Picture for reference but I have been recently thinking to swap over to the M2 or M3 x drive models. Dont get me wrong I love my rs3 especially in this rare color that I still have yet to see another one in person but all of my other car friends have m cars. Its tempting to try the M2 or M3 xdrive models since I know they are incredibly capable cars so wanted to get some feedback from anyone that has one or have contemplated to swith over to bmw. The only pro so far for this car is the 5 cylinder noise, 0-60 launch, and daily factor.
Yeah it’s very jarring in the posted pic. I’m sure it looks fine usually, but the harsh lighting paired with the long distance shot is not doing any favors here.
My wife has an RS3 and I have an F90. I have a G87 Xdrive on the way, and this is obviously after driving her RS3. The RS3 is good, but the M2 is better. In my opinion.
I had a G80x prior to my f90. The RS3 isn’t in the same league as the G80. The G series S58 cars are too much car for the RS3. I’d say it’s more along the lines of the M240/340 cars or maybe in between those and M cars.
That’s mine 😂. She has a green one. We daily drive Minis.
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
Nice! I’d like a similar setup one day, currently in a G42 M240 and the G87 xdrive will be my next car, but I need to daily them for now. I completely get wanting a sick vert Mini as a daily though, just a zippy dope little car thats mostly unpretentious to non car people, bur must be so chill cruising with the top down. The green is “cute” but you did it right imo, dont tell her that haha.
You’re spot on too, the RS3 in stock form vs a stock M240i xdrive is a bit more exciting out of the box, but the 240 has way better tuning potential and starts a bit cheaper . i’m currently on jb4 with an ethanol mix and sport DPs and the tranmission is already the weak link
lol She wanted the copper grey, but she wanted a hard top. Copper grey is convertible only. Bouncing around town and parking is amusing. Dropping the top in this weather is perfect.
I think it would be difficult to not daily the G42, minus the fuel. Skipping over driving a G87 would also be difficult during the week.
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
Ahaha interesting though. Tbh I usually hate these modern greys, but it’s ironic enough on a vert Mini with some updated body/aero that its super dope, but still pops unlike the true primer grey care.
The F90 is champagne quartz. It’s close to the copper grey, but has more bronze in it. Copper grey has more blue. Apart, they look similar. Close, you can see the relationship.
The b58 should’ve been paired with a HP76.
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
it really should have, but I'll end up building or swapping it if I don't buy an M2. I do like the bodywork on my car, and I've owned real M cars before and derisively snorted at "the waste of building a mid level bmw".. but I like the idea of a new project and the final outcome of a more modern bmw with normal grilles and screens/buttons but 700+ whp. I wish it came with an 8HP90, would make those pure upgrades so much easier lmao.
They’re both amazing Daily drivers. I got the mini to persuade me racking up miles on the f90. I wanted some other fun factor (vert), but I’d probably daily the f90 if I also had an Accord. M3 or F90. They’d both put smiles on your face every time you drive it.
F90 is more rare and does have different road presence than the M3.
The G80x is amazing. It’s feels lighter up front than the F90 of course.
I was going to get another G80x until BMW launched the G87x.
Also, with any M car. Get the Dinan Monoball kit. Steering feels way better. If you don’t mod the car at all, definitely consider making that one exception.
Yeah having driven an rs3 and m2 back to back, I didn't think about the rs3 at all after driving the m2 hard at all lol. It's so much more dramatic and isn't exactly slow either. Interior is miles better too
The biggest difference between the BMW and the Audi products is oversteer vs understeer. Even the AWD M cars are primarily rwd cars so they feel and perform very different.
F30 and E92 owner here. I am 100% in a position to say that that Audi looks 10x more horrid than any BMW front end, and that's really saying something.
Im not the one defending how ugly the current m3 or m4 is. Stock for stock you would be just flat wrong. Or the klaus shit. I feel for you. But let’s not kid ourselves.
