BMW E46 M3 vs Porsche 996 | Driver Battles: Track Edition

Who’s faster down the strip? Driver Battles: Track Edition is back for another episode at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. This episode pits Geoff Tumang and his 2002 BMW M3 against Kyle Deneau and his 2003 Porsche 911. In this battle of classic German performance vehicles, the Porsche has the edge in both power and weight. However, Geoff has far more experience behind the wheel, which can often make up the difference. This has all the makings of a classic battle.
While Geoff’s E46 M3 may have less power than the Porsche, that doesn’t mean it’s a slouch. It puts out 333hp, which seems pretty appropriate for an M3, and is more than enough to run fast laps at Chuckwalla. The biggest and most obvious modification is the big RS Future wing out back. His wing is bigger than the Porsche’s, so aero may be where he has the opportunity to take this battle. Along with a host of other modifications, like TE37 wheels and a 6-speed SMG, Geoff is running Nitto NT01 tires so that he can run fast laps throughout the day and improve on his times.
Kyle’s Porsche 996 may be in a lot of ways similar to how it was stock, but there have been some small but important upgrades made to it. First off, the engine has been bored to 4.0 liters, giving it 380hp. He also gutted the interior and added a cage, which has taken the weight down to 2500 lbs. This power and speed combination could prove decisive. He also added a wing in the back, so while he won’t have as much aero as Geoff, he’ll still have quite a bit. To keep the battle fair, Kyle is also running NT01s, so expect fast laps from him as well.
Both contestants are returning competitors, with Geoff having lost his first battle and Kyle taking the victory when he came out. Will Geoff get redemption on this scorching hot day at Chuckwalla, or will Kyle continue his winning streak? You’ll have to watch to find out.
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Thanks for watching!

[@vdynmx]

Most important mod = Driver mod

[@jonnyaesthetic]

LOL Facts

[@tony_5156]

BIG FUUCKKNG FACTS MATE You can have all the power and shit but if you can’t drive then fuck offf mate it’s worthlessness

[@carsinruin6102]

And tires!

[@sergiotroilo4593]

did he just said "stockish" to his 996 ? haha

[@VictorEstrada]

There's like no porsche left on that thing lol

[@fedolfs]

It's kinda true, the chassis is stock, he can go a good 10 seconds faster with proper brakes and suspesions

[@nia9560]

Mechanically

[@yooseemotoringchannel3357]

Total engine build, gutted interior, roll cage, suspension. He said stockish lol..

[@kuri911]

No kidding. I had to pause it at that moment for my laughter to die down.

[@veryrare7647]

the one who spends more money always says that lol. gotta get those excuses in early

[@MultiTrapmoney]

Same I was like huh this guy

[@ScramJamJohnson]

M3 won in literally the first turn. The Porsche got off quicker and had the lead through until he missed the apex and the M3 just nailed the rest of the course.

[@veryrare7647]

porsche guy forget to spend all hos money on seat time. coassic richguy move

[@KCMedia33]

911 should have been 2-3 seconds ahead. 10 seconds in to the race I said that M3 driver is far superior.

[@Yarmox]

paul vicks im assuming you have never actually sat in any of these cars.

[@2702simmo]

Just sold an e46 M3 I had for 2 and a half years and did 42k mikes in I loved that car. Had a 996 Carrera for 3 weeks now and my wife is surprised I’ve finally got a car that is comparable to the M3 and if I’m being honest it’s a bit more exciting to drive just

[@KingKooba22]

typical situation of a porsche driver expecting the car to drive itself while they just sit in it.

[@yeetus59]

Nah theres a reason the e46 m3 gtr beat porsche chassis is just better

[@2702simmo]

yeetus59 having owned both and loved both of disagree the 911 chassis is a step above that if the e46

[@shabazuddin335]

BMW E46 M3 is legendary. Really 👌 E46 is marvelous design.

[@deplorabledave1048]

Yep. I have one. A 2005. I used to track it. Now it is a daily driver, but it could still go on any track in the USA.

[@Boostiverse]

I have a 2002 and it’s been amazing and pretty reliable

[@shabazuddin335]

2001 but 330ci 😊😊. What to do . I am happy with the gift of "ALLAH".

[@henryatkinson1479]

Only reason it won here was that the 911 was being driven by an incompetent oaf with lumps of lead yoked to his legs where most people have feet with nerves. E46 is good, but 996 is better.

