I've owned both and I can say that if you have an AVERAGE driver drive both, they will probably do better in the E46. It sticks to the pavement and gives the driver a lot more confidence. The E46 also kills the S2000 in acceleration out of the corners and in the straights.

The E46 really does a good job correcting driver mistakes so it's almost fool proof.

The S2000 can go in harder than the E46, but if not driven properly, can end up in the gutter.

So I'd say, the E46 handles better, but the S2000 is more tossable.

And more tossable does not equal better handling.

 

As some have alluded concluding that competitor A handles better than competitor B by one metric can be misleading. There are many factors that influence vehicle dynamics. The amount of G's pulled on a skidpad is more of a measure of the tire's characterics than anything else. Overall handling can be subjective, since everyone has different driving styles your going to hear different opinions. I've never driven the E46 M3, but I have driven the E36 M3 and the handling was great in my opinion. Very stable for high speeds unlike the S2K, but not as nible at low speeds because of the difference in the wheelbase.

 

"inspiring more confidence for the avg driver" also does not equate to better handling

 

The E46 does handle better.

My definition of handling is how stable a car is when hits a corner. Not how fast it hits the corner.

Say I am traveling from point A to point B, which has only one 45 degree curve between the points and I am comparing two cars. I take car #1 and hit the 45 degree turn and the car stays on all four tires and doesn't sway then take car #2 and hit the same turn and the car comes up on two tires and almost loses it's back end. Both cars make it from point A to point B at the same time. That doesn't equate to both cars handling equally.

Car # 1 handled better in the curve than Car #2, although both cars went through the curve at the same speed.

This is why I say that the E46 handles better. It is more stable in the turns.

I know this for a fact because I have driven on the same roads with both cars and I have to put in a great deal more effort to keep the S2000 from going astray than the E46... but that's what makes driving the S2000 so much fun. So it's a trade off.

 

Here... this might help. This is me and my friend on sunday on some twisty roads. He has brand new tires and I have worn tires (29000 miles). So imagine if I had new tires as well.

On the Twisties... In the beginning he holds for a little but once my worn out tires warmed up... I was out as you'll see in this video. Sorry for the shaky camera but my friend in his M3 doesn't have a camera mount.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNmKN...eature=related

Andre

 

Where's RED MX5. I'm ready for a debate today. Bring it on!!!

 

Probably the best way to test pure handling and reduce the effect of hp as much as possible is to consider autox. The e46M3 is classed in A-stock along with the S2k, but no one interested in winning a National level event would compete in an e46M3 against the S2k

 

[QUOTE=negcamber,Jan 16 2008, 10:27 AM] Probably the best way to test pure handling and reduce the effect of hp as much as possible is to consider autox. The e46M3 is classed in A-stock along with the S2k, but no one interested in winning a National level event would compete in an e46M3 against the S2k

 

[QUOTE=negcamber,Jan 16 2008, 12:27 PM] Probably the best way to test pure handling and reduce the effect of hp as much as possible is to consider autox. The e46M3 is classed in A-stock along with the S2k, but no one interested in winning a National level event would compete in an e46M3 against the S2k

 

From what I've researched, I heard S2000 came out near the end of 1999 and now there's a new model called CR.