Take delivery of a Handschaulter- or sell the e46?

[Bimma360]

Yes, I suppose we have very different ideas of what constitutes special. Although I'm not sure by what metric you consider the mass-market modern M3 as special as any of the above. It sounds worse, it's heavier, it's not as rare, it's not as good looking, it doesn't communicate very much at all based on all my observations, although I have not driven the g8x...besides being faster, it doesn't seem to have anything going for it over any of the above.

A low mileage R8 V8 manual can be had well under 100k. It's lighter than the v10 and more approachable on the street.

The V8V is amazing...I'm not sure how you figure a V12V is great and the V8V isn't. Still sounds great, handles and steers better than the 12, still has enough power for fun, and it's cheaper to buy and own.

Same with the z3/4 M. The 4 is only 100 pounds heavier but doesn't tear the floor out and is much higher quality.

Early Boxster Spyders can be had well under 100k.

The Elise is about the purest car money can buy, don't see how that isn't special.

If your focus is track, I'm not sure how you can beat any generation of z06.

And any properly specced 911 of any generation is a special car-just like the old M3s....

You seem to differentiate special experience from special car...fine, but the g80 M3 is by no metric more special than any of these in either way. Just because they gave it a funny name and dropped a tiny bit of inconsequential weight does not make this special edition very special at all IMO. It's a gimmick just like their carbon seats that drop all of 10 pounds.

I suppose panache and rarity are what you are getting at, but I doubt any car guy and certainly no common person will be more impressed by the M3 than an R8/Aston Martin etc. Pretty sure every single one of those sans the 911 is more rare too.

This has got to be ragebait. I won't even address all the other comments but blatantly writing off every Corvette is straight up ignorant. C5/C6/C7 Z06's are all absolutely fantastic cars. C7 Grand Sport is widely considered one of the best out-of-the-box track toys you can buy. Don't get me started on the C6 ZR1. And lastly, love it or hate it you can get a C8 for $50k, and C8 Z06's with that glorious LT5 are depreciating under $100k.

Corvette slander will not be tolerated.

Man, you guys really missed my point (it’s in the very first sentence).

Modern CS/CSL cars are special. The car in question in this thread is a limited addition (at most about 900 made, NA market only). It is the only CS offered in manual and RWD. It's basically a 4 door CSL light in manual. If you think these CS models are just as you describe, you are being very short sided. It's going to be a special car. Maybe not to you, but to a lot of people.

Special is not just panache and rarity. I mean do you really qualify “good”, “great” even, automatically as special? You can’t think of any qualities that would separate a great car from a special one?

Lastly, and perhaps the most important point here. What the normal person thinks is irrelevant. Normal people are retarded when it comes to cars.

[01SG]

Man, you guys really missed my point (it’s in the very first sentence).

Modern CS/CSL cars are special. The car in question in this thread is a limited addition (at most about 900 made, NA market only). It is the only CS offered in manual and RWD. It's basically a 4 door CSL light in manual. If you think these CS models are just as you describe, you are being very short sided. It's going to be a special car. Maybe not to you, but to a lot of people.

Special is not just panache and rarity. I mean do you really qualify “good”, “great” even, automatically as special? You can’t think of any qualities that would separate a great car from a special one?

Lastly, and perhaps the most important point here. What the normal person thinks is irrelevant. Normal people are retarded when it comes to cars.

Seems like you're just basing it on rarity though? It's not a standalone model. 30 of the measly 75 pounds lost are due to the carbon ceramic brakes that can be fitted to the standard car. I think pretty much all the parts can be optioned on the standard car, albeit for more money than this will cost.

It's like saying a ZHP is some ultra rare 3 series. It's not; minor upgrades, and the car is 99% the same.

It's special in that it's an expensive, high quality BMW, but the package is a gimmick. Would make a lot more sense to save tens of thousands of dollars and buy a standard model that will deliver the same exact experience. What point is there in losing 40 pounds from a pig or putting track suspension on a car too fat to track.

[Bimma360]

Seems like you're just basing it on rarity though? It's not a standalone model. 30 of the measly 75 pounds lost are due to the carbon ceramic brakes that can be fitted to the standard car. I think pretty much all the parts can be optioned on the standard car, albeit for more money than this will cost.

It's like saying a ZHP is some ultra rare 3 series. It's not; minor upgrades, and the car is 99% the same.

It's special in that it's an expensive, high quality BMW, but the package is a gimmick. Would make a lot more sense to save tens of thousands of dollars and buy a standard model that will deliver the same exact experience. What point is there in losing 40 pounds from a pig or putting track suspension on a car too fat to track.