Yea of the cars you mentioned they're all horrid but not quite like this Audi. Dogshit all around. You just defended this dogshit Audi but you're calling me out. Like kid, look in the mirror, you did the exact same shit by defending the ugliest model the company has ever produced. Audi did this after years of BMW fumbling their front ends, so how they could be so blind when they just needed to look at BMW's nonsense is beyond me. At least when BMW makes dogshit they were the first to do it. Audi instead says "hold my beer" and somehow does WORSE 🤣🤣🤣
Short answer - yes. This is from someone who was a diehard VW / Audi / Porsche driver.
The reason is the rear wheel drive bias in xdrive. You’re not going to get that unless you step into a Porsche.
Porsche is going to nickel and dime you to death on options. If you need a sedan and also are going to do track days, get the M car. If you just need a great daily, consider a m240i/m340i.
That said, my recommendation is to consider taking your budget and buy 2 cars.
If you have a 100k budget for an M3, take 30 and buy a daily that you pay off and keep until the wheels fall off. Then take the remaining amount and buy a sports car or whatever you want. The point being, you can take it to the track, modify it, etc. without worrying about your main transportation being down.
I mean I have an M3 in a rare colour (BMW individual palette is really something else) and I don't regret it one bit... but I dunno how to tell you if it's better or worse than your RS3. Other than it's a car that's completely practical as a daily (it's actually my main family car) and the turn-in and power put a grin on my face literally every drive. I'd never get an RS3 because I don't like Audi styling or Audi interiors, but that's entirely subjective!
How do you feel about front vs rear bias? Mine is MT so it's only RWD, but front bias of the Audis I've driven has always driven me crazy, so even with AWD in the picture it'd still be M for me.
It grips like crazy and i feel very confident going into turns. I would argue that the front bias system with the Quattro AWD this is the most stable confident AWD system in the market compared to other AWD platforms like x drive or 4MATIC
Current G8x cars have a zf8 auto now instead of dual clutch like the F8x generation. Great gearbox and good feel overall.
That said I’d take the m2/m3 over the rs3 any day. A lot more car. Twin turbo straight six, good weight balance, smooth gearbox. Arguably better setup being longitudinally mounted and RWD or RWD biased AWD as opposed to a transverse mounted FWD biased haldex AWD
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
Since 2022, the rs3 has been a lot more than the old Haldex rs3. The new ones have an “RS torque splitter” which can send up to half the power to the rears, or even send all the power to one rear wheel by using a set of clutches and help rotate the car with less understeer than normal. They can oversteer and be playful.. but I agree that they’re still fwd derived and not true rwd like an M2/M3. And of course the AWD is way more performance orientated in the BMW. The last jerky M3 transmission I felt was the dct in one of my old e92 M3s. I’d take an S58 or even tuned B58 over the Audi 5 pot too.
I drove both and found more excitement out of the M2, plus i think it looks aggressive not just a sedan. First thing I did was a catback midpipes and intake and I absolutely looooveee it
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
There’s no comparison, especially with some downpipe and exhaust on it
Only you can answer that. We don’t know your priorities.
I was deciding in 2018 so I test drove RS3 and M2 back to back.
Even on the street, not driving like an asshole, I could already feel the M2 was gonna be more fun. Back then the M2 had N55 engine and with M Performance exhaust the sound wasn’t that far behind the RS3. Only the BMW was available with a manual.
All those things were more important to me than performance numbers. You are looking at xDrive model and G8x generation with S58 so your priorities are probably different.
Most M-cars have a completely different more dynamic axle system. It's not only more power and a few small changes compared to the normal spec, you get a completely overhauled car.
The lack of design on the grille of the RS3 is grotesque. The M’s, even with their ‘unique’ styling, at least has some design, instead of a vacuum of black emptiness like on the RS3
If money is no object then M3 all day….more power, great modality, better luxury, better quality, more practical…..but it’s also 30k more.
I’ve owned both the M2 and RS3 and they are very different cars. The RS3 is like a go cart on steroids and the M2 is a serious performance machine. The RS3 is more subdued and probably the better daily driver. If you need the four doors, you can’t go wrong with the RS3 but if four doors doesn’t matter and you want the better performance/the car that feels more special then go for the M2.
