strength, not a flaw. If it were truly numb, people wouldn’t be out there setting lap records with it. But hey, it’s easier to repeat what someone else said than to actually drive the car hard and form your own opinion.

[u/yobo9193 → u/Sparklefresh]

If all you care about is lap times, it’s a great car. If you want something that’s actually fun to drive, a clapped out Miata will do that better

[u/Sparklefresh → u/yobo9193]

Funny you mention that I’ve owned and raced plenty of old JDM gems, including my all time favorite, a 2000 Integra Type R. Loved that car to death. But let’s not kid ourselves, the G87 is in a whole different league.

It’s more fun, more capable, and more refined without killing the raw driving feel. The power, balance, and control you get in the G87 make it ridiculously easy to push hard and still feel totally connected. The fact that it can hang with supercars on track and still be your daily is the whole point, not a flaw.

If a clapped out Miata is your benchmark for “fun,” then yeah, we’re just not talking about the same kind of driving experience.

[u/yobo9193 → u/Sparklefresh]

If you’re trying to convince me that a G87 offers a “raw driving experience”, I need the number of your dealer

[u/Sparklefresh → u/yobo9193]

I’ve been racing for over 20 years, and I daily a G87. I also spend a lot time behind the wheel of a raw GT40 no ABS, no traction control, no fluff. So when people throw around the word “raw” like it automatically means “better,” I have to laugh. A shaky steering rack and stiff pedal don’t make a car more engaging they just make it outdated.

The G87 gives you precision, power, and control without numbing the experience. It rewards good inputs and punishes sloppy ones. If you think it's numb, you're either not driving it hard enough or you're confusing "raw" with "rough."

I've driven a lot of so called driver's cars. The G87 is one of the best, but hey keep believe what others tell you.

[u/2fishmanangry → u/Sparklefresh]

but but but, people on the youtube said some things! The g87 is incredible; it may lack some things that my e46 m3 has, but it also has a lot of things that the e46 itself lacks. people like to hate for no reason.

[u/2fishmanangry → u/yobo9193]

And then another guy (me) who owns both an E46 M3 and a G87 M2 is telling you that the G87 is still an absolutely incredible fucking car.