Motor Trend compares 2015 BMW M4 vs. 2016 Camaro SS

[sugarwood]

Since modern muscle has been a recent topic here, I thought I would post this article I just read.

Comparison: 2015 BMW M4 vs 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS - Motor Trend

First Place: 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS
The hits keep on coming. Chevy’s people’s sports car continues its winning streak. Who’s next? Audi? AMG? Porsche?

Second Place: 2015 BMW M4
It’s time for BMW to either rethink or reclaim ye olde Ultimate Driving Machine. Times done changed.

Hats off once again to Camaro boss Al Oppenheiser and his team. They took on Germany’s performance standard-bearer, objectively tied it, and subjectively blackened the M4’s eye. “The Camaro’s biggest weakness is its own badge,” Cammisa said. “Discounting the 1LE and Z/28, the Camaro was so bad for so long that it’s hard to take this car seriously against the M4. Until you start driving it.” Yup. If how a car drives matters more to you than badge cachet, Chevrolet has you covered.

[johnsjmc]

Biggest problem with both the Camaro and the new Mustang (I had a 2012 boss 302) isn,t the performance or the badge it,s their giant size.

[Amail]

Originally Posted by johnsjmc

Biggest problem with both the Camaro and the new Mustang (I had a 2012 boss 302) isn,t the performance or the badge it,s their giant size.

Yeah, the Camaro is 3" longer, 1" wider, and 1"-2" shorter than the BMW M4. It's also anywhere from 10 lbs heavier in lightest trim to 300 lbs lighter in heaviest trim to the M4.

What a bloated pig.

[ledhedsymbols]

Originally Posted by johnsjmc

Biggest problem with both the Camaro and the new Mustang (I had a 2012 boss 302) isn,t the performance or the badge it,s their giant size.

I disagree, the problem for me is that the Camaro is farkin uggggg-lee!

[johnsjmc]

Actually compared to an air cooled (4 seater ) 911 .All 3 are huge feeling if not in actual measurements. Perhaps it is the high beltline and low seating position that contributes to the feel more than anything. I don,t mind the looks and appreciate the technology (who can fault an all aluminum v8 making about 450hp and singing at 7000+ rpms)

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Amail

Yeah, the Camaro is 3" longer, 1" wider, and 1"-2" shorter than the BMW M4. It's also anywhere from 10 lbs heavier in lightest trim to 300 lbs lighter in heaviest trim to the M4.

Skip to 10:30 in the video to see their respective lap times at Willow Springs.

[patz]

Hey, thread hijack, what was the BMW with the slope nose and tiny front grill?

[chapo]

Lap times are at the streets, was hoping for big Willow

[onewhippedpuppy]

The Camaro has improved exponentially, BMW has lost its way. Not surprising really.

[rick-l]

And Motor Trend isn't a wholly owned subsidiary of GM?

Look at the pages of adds

[chapo]

Please explain how GM owns MT. I always find these responses interesting. For the record, I own 2 BMWs and think the Mustang looks better but it seems that the BMW has met its match.

[onewhippedpuppy]

A lot of you have your image of a BMW M-car frozen in about 1992. Gone are the days of a bespoke engine with individual throttle bodies, completely overhauled suspension, and German men in overalls putting everything together by hand. The M4 is a hopped up version of a 440i, nothing more. Drop the suspension, add some bigger brakes, crank up the turbo boost, change the fake stereo engine sounds to sound more aggressive, done. It's what would have been badged as an "is" back in the day day when M meant something special. BMW has sold their soul in the pursuit of volume, and the M division is no exception.

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

The Camaro has improved exponentially, BMW has lost its way. Not surprising really.

That pretty much sums it up. Remember when it was 3/5/7? BMW has diluted itself and has more models than Chevy LOL. It's been sad to watch for those of us "BMW generation" children of the 80's.

[Ducman]

I owned the 2015 M3 for about a year and then the 2011 sedan M3 before. I like BMWs but don't understand the 2 door version (M4) because it competes on so much less.

In sedan trim it is unique - run out for spin by yourself Sunday morning, take the kids to baseball practice in the afternoon, your wife out to dinner that evening and a colleague to lunch on Monday. Only the first of which you could do with the Camaro and not either struggle or feel embarrassed.

I like the Camaro...and the Mustang and could likely get one or the other soon...but as a novel toy.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by patz

Hey, thread hijack, what was the BMW with the slope nose and tiny front grill?

You mean the M1 ?

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by chapo

Please explain how GM owns MT. I always find these responses interesting. For the record, I own 2 BMWs and think the Mustang looks better but it seems that the BMW has met its match.

A bit of sarcasm I should have put it in green.

GM has to be the largest advertiser in MT

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

You mean the M1 ?

I see your M1 and raise you a 850!



As long as we are hijacking... I saw what I believed to be a M1 however the door windows had small sub-windows... anyone know what that was all about?

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by ledhedsymbols

I disagree, the problem for me is that the Camaro is farkin uggggg-lee!

There's still this.

[gliding_serpent]

The americans are still trying to build proper performance cars... (Manual, etc). Bmw is sitting on it's luxury reputation and making great, but increasingly diluted (but faster) cars. But then isn't everybody?

Mustangs and cameros are not my thing (i like the viper), but one has to admit that the results speak for themselves.

What will raise my eye is a light nimble car with enough power to keep things fun. Sadly the fun police will prevent this... And the lotus elise/exige of the prior generation continue to require obserd amounts of money to get into.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

As long as we are hijacking... I saw what I believed to be a M1 however the door windows had small sub-windows... anyone know what that was all about?

The only car I remember with sub windows would be a Subaru SVX and I can't find a paste-able picture. Even so not exactly M1