Comparison: 2011 Ford Mustang GT vs 2011 BMW M3 Coupe

MotorTrend

We head to the race track with professional driver Randy Pobst to see if Fords reborn Mustang GT can keep up with Bavarias finest

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC]

00:10 [MUSIC]

00:20 All right, I know what you're thinking.

00:34 We did this comparison test just to rile up the fanboys.

00:37 And you'd be right, except that there isn't compelling argument here.

00:41 That that 2011 Mustang GT is every bit as good as the iconic BMW M3.

00:47 Let's look at the numbers.

00:49 The BMW M3 is a two-door, four-seat coupe with a six-speed manual and rear drive.

00:55 It's powered by a four-liter, 414-horsepower V8 engine.

01:00 The 2011 Mustang GT, also a coupe, seats four, two doors, six-speed manual,

01:05 rear-wheel drive, but it has a five-liter V8 engine that makes 412 horsepower.

01:10 The number that really gets us going, though, is the power-to-weight ratio.

01:14 Each one of these cars weighs around 3,600 pounds, so

01:19 they're carrying about just under nine pounds per horsepower.

01:22 How does that all translate at the test track?

01:26 Let's find out.

01:26 [MUSIC]

01:36 [SOUND]

01:46 [MUSIC]

01:56 [SOUND]

02:06 [MUSIC]

02:35 Okay, so that's how they perform at the test track, but

02:37 we wanna know how they drive.

02:38 So we brought out professional racing driver Randy Popes,

02:41 here to test drive these two cars back to back.

02:43 Now Randy, what are your expectations here today, driving these two cars for

02:46 the first time, the 2011 Mustang GT and the BMW M3?

02:50 >> Well, they've got the same horsepower rating, and

02:53 yet they're coming from very different lineages.

02:56 I'd say the Mustang is the underdog, but we've seen a lot of improvement in

03:00 the Mustang over the last several years, including our Motor Trend Best Handling

03:04 and Best Driver's Car tests.

03:06 So the Mustang has something to prove.

03:08 The M3, we know, is the proven quantity.

03:11 It has gotten heavier.

03:12 It's really powerful.

03:14 I mean, it's an enjoyable road car.

03:16 And it'll be interesting to see if the Mustang can stack up to one of the best

03:19 Europe has to offer.

03:20 >> All right, let's go find out.

03:22 [MUSIC]

03:23 >> Coming on to the front straight, about 4,200, we got good torque.

03:28 Shifting up in the new Mustang, fourth gear.

03:31 I like the shifter, I don't love it.

03:33 Setting up for a fast sweeper, and we're balanced.

03:36 I like the balance.

03:38 Hard into the brakes, a lot of brake dive.

03:40 Turns in, there's that torque, 3,200.

03:44 But I'm running third gear, I don't think it can take the power in second gear.

03:48 It's got enough torque, a little drifty on the entry in a good way.

03:52 Good balance from the Mustang.

03:54 It's got a lot of brake dive, a little soft in these track conditions,

04:00 in terms of the shock absorbers.

04:02 We're in the S's, good steering response, but

04:06 those shock absorbers can't keep up with that quick weight transfer.

04:09 Again, this fast sweeper, reasonably good balance.

04:15 I love the braking, firm brake pedal, good power from the brakes.

04:20 A lot of brake dive.

04:21 Good balance, see this?

04:24 Not much wheel in the car as we come out on the straight.

04:27 Motor pull strong.

04:28 Over the hill, it's a little hairy through here.

04:33 The car kind of flies over the big bumps.

04:36 Down into the braking, we stand right on the nose, but it rotates nicely.

04:39 I like that.

04:40 An enjoyable car to drive.

04:42 Certainly the best Mustang ever in terms of handling.

04:48 Sorry 1965 Shelby guys, but this thing will destroy it.

04:53 Back out onto the straight, it's putting the power down well.

04:57 Just enough to loosen it up and

04:59 have a good clean balance across the finish line.

05:01 I think it's a great package.

05:05 Sure is a fun car to drive.

05:07 And I think you could race the Mustang if you wanted to, as is.

05:12 Best part of the car is the engine.

05:17 The power is strong.

05:19 Second best part of the car is the balance.

05:22 Not a very pushy car, and I like that.

05:26 Much better balance than the Camaro.

05:28 Sorry Camaro guys.

05:30 It doesn't have the torque the Camaro engine does, but it definitely has power.

05:35 I believe the Mustang would destroy the Camaro.

05:39 In the M3, it's got some tough competition.

05:43 Steering ratio is quick.

05:52 Almost perfect in terms of the quickness of the ratio.

05:56 Little bit more numb than I might prefer, ideally.

06:00 Mustang's the right name for this car.

06:02 It's a pretty wild stallion.

06:04 [LAUGH] Okay, we're winding up the start of the lap.

06:08 I'm going to second gear, cuz the M3's got taller gearing, more revs.

06:13 I can use the revs and the lower gear.

06:15 Almost as if the M3's got less low end torque than the Mustang.

