Showing blog posts for M3

The time had finally come: my daily sports car enjoyment was coming to an end...well more-or-less. The arrival of Reginald, the bull-dog puppy in late January had meant that the M3 would no longer provide enough practicality for transporting myself, girlfriend and new four-legged companion. Coupled with that, I was beginning to become increasingly frustrated with the minute fuel tank on the BMW and its insatiable appetite for 95 RON. Having owned an E46 M3 and 997 C2S in the past, I was no stranger to grimacing at the pump, but the frequency that was involved during E90 M3 ownership was fairly alarming – especially for a relatively modern piece of engineering. You accept the cost of running these cars when you dive in at purchase, but the relentless £75 fill-ups just act as a constant reminder of your cash pouring from the nozzle, into said car, and then straight out of those meaty quad exhausts.

So what was it to be: the front-runners were the Audi Q5 (3.0TDi) with all extras ticked, a diesel Range Rover Sport, or a 335d BMW Estate. Having used a Range Rover during the ravages of 2010’s winter months (see December blog: Chelsea Tractor to Alpine Monster), I was convinced that its 4x4 credentials were unrivalled – and it was a strong contender, despite the questionable WAG image. The Audi offered a sportier alternative but, for me, the styling lacked the authoritative purpose that the Range Rover oozes. Whilst the BMW Estate was a good all-rounder, I knew deep down I wanted something different, and I had become a little tired of the dreary 3-series cockpit. Additionally, I wanted to something that instilled some degree of confidence in harsh winter conditions; the M3 was truly woeful during the snow, and I just do not have the time or patience to think about winter-tyre options.

Without singling out exactly where it happened, I had a disastrous sales experience at my local Land Rover dealership: two visits, zero follow-up from disinterested staff and I seemed to know more about the cars than the salesman – not a ringing endorsement – they never even managed to engineer a test-drive. In any case, I began to realise the Mark 2 RR Sports commanded prices in the mid £40ks which was going to be a bit of a reach, but the updated interiors were considerably smarter than the original cars which still harked back to Land Rover’s agricultural roots.

Trading out of the M3 into a low mileage 335d Estate, and having to pay a few thousand quid was just too unpalatable to contemplate. So, this left me with a trip to Audi. The Q5 was certainly adequate and given all the eventualities it covers, I could see why the dealer network had a groaning waiting list for new build slots. However my interest was piqued by another car residing in their showroom, one I had not considered due to rarity and potential running costs: the RS4 Avant. The long-time nemesis of the car I was parting company with was something of an enigma to me. I had perpetually rubbished it over the years, such was my loyalty to the M3 and had never even set foot in one. But here it was: all the practicality I needed, the famed Quattro platform, the stealth looks, V8 performance and an exquisite exhaust note to boot. I had lived in the South of France over a decade ago as a student and among the usual Italian exotica that howled around the mountain roads, the bright blue RS2 was not an uncommon site. A Porsche/Audi collaboration – at the time, every petrol-head yearned for one. The RS4 represented its spiritual successor and is gradually carving out a cult following – at least, that was my argument!

A quick calculation and I could switch from the M3 into the RS by paying a nominal amount, at the same time reducing the mileage between the M3 and the Audi by 10k. A quick test-drive and I was ready to trade. The Audi emitted an electric, throaty warble from its trademark oval exhausts and as soon as the starter button was pressed, thoughts of diesel 4x4s were quickly jettisoned. The switch gear was much smoother than the M3’s, which was a big factor given I do a lot of urban driving and I immediately had more confidence when executing quick, green-to-amber shifts than in the BMW. The huge, winged bucket-seats are more than a novelty and encourage a more upright, straighter driving position with better all-round back support. The car’s build quality is excellent and the only thing it lacks is a few bits of technology here and there: after-market Bluetooth, iPod connectivity were thrown in with the purchase, but can be found on some models. The most pleasantly surprising aspect of RS4 ownership versus the M3 has been the relative frugality with regards to fuel consumption. On a long motorway run I could just about squeeze out a 300 mile tank, whereas the Audi seems to be delivering this and more under mixed conditions. It might not have the same street-cred as the BMW but it is more of a connoisseur’s choice, and the respectful nods of those “in the know” is equally as rewarding for those badge followers among us.

