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The new M3 is an amazing piece of machinery. There is little doubt in my mind that it was a worthy winner of a recent comparison test against the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Audi RS 4. With its 414-hp V-8 screaming to 8300 rpm, I have a new addiction.
The V-8 in our Melbourne Red coupe came hooked to a traditional six-speed manual, and I'd have it no other way. I know F1-inspired, dual-clutch transmissions make for better test numbers, but to me there is no substitute for banging off shifts with a classic stick-shift.
Cruising in the M3 last week, I felt like a child refusing to come inside for dinner, as the sound, the fury, the excitement, and the power were intoxicating. Rowing the gear shift to unlock the V-8's full potential rewards you with tire chirps through third gear and an unholy sound bellowing out of the M3's quad exhaust; it drives me wild. Coming to a stop was just as exciting, since I got the chance to hear the M3 howl again.
To the credit of the RS 4 and C63, both have their own beautiful V-8 symphonies, but the M3 just does it for me. The pops and gurgles of the C63 keep me grinning for hours, but the lack of a manual kills my enthusiasm. The RS 4's all-wheel-drive setup may be good for traction, but it puts the kibosh on real tail-out fun. Rear-wheel drive with a manual tranny is the configuration for me, and that's a big reason why I prefer the M3.
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