[@shabazuddin335]

Hi Atkinson . Thanks for kind reply. But your Porsche 😛😛😛. Atkinson is my school name haha

[@TankRust]

Great video! As a point of comparison, I run consistent mid 2:03’s in my 140 whp Miata on Toyo RR’s. On a cooler day both of these cars should do sub-2:00 easily. Keep these coming!

[@lvwrx]

sounds like 2 kazoos battling

[@ravenstylea2]

Lmao

[@petel6945]

Lvwrx 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@alejandroochoa3541]

You did not 🤦🏻‍♂️😂😂😂

[@alextasarov1341]

Porsche: Just a bigger motor, no big deal. BMW: Stock. *BMW proceeds to beat/match Porsche*

[@paulvicks1336]

Because Porsches are extremely overrated cars. My e46 M3 can do everything it does better while carrying two 6 footers in the back seat. Porsches are also overly functional and boring to drive.

[@nickc4853]

@@paulvicks1336 you should post some e46 videos then

[@paulvicks1336]

@@nickc4853 I'm thinking of starting an e46 M3 channel. My goPro cameras should be arriving soon

[@manuelmartineznusn]

@@paulvicks1336 boy, you sound ignorant and jealous

[@siggy2609]

@@paulvicks1336 2 years later no videos🤣 you were bluffing out of your arse

[@idokwatcher2062]

3.2L heavier car against 4L lighter car. How is that even possible? Switch drivers.

[@noobasdfjkl]

996 driver might not be used to 911s on track, and if he stripped out a bunch of the interior weight, the rear weight bias is going to be even more pronounced. Switching drivers probably wouldn't help. Geoff might not have much experience with 911s either. Not to mention, the suspension on the M3 is very sophisticated, and definitely better than the stock 996 GT3 coilovers. Additionally, I'd bet the M3 has significantly wider front tires. Those look like 265s from the poke, and the 996 probably has like 235s up front. You can see it in how much tighter the M3 is able to take corners.

[@deplorabledave1048]

I have had my E46 M3 up at Sebring race track in Central Florida. It is true, the E46 M3 can be quite competitive to Porches and Corvettes of the same era. I had Brembos and racing brake pads which helped a LOT. My car only puts around 300 HP to the rear wheel. Not very much. But it goes pretty darn fast. LOTS of fun! I passed most 911's and vettes on the track in 2010 when I was there last. I thought both drivers were quite good. Very fun video footage. I enjoyed this video very much.

[@MixedRealitySimRacing]

Very cool video, I only think the side by side was a bit too hectic with needing to go crosseyed for seeing the matching perspectives at the same time and moving the bonnet cam left to right all the time.

[@Beezy_Builds]

Facts fam thought the same

[@briancoira6468]

great video, they should've panned between Porsche sounds and bmw sounds so they wouldn't play at the same time and we could hear each engine individually. That m3 sounds so good

[@clubtouge1052]

Agreed

[@r.taylorgarlock560]

So cancer. Great vid otherwise, but wow. So hard to watch.

[@timnoakes4303]

Very glad to have the VS series back! Thank you.

[@echannel1018]

I am only subscribed for this series. Thanks for bringing it back

[@tonycrispin]

Happy to see these back! Love the battles! When you want a REALLY slow battle let me know and I'll bring my Honda Fit out lol

[@JustKingAdrian]

Awesome video! So Close!

[@gewow]

I think people underestimate the importance of well sorted suspension + geometry

[@NikosDIY]

Love the battles!! E4996 for the win!!

[@michaeln.7083]

NT01s are great I've just bought a set 305 square on my roushcharged 15 mustang, they are night and day from the G2s I had on it even on TE37s, great super sticky tire that doesn't fall off quickly amazing tires.. on rails

[@alexwalsh31]

Loving this, two great cars

[@imptuner]

And the E46 still has AC lol

[@itzasphaltgaming6851]

My friend races gt4 for McLaren and still had AC in it and it apparently makes the engine work harder providing more horsepower

[@quincygaming9529]

@@itzasphaltgaming6851 huh?

[@itzasphaltgaming6851]

Quincy Gaming in my friends McLaren gt4 racecar the air conditioning unit actually adds power

[@deathisfreedom1442]

@@itzasphaltgaming6851 That literally makes no sense at all.

