Re: M3 vrs. Testarossa

[Josh Sirota <jss@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ron Katona wrote:
> So... I think it's possible that an M Roadster or Coupe could beat a
> stock Testarossa in the stop light grand prix. Just don't play with one
> at 120.

Well, I've driven both.  The Testarossa was an '88 model, this was '89,
and I got to tool around Munich in one, as well as drive it from
Salzburg to Munich on a Sunday (no trucks on the autobahn on Sunday :-)

I have no doubt that a Testarossa would win a stop light grand prix, as
long as you didn't want to go faster than 55.  That thing was
hellaciously fast -- until you have to shift.  Then you use both feet on
the clutch, both hands on the shifter, and take a lot of time.  Man, the
controls sure were heavy.  It's not a very fun around-town car.  I'll
take my M Coupe for that, thank you very much.

But there's nothing like the feeling of driving along in a Testarossa
and seeing one of those end-of-speed-limit signs!  I couldn't get it
much above 170mph without having to slow down for other cars though. 
Such a shame.  The owner said he'd had it up to 180 (300kph) once, but
it takes a long stretch of road to get it there.

Josh

PS: More BMW content: There were four of us, we also had a Euro-spec E30
M3.  It really topped out at about 140mph.  At that speed, the
Testarossa could still rocket away.

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