06:20 Wow, good control in the high speed.

06:25 Yeah, more shock control, kinda like might be expected.

06:30 Little bit more push, that's a surprise.

06:32 Country push, and push in the middle of the corner in the BMW.

06:37 The steering is superb, I just need too much of it.

06:40 Yeah, but no torque digging out of this hairpin going uphill.

06:46 Good top end in the motor.

06:49 Much better control at turn in than the Mustang.

06:51 Wow, there's almost no sense of roll.

06:54 I know the car's rolling, but in the Mustang you can really feel it.

06:58 The BMW, I don't feel it.

07:00 Slower responses in the transitions from the BMW, but way more control.

07:05 Down into the S's, almost no brake dive.

07:08 That I really appreciate in the M3.

07:10 But I miss that mid-range torque that the Mustang has.

07:14 Wow, the BMW just keeps revving though.

07:18 Into the fast kink.

07:21 Wow, if you try that in a Mustang, you'll be off the track.

07:25 Much better shock control in the M3.

07:28 That's the biggest difference.

07:30 And in the brake dive, that's where I see it.

07:32 Down through the S's, I'm going down to second gear again.

07:35 I can just dance the car.

07:37 Look at that push, there's more steering angle,

07:40 but we can balance it with the throttle.

07:42 Come out with a little power oversteer and use those revs.

07:46 Across the finish line, the BMW's definitely a higher RPM motor.

07:50 You can feel that influence from the Europeans.

07:53 They're into that high RPM power.

07:56 We Americans are into that low RPM torque.

07:59 The BMW definitely has better shock control, very clearly.

08:10 Less brake dive.

08:12 The Mustang is better balanced, less understeer.

08:19 Mustang's actually more fun as a result of that.

08:22 I do like the accuracy of the BMW,

08:24 but I'm a little frustrated by the understeer.

08:27 Maybe it's less fun because it's easier.

08:32 The understeer makes it a little bit kind of,

08:34 I don't know, sort of dumb in a way.

08:36 And whereas the Mustang, you need to be on top of that.

08:40 You're, you know, the Mustang's the wild pony.

08:43 The BMW is the refined European still.

08:48 - Okay, so Randy, you've had quite an afternoon here

08:50 driving the cars, got a chance to play around with them,

08:52 do some really hot laughing,

08:53 and then drive a lot for our cameras.

08:55 What'd you think?

08:56 - Well, for one thing, I love working with MotorTrend

08:59 and driving these great new cars.

09:01 It's been a great experience.

09:03 The BMW and the Mustang are fabulous cars,

09:05 and they're really rewarding for anybody

09:07 that likes fast cars and sporty cars.

09:09 - You did say going into this,

09:10 you thought the BMW would be quicker.

09:12 Do you still believe that?

09:14 - I have a feeling that it is because of the shock control.

09:16 It was just so much faster in the transitions.

09:18 - Okay.

09:19 Well, you were right,

09:20 but the actual lap times only differed

09:23 by less than a 10th of a second.

09:25 - Wow.

09:26 - So the BMW ran a 1.2767.

09:29 The Mustang ran a 1.2776.

09:32 So it was a .09 difference in lap time.

09:35 - Wow.

09:36 - What do you think about that?

09:37 - God bless America.

09:39 Let's hear it for the Mustang.

09:41 I mean, that's a surprise.

09:42 Because the Mustang's the underdog here.

09:44 It's way less expensive.

09:46 And I say it's the overachiever.

09:49 The Mustang benefits from its greater torque.

09:52 It could really come off these tight corners

09:55 and pull real strongly.

09:56 Whereas in the BMW, it's a very high revving engine

09:59 in the European style.

10:00 Takes longer to get on the power band.

10:03 But beyond that, I think it was the fact

10:04 that the Mustang will use all four tires.

10:07 That's the balance that it has.

10:09 On entry, you can get the car to rotate a little bit.

10:12 Whereas the BMW had a fair amount of understeer,

10:15 and the understeer slowed down its exit speeds.

10:19 The Mustang also, believe it or not,

10:20 I thought it was superior under braking.

10:22 I'd be curious to see the data.

10:24 It had a lot of braking grip.

10:26 So to me, that is a giant win for the Mustang GT

10:31 because the BMW is such formidable competition.

10:34 - So there you have it.

10:37 The BMW M3 beats the Mustang GT at the track

10:40 by the slimmest of margins.

10:42 Less than one tenth of a second.

10:45 Our pro racer, Randy Popes, says that's enough

10:47 to count as a giant win for the Mustang.

10:50 And he has a point.

10:51 After all, the M3 costs over $25,000 more

10:55 than the Mustang GT.

10:56 But we see it differently.

10:58 Though the new five liter Mustang's performance

11:00 officially puts the world on notice,

11:02 the stopwatch doesn't lie.

11:04 A win is a win, even if it's by less

11:07 than the blink of an eye.

11:09 The M3 is still just a little bit better

11:11 than the Mustang at the track, for now.

11:13 (dramatic music)

11:17 (dramatic music)

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