M cars vs. Ferrari

["Andrew D.Mendez" <AMENDEZ@xxxxxxx>]

Raymond- 

What Ferrari are you talking about? The 10+ year
old, 2+ ton Testarossa or more recent even faster
models? The F50 will blow a Euro M3 into the weeds
with the roar of its flat-12 alone, and probably
ourrun the PTG racing M3s. It is silly to compare
normal street cars (even M3s) to such vehicles; a
car like the F50 is a street legal race car (I
know people claim this about the E30 M3, but we're
talking F1 chassis & detuned engine). The stock US
E36 M cars actually give current, more pedestrian
<g> Ferraris a run for their money in classic
American acceleration tests: F355 F1 (semi-auto
gearbox) does 13 flat quarter mile, 0-60 in 4.8
secs. But there's no contest when it comes to top
end, engine note, exclusivity & sex appeal. Of
course, the Italians lose on practicality as daily
drivers, rear seat room (0 versus ok for dwarves
in the M3), affordability by non-NBA players,
availability of parts that cost less than Hyundais
& number of certified mechanics outside Italy. 

Andy '95 M3

PS Am I imagining things or did Richard tell us to
drop the chip thread several digests ago?