In part on rarity, but in part because you can't actually option all the "CS" parts haha. I am not sure why you think that. It's far from a gimmick. Like the e46 M3 CSL, the G80 CS gets different knuckles, springs, dampers, sway bars, bushings/mounts, and suspension software tuning. None of those can be optioned. The exterior aero/design elements, carbon hood, and interior carbon console can't be optioned. There is also a bunch of software and steering stuff that can't be optioned. I am sure there is some more that I am not thinking of off the top of my head. I will admit I haven't driven a CS (yet), but just about everyone that has unanimously says that it feels like a completely different car vs the comp.

The weight argument is tiresome. And it can't be a hard qualifier. It's 2026, cars are not made to the same standards they were 20 years ago. You can hold them to whatever standards you want, but I think you're being a bit shortsighted as a result. Is the e46 M3 CSL more special than an M4 CSL? Yes. Is the M4 CSL not special b/c of that? No.

I suppose I should qualify what I think special is. It should be the best version made of that model, unless other versions offer something unique. It has to be hard, or cost prohibitive to replicate (with some caveats). It has to look good on the outside (subjective), but probably also somewhat on the inside. It has to be a special experience to drive. It can be perfect, or flawed if the flaws specifically add to that special experience. Rarity helps, doesn't mean it's necessary, but usually ends up going hand in hand. You already know what I think about what normal people think.

[01SG]

In part on rarity, but in part because you can't actually option all the "CS" parts haha. I am not sure why you think that. It's far from a gimmick. Like the e46 M3 CSL, the G80 CS gets different knuckles, springs, dampers, sway bars, bushings/mounts, and suspension software tuning. None of those can be optioned. The exterior aero/design elements, carbon hood, and interior carbon console can't be optioned. There is also a bunch of software and steering stuff that can't be optioned. I am sure there is some more that I am not thinking of off the top of my head. I will admit I haven't driven a CS (yet), but just about everyone that has unanimously says that it feels like a completely different car vs the comp.

The weight argument is tiresome. And it can't be a hard qualifier. It's 2026, cars are not made to the same standards they were 20 years ago. You can hold them to whatever standards you want, but I think you're being a bit shortsighted as a result. Is the e46 M3 CSL more special than an M4 CSL? Yes. Is the M4 CSL not special b/c of that? No.

I suppose I should qualify what I think special is. It should be the best version made of that model, unless other versions offer something unique. It has to be hard, or cost prohibitive to replicate (with some caveats). It has to look good on the outside (subjective), but probably also somewhat on the inside. It has to be a special experience to drive. It can be perfect, or flawed if the flaws specifically add to that special experience. Rarity helps, doesn't mean it's necessary, but usually ends up going hand in hand. You already know what I think about what normal people think.

I only did some preliminary reading on the model, so apologies if I got it wrong. And I have not driven either car, so this is not based on personal opinion regarding the difference the suspension makes in driving. But so many people get aftermarket springs/shocks/coils/swaybars/software anyhow. I'm sure for the 20k difference in price, that can all be addressed with plenty of dough left to spare. Furthermore, the stock car cannot be exploited on public roads, let alone a version with higher limits.

I just don't see the value personally. Then again, I'm cheap and would never even buy a new car.

[9kracing]

I swear to God I thought this thread was about the Z4.

I think OP needs to clear up which manual he's talking about lol

[PSUEng]

I can't relate to having to make a decision like this but my $0.02 is, if you can afford to do it, do it. But, the E46 vs this "hand shifter" thing is two entirely differently cars, how to really compare? I dunno. I'd get a GMC 2500 HD AT4X for the same money, but that's me and I wasn't asked about that, but am offering it anyway! Seriously, if you can get this "hand shifter" car at MSRP, it's probably investment grade and a good buy.

[02_lsb]

I can't relate to having to make a decision like this but my $0.02 is, if you can afford to do it, do it. But, the E46 vs this "hand shifter" thing is two entirely differently cars, how to really compare? I dunno. I'd get a GMC 2500 HD AT4X for the same money, but that's me and I wasn't asked about that, but am offering it anyway! Seriously, if you can get this "hand shifter" car at MSRP, it's probably investment grade and a good buy.

You’re just wrong. F150 all day 😎

[9kracing]

Did somebody mention trucks??

[02_lsb]

Did somebody mention trucks??

op, cancel your handjerker order and buy this instead.

[ac427]

Can the manual G8x M4 put the power down ok?

I remember we had to wait for the F8x M4 Competition before that was possible.