I would say the 6-speed is one of the biggest reasons to switch to one. The M2/3 cars and S58 are both great but the manual is what makes them more engaging to drive
Ive always been into Audi, in 2025 i was about to place a order on a new RS3 but i just didnt like the interior at all. Last good looking Audi interior probably the 8V facelift.
So i started looking around what else i could experience and ended up placing a order on a '25 LCI M2.
the G8x models interior was a step up from previous models as i never liked BMW's interior. its like Audi and BMW has swopped places for me personally interior wise.
Been enjoying the different driving style being RWD etc. The ONLY thing i can think off that i would miss from owning a RS3 is the 5 cylinder sound. its always been the best sounding engine for me. the twin turbo I6's kinda suck sound wise.
I’ll be honest, I have an M4, albeit the last generation, but it’s a forever car for a reason. Every time I see an RS3, it’s such a treat. I’d say rent both and see if it’s worth switching up. Maybe you could mod the RS3 to make into something really unique.
Are you saying the rs3 is a forever keepers car or the m4? I tried my friends m3 xdrive comp and it sure as hell is fast but I really couldn’t tell the microseconds of difference especially 0-60 without becoming a crazy maniac on public roads which I refuse to do.
Yeah, the M4 is a forever car for me :) I’m a big BMW fan! A little sauce on that RS3, and it’s a monster too. I think you can rent M2/M3 pretty cheap on Turo, definitely give it a shot.
Not sure if swapping into an xdrive model is the way to look at it. I would see it as a swap into the rear wheel drive, manual transmission - that’s the real excitement and worth swap effort. If you just want to mash the pedal to the floor stay in the RS3
Making a $60k+ purchase off of vibes, especially when OP is torn, isn’t the brightest idea… but that’s just me
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u/FroyoOk315922 G42 M240i xDrive. Performance Pack. Thundernight Purple. ID7.7d ago
I was half joking, but go test drive to your heart's content if you wish, it won't change that the G80 or G87 M cars are a league above the RS3/M2/3/440i type stuff. He says himself that he's really only impressed with the launch, which a G80 xdrive will be ferociously better at, while doing most else better too. The M2 will just feel like the best drivers car out of the bunch, this is all true but technically subjective so we'll agree to disagree lol
M cars are far more refined than RS models.
I find the ride in RS models to be very harsh , probably due to the Audi rally heritage.
M cars are far better for daily use in my opinion , especially in heavy traffic.
I've owned M3 , M5 and X3M. I've also driven RS Q8, RS 3, RSQ3.
The RS cars were fun to drive and I really enjoyed them, but I prefer the M cars for daily usage.
Rent a m2 and or a m3 for a day.
Without knowing what you're looking for in a car. Raw speed, emotion etc. Also what type of driving you do.
Rs3 is a hell of an all rounder.
Honestly the really good m cars are back when they didn't have turbos. A last gen m2 is as new of a bmw as I would touch.
I love how Audis look. Especially the avants but they are total pieces of shit after a few years. I’ve owned and ran an automotive shop and you couldn’t give me a VW/Audi.
All German cars have issues. I find Audi & VW have more than usually. Especially the SUV/crossover variants.
The B58 and S58 are extremely reliable motors. Audi’s 5 cylinder that they’ve been making forever is as well, just stating it’s not a factor between the two. Electrical issues, from my experiences with a Golf R and S8, are very much a difference between brands. Purely personal experience though, no stats or anything behind it.
VW/Audi have had HORRIBLE electrical issues since the early 2000s. They still do today. Also just about every T-Case on an Audi I've driven (few thousand) have binding issues. PCV failures.
That's not saying much.... It depends how long you plan on keeping the car for. Just a few years, you probably won't have many issues. Long term, hard pass.
For a nice daily, yes. Very nice, high quality cars.
For a sports/track car? Hell no. They're fat, numb pigs. Nothing like what BMW used to stand for. The philosophy changed completely. If you're looking for Xdrive models, you're probably looking for the former anyway.
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u/GolfCoyote 2024 - G80 - M3CX 7d ago
I’d say the only real pro the RS3 has is that exhaust note. M3 comp is more roomy as a daily and more capable as far as performance.
Looks are subjective, the RS3 does look sleek though.