chevrolet corvette vs bmw m3 2017 (drive New)


best cars
Let me put this out there from the outset – the 2017 BMW M3 Competition is not only a giant killer, it’s the performance bargain of the year, bar none
Standard road-going M3s have always been quick and desirable, but none more so than the current F80-generation four-door rocket with the must-have Competition package from BMW’s formidable M GmbH subsidiary
The M3  2017comp-spec Sedan will cost you exactly $4000 more than the entry-level M3, priced from $138,614 plus on-roads. But the long list of improvements, both mechanical and kit-wise are worth t
best cars
For starters, there’s a host of tasty styling enhancements on the outside that give the regular M3 a more sinister, more complete look, especially when combined with the car’s trademark pumped-up guards.
Consider BMW’s take on the ever popular ‘black pack’: The grille is black, so are the side mirror caps, side gills, quad exhaust tips and even the rear badge. It’s not overt, just enough to signify to BMW fans and enthusiasts in the know that it’s an extra-special version and not to be messed with.
That said, the new-look wheels have got serious visual appeal. Uprated from the standard 19-inch alloys, the 20-inch forged BMW M light rims shod with low-profile 264/32 and 285/30 series tyres not only make a statement, but they’re also 11mm wider

best cars
Truth is, it doesn’t have that same soulful roar of the V8-powered E90 series M3 – how could it? – but there’s still something unmistakably exciting about this engine, particularly as you punch it in the midrange and rejoice in the relentless go this motor dispenses.
These days, I’m a fully-fledged convert of the twin-clutch auto (and BMW’s version is one of the best) but our tester was equipped with a six-speed manual ‘box – a no cost option for those purists who crave the old-school ways.
The penalty for choosing such an option is two-tenths-of-a-second, at least to 120km/h, but some would say it’s naturally more involving than paddle-shifting. Would I choose it? Not a chance. There’s nothing quite like banging through the gears at full throttle. It’s really quite intoxicating.
Big, progressive stopping power is also part of the M3 package, and you need it to rein in the silly speeds that this thing is capable of. Buyers can also option carbon ceramic brakes, too, though unless you intend tracking the car regularly, we’d suggest you stick with the steel rotors.
It grips as hard as it goes, too, thanks to an enhanced version of the M3’s standard-fit adaptive suspension and active rear diff. Right from the outset, it feels a lot more bolted down than the standard model, thanks to the rejigged rear differential. Not at all tail happy like its hooligan M4 sibling certainly is
best cars
best cars
When it comes to good ole’ fashioned American icons, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray must be up there alongside the Empire State and the Star Spangled Banner
And as America’s only significant sports car contender with a history spanning 62 years, this seventh-generation Stingray has never seen the model looking so good
Apart from being a completely new design, the latest Chevrolet Corvette also marks the return of the fabled Stingray name, previously only attached to a Corvette racer concept penned by Peter Brock under Bill Mitchell in 1957.
In fact, it was last used way back in 1976, with General Motors’ third-generation version.
Our tester is the US$59,995 – plus on-road costs – open-air version of the much-lauded $54,995 2015 Corvette Stingray Coupe
Our testing ground is everywhere from Zuma Beach, north of Los Angeles, to Huntington Beach Pier, down South
In most cases I’d go for the coupe, but the weather here in Southern California is as it always is, hot and dry during the day, capped-off with a chilled respite during the evening
It’s ideal conditions for top-down cruising along the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway, with the odd
blast through those epic Malibu canyons for some proper dynamic evaluation

best cars

An eight-inch central touchscreen controls all the infotainment functions, as well as a customisable display in the instrument cluster that shows a series of unique colour displays depending on which of the five drive modes is selected
Despite the generous list of standard features, our Shark Gray tester also featured an additional 12 grand in options, which added things like heated and cooled seats, high-resolution colour head-up display (one of the best on the market), remote vehicle start and multi-mode exhaust.
One thing that has never changed, is the Corvette’s formula of shoehorning a large displacement V8 up front to drive the rear wheels, only this time round, it’s got even more poke.
The standard power output from the pushrod V-8’s 6.1_litre displacement is 339kW of power and 623Nm of torque. But if you get the free-flow performance exhaust system, which bump those numbers to 344kW and 632Nm - making this Corvette Stingray Convertible a mighty quick car
Throttle response is instant and power delivery from the normally aspirated V8 is beautifully linear. And it only gets better. Acceleration from a standing start is positively brutal, provided you’re brave enough to keep your right foot pinned. Select the Track setting, and this thing will blast from zero to 100km/h in around four seconds flat. Top speed is a claimed 284km/h
best cars