[@Bemaritohtori]

@@itzasphaltgaming6851 wtf😂😂

[@brianaust8897]

I’ve tracked my SMG Vert M3 at PIR (Portland) because you can, there, and it is a blast with the top down and a lady riding along with you on track days lol 👍

[@antipathous]

Not that I know much about racing, but it seems to me the 996 should have taken this but the M3 driver looked like he was hitting all his lines and was extremely fluid about it - I assume that's a testament to his skill and experience. Definitely shows why the E46 M3 is so highly praised though. These 2 cars and the original NSX are my dream cars if I was going to drop some cash on a toy. Fast, but not crazy, available with manual transmission, not crazy expensive, not crazy to maintain as long as you do preventative maintenance. Overall nice video to see.

[@mrmidnight32]

Thank you for getting rid of the lame roast battles in the beginning. Ruined the videos.

[@alexk_215]

great video !

[@StacheCam]

BACK LIKE YA NEVER LEFT !

[@mon3pit]

Amazing race guy 2 of my favorite cars. W2g.

[@quincygaming9529]

E46 still so sexy. They don't make em like that anymore. Phoenix yellow looking good

[@vwjunkie68]

$20 says Geoff would have been sub 2:00 in the 996 same day

[@KyleEisenhart]

Ha such a great point! Idk the drivers although I love these cars!

[@JohnsonMac]

What a close battle

[@TurtleGamer57]

YESSS I love these ! 🔥🔥

[@rogerpescoran7870]

This competitions come down to drivers and who slept well. haha

[@jeffkelly636]

The closed caption says "[music] mm" when they're bombing down the straightaway. It's a good sound for sure.

[@brainbenton1270]

Finally theyre back 😭

[@yordantomov3974]

Both guys have great cars.

[@TranceFur]

M3 driver was good, but you can’t overstate how important suspension is, and those Motons are on another level.

[@ethanstorm1735]

whats the point of the super high wings if only the sides are in clean air. i thought super high wings were meant to get out of turbulent air.

[@edwin97a]

Long live our BMW E46! Greetings from Canada.

[@14KShadow]

For the most part it's stock-ish . Shows perspex windows and sticker headlights

[@seanscott7120]

Both cars are done up very nicely. As a Porsche and BMW owner I have to say the Porsche sounds so much better than the E46. Looks like it was a fun day at the track.

[@TheAstroKidx]

that guy in the 996 looks like hes a bit too close to his steering wheel lol

[@simontvrner]

Seat is way too high too. couple tenths there

[@rabmc]

The e46 m3 needs the csl airbox, it’s a must!

[@Jepps_CTR]

Would love to compete at streets of willow on this 😁

[@Volvo8Fifty4Life]

Yeah M3!

[@pulaskicondoassociation6799]

Dang that 4.0 Porsche motor probably cost more then the whole M3 ?

[@dubbleA100]

Holy Crap! The E46 started off slower caught and passed him. His must have been A1

[@SSDracerSD]

Wow. The heavier less powerful car won. Good driver.

[@andyfreeman6865]

Better driver also knows how to set up a car for better performance. Power and weight much less relevant on a track.

[@lun7n]

@@andyfreeman6865 no power and weight are more important than setup.

[@fredrikdalianis7083]

Wow the guy from Tiger King really got his shit together 👍🏼

[@jamesFong]

Reminds me of the good old IMSA days

[@ReignofStorms]

Takes 30 mins to an hour to change e46 alternator. Will save 200+ in labor. Also was probably the power steering resevoir bubbling over and dripping onto the alternator due to the heat or a bad pulley bearing. Nice vid, but could have done without both exhaust notes at the same time :P.

[@s.lacasse8337]

So close!

[@Sb99992]

E46 coupe best m3 ever made. E46 m3 convertible best convertible ever made.

[@NeonNerd87]

The dog.... 😂😂🤣🤣

[@joelsmith9311]

Woah. A bit embarrassing! I thought that 911 was gonna monster the M3... Both great cars though, as long as you all had fun that’s what matters 👍🏼

[@MrReniks]

stop split screens moving all the time.

[@SF_Native]

Bored out to 4 liter, but it's pretty stock. lol!!

[@rotorblade9508]

I wonder which car is faster

[@coreykononchuk]

Well we can tell right away which car sounds better! That 4.0 liter makes some sweet sweet music! The BMW.... well not so much

[@chrisg4rr377]

Proper colour for the BMW

[@in54ne82]

What size tires do both cars run?

[@geoffreytumang5221]

275/35r18 Square on the M3. 245/40r18 Front, 315/30r18 rear on the 996.

[@EM-cc6gi]

Geoffrey Tumang 275s fit in the front on an E46 M3? I am planning on getting one eventually, but holy shit that’s nuts.

