ShawnLong

Seriously. Our cars are faster, have more HP, better looking, and more rare, yet the E36 M3 is always talked about and the AMG Bangers from the era are not. Seems foolish to me. So what gives?

importfan21

They're more common (more produced), and as a result, are cheaper. Not to mention there are more and cheaper aftermarket options.

BMWs are like the Hondas of the European world.

PJmak

I agree but there is also no getting away from the fact that BMWs are better handling cars and I think that alone gives them a lot of advantage.

But yea seeing E36s M3s or any other M3 is nothing. They are everywhere

But seeing a c36 or a c43 is a very rare sight and always a nice surprise

nd4spd13

Manual trans, handling, and as a result, aftermarket

Sulaco

I'd argue any day of the week that they are cheaper. E36 and E46 M's fetch considerably more than a C36 or a C43 of the same year. They seem to be everywhere, and in a given day I'll see 4+ M3's and at least 1 M5, 1 M6, but I've only ever seen 3 different C43's in my entire life (I own one of those 3) and I have never laid eyes on a C36 in person.

I think I actually like that, though. I've come across ONE guy who saw me drive up in my C43 at a wedding and he knew what it was. He was a BMW guy and gave me props. To the rest of the world it's just another old C-class. But you'd better be packing if you're going to try to pull me. Have only had a handfew of people spot my AMG wheels and Lorinser spoiler and thus provoke me into running them. Always ricers, except one guy in an E90 328i. No idea what he was thinking.

But anyway, the M3's are more popular and that's the end of the explanation. Why does Nickelback sell more albums than the more obscure bands no one's ever heard of? I suppose that analogy doesn't stand, though, because it implies that M's are ****. I don't think M's or BMW's in general are ****. I think they're fantastic. They just lack the class and soul that I find in an MB. If you took away every MB on the planet, I'd be in a 2nd gen 540i by the end of the day. Would be nice to try out a german sport sedan with a 6spd and better handling.

svirk2

Manual trans is probably the biggest reason. The euro e36 had a much powerful engine too, I think 320 hp

dearlove

don't forget every where else in the world, the m3 had more power than the c36/43

FrenchBenz

The euro engine had 320hp for the 3.2 liter engine that came later. The earlier models (3.0 I believe) had 286hp in Europe.

I think this is a combination of parts availability for the car (due to a more widespread distribution), a broader aftermarket availability for parts and more tuners focused on BMW. I mean, I know our cars are fairly cheap but a E36 M3 can be found for much less money than a C43.

The philosophy behind M cars have always been more of a driver's car whereas Mercedes were always thought as being more "comfy", quiet and yet powerful cars. I guess this entitled tuners to focus on BMW. Also, BMW M cars were more present in racing than W202 AMG were. E36, earlier and later models were in all kind of racing whereas I only saw W202 AMG in DTM championship (even though I'm sure I'm unaware of some private racing)

Anyway, a W202 AMG is a rarer car for connoisseurs IMO whereas E36 M3 are cars for boy racers wanted to learn to drive fast on a "cheaper", easier to modify powerful car.

LawRens

1. This is true, but it is also contingent on the situation. A manual e36 m3 will lead in a quarter mile, with the assumption that there is a competent driver behind the wheel. From a high speed roll (60-80mph) the c43 will be faster all the way to the limiter.

2. True, for those in the US. But some find it disappointing that for such a large engine it puts out "only" 302hp/tq. You can probably thank the SOHC design for that. Some will compare the 4.3l AMG engine to the Euro M3's 3.2L engine which puts out a whopping 316hp. The fact that it had 2 cylinders less but 14 more horsepower will lead to an inevitable discussion in comparisons, even if US m3s never had that engine.

3. This is subjective. While I personally enjoy the design of both vehicles, others will not share the same conclusion. Some may find the w202 design classy and beautiful, while others may consider it boring and outdated. The same exact argument applies to the e36 m3 as well.

4. The w202 AMG is definitely rarer. A quick look-up in wikipedia suggests that about 33 thousand e36 m3s were brought to the US (19,000 coupes, 7,800 sedans, 6,200 convertibles), versus an approximate 1600 c43s imported. But again I introduce a caveat: rarer does not always mean better. But more exclusive? Yes, definitely so.

5. As other members mentioned, the m3 is highly regarded as one of the best cars in terms of performance. Manual transmission, high-revving engine, amazing handling, and not to mention the hype surrounding anything ///M that only helps its popularity. Also, there are about eleven times more e36 m3s sold versus the w202 AMGs (c36 + c43 combined) in the US. Not many people to this day know what a c43 is, but they definitely know what an m3 is.

Don't let my post fool you into thinking that I think the e36 m3 is the all-encompassing better car, though. The c43 is a sportier handling sedan versus the non-AMG variant, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it is still a better highway cruiser. The AMG engine has effortless power in any gear, as opposed to the m3. The suspension is naturally softer so it is more comfortable to ride in. The interior is of higher build quality. In other words, the c43 is a luxury (or near-luxury if you want to be precise) vehicle with some performance attributes to it, while an m3 is a performance vehicle with luxury/near-luxury attributes. And of course, the demographic who both want and talk about these cars are usually performance oriented; hence the entire reason why they raise the m3 on a pedestal.

Super B

Plus mercedes doesn't have techno violet.

ghiaguy

The E36s handle like a dream, and the manual is great to have. I just couldn't get around that 240 horse US version vs. the 320 Euro. Though I have heard they perform similarly for some odd reason.

503C43 ////AMG

LOL, the techno violet = poop but I do love the estoril blue

Super B

Ohh yeah or hellrot with the right tint and polished rims. The thing that always blows your mind is the interior colors BMW offers. I saw a techno violet on cinnamon. It literally made you want to clean your eyes with brake cleaner.

nd4spd13

The violet actually looks pretty clean on an E92

Super B

Yeah not too shabby. Might look sharp with a carbon hood and painted a different color.

Nah just messing does look nice. As long as its kinda dark.

ProjectC55

Yep I have an estroil blue one! Nicely modded and pretty fast. Only lacks schrick cams.

Super B

Post up a pic.. What all have you done?