"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
ups.com...
2006 Mazda MAZDASPEED 6, 5.4 13.9 (C&D Feb '06)



Rather leisurely. A 400cc motorcycle will better those figures.
Sorry,
Bubbles.


Now you're being silly. My friend's funny car is faster still. The
Mazdaspeed6 made the list of world's fastest sedans and in this hilly
terain with rain and snow it's a better car than an M5 for going fast.
And even with just a 350 dollar CAI added, the speed6 will drop below
13.5 for a 1/4 mile.

I'm going to have to see these claims in the automotive press before I
believe them. Sounds highly unrealistic, more like wishful thinking of a
new owner.

AWD is a must for that kind of driving here. A
330XI is popular around here and for good reason. It's slower than a
Speed6, but still a fantastic car. Speed aint the bottom line and the
330XI does a lot of things right.
With it's AWD system, the M5 needs a perfect hookup to take the STI
and in a variety of road conditions other than ideal (read Real world)
the STI will trounce it. And the new Evo is even faster. AWD changes
everything in real world driving conditions
Don't get me wrong. I love the M5 (I drove a 2005 M3 and it great),
but to pretend that these Japanese efforts aren't pushing the envelope
is silly. Add to that a few cheap mods (not cheap for an M5) an you
have AWD monsters that can take on most any car. Subaru is rumored to
be working on a STI model for 2008 that will have 390HP. It'll weigh a
LOT less than a M5 and still be AWD.

You've grossly overstated the value of AWD. Most competent drivers prefer
RWD on the track and on paved roads. There aren't many places in this
country where Euro-style rallye cars can outshine the RWD supercars, or even
BMW M-cars. I don't push the envelope on dirt or snow/ice. Too risky, and
bodywork gets very expensive.

Now,,,,,having driven BMW's and Subaru WRX and STI I'll say honestly
that I prefer the BMW, but it's not about the engines. Both cars just
take a different approach to driving and drivers and no one will agree
on which is more fun. But I prefer a car that feels confident when
driven hard; a quality missing from the WRX series for me. I find them
nervous, though they always seem to do the impossible when driven
hard. The BMW, even in a situation where there is only RWD, somehow
feels more secure and planted even when it's not.
Now when the M5 AWD V10 hits the market (That's what I heard from a
buddy at Manhattan BMW), that'll probably be the best sports sedan
ever. But for what it'll cost I think I can have more fun in my Speed6
and a new Elise for the same money!

Or a Porsche GT3. Almost.


Max