1998 Nissan President vs. 2012 BMW M3
To start off, 2012 BMW M3 is newer by 14 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1998 Nissan President. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1998 Nissan President would be higher. At 4,494 cc (8 cylinders), 1998 Nissan President is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 BMW M3 (414 HP @ 8300 RPM) has 147 more horse power than 1998 Nissan President. (267 HP @ 5600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 BMW M3 should accelerate faster than 1998 Nissan President. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1998 Nissan President weights approximately 235 kg more than 2012 BMW M3.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 2012 BMW M3 (400 Nm @ 3900 RPM) has 6 more torque (in Nm) than 1998 Nissan President. (394 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 2012 BMW M3 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1998 Nissan President. 1998 Nissan President has automatic transmission and 2012 BMW M3 has manual transmission. 2012 BMW M3 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1998 Nissan President will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 Nissan President | 2012 BMW M3 | |
| Make | Nissan | BMW |
| Model | President | M3 |
| Year Released | 1998 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4494 cc | 3999 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 267 HP | 414 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5600 RPM | 8300 RPM |
| Torque | 394 Nm | 400 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3900 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | 6-speed manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1890 kg | 1655 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5230 mm | 4615 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1840 mm | 1803 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1430 mm | 1424 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3040 mm | 2761 mm |