[@geoffreytumang5221]

@@EM-cc6gi They fit but you would need to run a fair amount of negative camber to get them to tuck under the fenders. My car has -4.2 degrees in front.

[@davidplug7966]

Shout out Kyle and pgp they dropping a new motor in my m3 rn lol

[@erickrayos]

you can see the 996 is faster on the straights but when it comes to the corners I am surprised that the e46 actually got thru them quicker... the porsche had more power and is lighter, they used almost identical lines except for 1 turn. Guess that moton suspension is doing some good magic, they should coz those things aint cheap.

[@deathisfreedom1442]

also the E46 had wider tires , more agressive camber and more aero but yeah, moton suspension is insanely good

[@2702simmo]

As an owner of both I’d have thought the 996 would have been quicker in corners

[@matthewnicholas6365]

As an M3 Owner, I'm pretty shocked. If that 911 had the original engine it wouldn't have been as close either?

[@user-uj5zc6vx2k]

Overall balance wins!

[@deathisfreedom1442]

E46 dude installed his brake rotors the wrong way around lol

[@ayowser01]

I've noticed this too. I've concluded that some rotors have the slots going the opposite direction w/straight vanes.

[@deathisfreedom1442]

@@ayowser01 I've seen quite some people installing their rotors that way and I think it's for looks tbh. Cuz that way round they don't catch the air like they are supposed to. But ey... their car, their brakes^^

[@cdoleoj1]

You realize that is not necessarily true. Air flow on rotors is from the center of the rotor out discharging to the inside of the wheel, not from the outside in. The vanes when curved BACKWARDS in relation to rotation in essence make the rotor an air pump, where it sucks air from the center pushes air to the outside. So if you go by the holes (Which not always match vane direction) his rotors are installed correctly

[@deathisfreedom1442]

@@cdoleoj1 is that so? aight then, was always explained differently to me but that makes sense. thanks for the info!

[@AliasHSW]

SMG ain’t all that fun for bumper to bumper DD; but well suited for the track.

[@deplorabledave1048]

SMG is perfect for bumper to bumper. I throw in in auto until the traffic clears. Works awesome in crowded South Florida traffic. 2005 E46 M3. My SMG works great still. No problems except change out one salmon relay a month ago. Still flawless.

[@2702simmo]

As a daily for 40k miles my smg was great

[@deplorabledave1048]

@@2702simmo Serviced the 12v pump motor at 80k miles. Filthy with brush debris and carbon. Needed a cleaning ONLY. No parts needed. Critical to replace dual mass flywheel with EVERY clutch plate renewal!

[@beggottenson1869]

Deplorable Dave remember to change your guibo, my salmon relay left me stuck on a bridge when the car had 20k miles only 😭😭😭

[@deplorabledave1048]

@@beggottenson1869 I just did about 4k miles ago. I need to inspect it. I know my dual mass flywheel springs are about shot. I have to shift very carefully so as to not stress any components. Replacing the flywheel is a YUUUGE job!

[@ARPerez]

The wing along on both of them net them a -10hp by adding way too much downforce

[@b577960]

It amazes me how people are asking how the Porsche lost, really ? Obviously they have never driven an E46 M3. Here we have a modded engine Porsche to a standard E46 M3 motor and it still lost. They are pretty even and it would depend on a few factors ie like temperature etc, but why are people so surprised. My M3 can blow off a standard 996 Carrera. The E46 M3 is a legend for a reason- simple!

[@2702simmo]

I’ve had both this year and would be surprised to see the M3 beat the 996. The E46 M3 is amazing possibly the best car I’d owned till I bought the 996 I’m a Porsche convert now

[@turbomopie]

How the hell did the 911 loose? Lol

[@jay.0621]

car was loose around the corners.......

[@samwisee]

Also listen to the gearing... the BMW was a lot better geared for this track than the 996... He was shifting a lot more than the BMW

[@MrAceekidd]

996 guys driving lines weren't good, wasn't even close to apex on some corners. Altho the host said he's inexperienced, so should cut him the slack.

[@andyfreeman6865]

Better aero and suspension. The E46 is set up well, the 996 isn't. The 996 has much less downforce on the front and rear. The spoiler on the E46 sticks above the roof which adds significantly more downforce matching the front spoiler and weight in the front. Really tests of performance aren't tested in straight lines only.

[@kriswattanaporn175]

911 lost on the last turn early apex. The bmw late apex and was able to get on the gas earlier. But looks like the 911 look way more stable out of corners. And was ahead early in the lap.