Well, if that wasn't enough and he left you salivating, wanting to know more, then you've come to the right place! We have a video of that very road filmed from onboard a BMW M3. We hope this completes the picture and shows exactly how good this twisty section of British tarmac really is and how breathtaking the landscape in this area of the country is.

If you have any videos of great driving roads in the UK please email us and we'll post them to the blog.

There are very few places quite like this. Asphalt draped precariously over sharp, steep, shaky passes and long, rolling curves, switchbacks, and s-bends, all strewn through mile upon mile of green hills and bracken-brown moorland. It’d be heaven if not for the glacially slow caravans and stray sheep.

But the tourist problems become moot when you have this kind of metal; a pair of Ferraris, a trio of M3s, a Gallardo, and a chrome wrapped, 628bhp Nissan GTR. There’s a cacophony of noise, from whining metallic rasp of the M3s, to the low, burbling rumble of the Gallardo, the hills are alive with the sound of our kind of music, percussed by the pop-bang of flame firing from the straight through exhaust on the GTR.

Our road of choice for the day is the infamous Buttertubs Pass. Having seen an Ariel Atom chicken out at the bottom and turn around because ‘it’s too bumpy,’ it’s obvious that this is not a drive to be taken lightly. We discover this firsthand when the F430 bottoms out. Lots. This short stretch of tarmac connects Wensleydale to its northern neighbor Swaledale. So called because of the rock formations halfway along, into which farmers would hang their butter to keep it cool, the Buttertubs Pass also just happens to wind across the top of a precarious, steep sided valley, and it is utterly breathtaking.

After several runs up and down this mad stretch of road we head off to the Ribblehead Viaduct for a spot of lunch, and soak up another awe inspiring road. Passing through Hawes, I expect at least one or two jokes about the place’s pronunciation, but without even a giggle we join the B6255 and tear along 10 miles of sheep strewn spaghetti blacktop, eat a plate of whitebait, and go our separate ways.

It’s all well and good owning a machine like this and taking it up and down the motorway, but there is no substitute for a day like this, taking the best machines in the world over the best roads in the world, it’s impossible not to crack a smile.

So if you want to take your four-wheeled toy out for fun and games, bring it to here. You’ll have the time of your life.

Before the groans begin at the thought of more badly written buyers’ guides, don't worry, this won’t be dry and dreary news stories. We won't waffle about changes in government policy that impact manufacturers. You won't find the monotonous ramblings of “yet another used car road-tester”, writing their 17th review this week about auto-dimming headlights in mid-priced family saloons. No, we intend to do things a little differently…as we've tried to with every aspect of the site.

Obviously, reading about random, “vaguely-car-related-stuff” we saw on our way to the office, our views on the best hot-hatch £7k can buy, or a blog post about the latest team go-karting event won’t keep you tuned in, so we’ve decided…we’re going to open this blog up to YOU, the readers!

Whether you're writing your own “personal long term road-test” about the car you know intimately and are selling on the site, or if you’re simply a car enthusiast who wants to blog about your passion, we want to hear from you. We want to know about YOUR experiences: anything from an epic road trip to the Stelvio Pass, or a review of charge-points for your Toyota Prius in central Manchester, if you feel it’s interesting and want to tell the story, please contact us.

You’ll be pleased to know we already have an exciting pipeline of material that our team have been working on over the last few months. Over time we’ll be running some interesting competitions for both readers of the blog and contributing writers, so, whether it's ideas, events, news, stories or pictures of Gorillas driving M3s, we want you to share them with us here! Let the posts begin...