[@buccibur]

PUT ME ON THE SHOW!

[@pokegan52]

I laughed every time these guys said their cars are stock

[@nickt9676]

That's gonna be one expensive alternator.

[@newbwheeler9777]

Wow some seriously salty people here. Just enjoy the dang video and stop taking it so personally...lol!

[@stevereese1943]

How in the world do you manage to make an s54 sound bad?

[@jonathanmoga5188]

They've always sounded like shite.

[@Linoge279]

Yes...M3 SMG won the battle!!

[@LoveLikeaHurricane]

The M3 looks properly tuned. The cup car looks like it wasn’t properly balanced despite “copying” the cup car

[@JoshTaylor]

Geooffffff!!!

[@desarcast]

kudo's go to the driver, the porket should have won this one easily

[@IdeasDontBounce]

Not to point out the obvious, but, around the 1:50 mark during their run, the porsche took that last big s-turn too early. That caused him to go wide and miss the apex. He would've won if his entry was better. His acceleration was slightly better than the M3. However, the M3 did have a better drive line. Good job to the BMW M3 driver.

[@UTKARSHGUPTAWRIMO_CO]

996 was slower on the straights but faster through the corners... tweaks to aero incl the wing should close the 0.55 sec gap

[@dboucher26]

I’m an owner of an E46 M3 and I’m keeping it, but I want a Porsche 911.

[@jellofuel]

General track day rule; a fast driver in a slow car will be faster than a slow driver in a fast car.

[@viniciusabdoracing]

Nice video! An suggest: the video split for both car are useless. You lost the emotion in all aspects for both cars.

[@erniearambula3525]

I agree first thing lost is sound of engine revs.

[@darrend2035]

It’s actually a well known secret that bmw engineers kinda knew the alternators on m3s did not like the consistency of 8k revolutions But it’s not really a catastrophic issue so fuck it 🤷‍♂️

[@G.J.G.P.]

Funny to see, that the "crappy" 240sx was still faster then those track tools

[@kize32]

It's the SMG. Internet doesn't like it but it's faster. Also good job for keeping the engine stock. CSL flash makes it run hot, or so I've heard

[@arrivendrive6831]

Both cars are great but put the same skilled driver to drive both cars and the porsche should win by a very decent margin

[@echannel1018]

But it's called drivers battle and not car battle ;)

[@arrivendrive6831]

Very good point. I guess I missed that detail.

[@nt4755]

I would appreciation if you don't fling those POV comparison up down left right, keep those POVs on the same side, and switch around with the outside shots on the other side.

[@CarGuy87]

Where do some people get their definition of STOCK?!

[@goguhu]

The 911 was faster in the stretches but the M3 caught up and passed every turn. Hard to say if it was driver or car ...

[@thefullstackninja121]

when you put a 4liter engine where a 3.4 used to be, you cant call the car stockish anymore bro!

[@ravenstylea2]

Of course the BMW breaks 😂

[@danielzychniewicz2633]

Stfu you moron. You probably can’t afford parts on a BMW. Go play your video games lil 👦.

[@anthonychavez4554]

@@danielzychniewicz2633 lol

[@m3lowiesvlog715]

Damn I thought the 996 is gonna win lol

[@scaramangasextranipple]

Sponsored by nitto tyres by any chance

[@KnightDriveTV]

The sticker headlights cost him the race I think...please just make them black or something...lol. BMW got it done...nice car, balanced car, looks good....the end.

[@SeanD2937]

Sometimes weight reduction starts with the driver😳

[@Wantobe123]

More horsepower and less weight? Something doesn’t add up. Power to weight ratio should of been huge besides the balance of the car.

[@andyfreeman6865]

E46 has much more downforce causing it to stick better. Everytime he got ahead was at the corners. Everyone thinks power to weight is oh so important. It's nothing next to aero and suspension. The E46 is also more planted with tighter suspension.

[@davidpeck596]

@@andyfreeman6865 Chuckwalla is mostly highspeed curves. Gret track that favors aero.

[@tamtrily]

Easier to drive the m3?

[@jcdentonunatco]

That porsche may have him in the straights with that horsepower, but he needs to work on his cornering. Entries are too slow. That's a porsche man! Those will handle corners like mad, you gotta throw it hard at those apexs

[@tonylau5713]

would have been better if both drivers drives both cars to post their times.

[@alfie3836]

Geoff was a better driver, both with his lines as well as braking and exiting.... the Porsche seemed like it had a LOT more to give .....