Mineral Grey BMW M3 vs. Nimbus Grey Audi S3

[SaMaster14]

Hey guys! One of my closest friends (who also has an ///M5 and prior had an E92 M3), just picked up a Nimbus Grey Audi S3. I believe it's the only Nimbus S3 in the states!

We went out to the Motor4Toys Winter Drive charity event/car show today and I took some pictures to show the difference in the colors. I would LOVE to see an M3/4 in the Nimbus Grey; I think it would look awesome! It's like a darker Nardo Grey with a metallic finish (I've thrown in a photo of a NARDO Grey S3 for comparison as well). Love how the Nimbus takes on different attitudes in different lights like a metallic finish vs. Nardo/Fashion grey, which to me, look very similar in both the sun and shade.

Which car/color would you pick!?

























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Nardo Grey S3 for comparison:

[damnitBobby]

The M3 has so much more dimension than the S3.

Mineral grey for sure. It's just all class.

[Art__Vandelay]

The Nimbus Grey looks like it actually doesn't have a metallic finish, looks a bit flat. Although I'd prefer a lighter grey on the M3, I would take the Mineral Grey. Or even better, a mix between Mineral Grey and Nimbus Grey, something like Space Grey, that would be almost perfect.

[Brosef]

The car is an absolute no brainer. But I must say, for color, Nardo > Nimbus > Mineral. I like lighter grays.

[revolutioN99]

Audi looks more flat and kind of like primer lol. The M3 really stands out!

[Xtabi]

Thanks for posting the different colors. I have never seen a color similar to nardo. Would love to see it in person.

With that being said and just judging by the pictures I'd take mineral grey by a loooonnng mile. Of course I have mg but man I absolutely love it!

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

The M3 has so much more dimension than the S3.

Mineral grey for sure. It's just all class.

Originally Posted by Croatian test driver

The Nimbus Grey looks like it actually doesn't have a metallic finish, looks a bit flat. Although I'd prefer a lighter grey on the M3, I would take the Mineral Grey. Or even better, a mix between Mineral Grey and Nimbus Grey, something like Space Grey, that would be almost perfect.

Originally Posted by Brosef

The car is an absolute no brainer. But I must say, for color, Nardo > Nimbus > Mineral. I like lighter grays.

Originally Posted by revolutioN99

Audi looks more flat and kind of like primer lol. The M3 really stands out!

Originally Posted by Xtabi

Thanks for posting the different colors. I have never seen a color similar to nardo. Would love to see it in person.

With that being said and just judging by the pictures I'd take mineral grey by a loooonnng mile. Of course I have mg but man I absolutely love it!

Interesting comments guys! I thought there would be more love for the Nimbus.

The S3 is definitely smaller and much more understated than the M3 (missing those rear flares!), but it's quite a quick little car (actually quicker than the S4/5... not sure why Audi did that).

My friend also just got the car, so I'm sure he has exhaust, downpipes, tune, wheels and more planned for her.

[e90-4aj]

M3 any day!!

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by e90-4aj

M3 any day!!

What did you think of the Nimbus Grey color?

[Lorax18]

Looks sharp but as others have said... looks a little flat in comparison to the MG, maybe needs more metallic to it. As far as the Nardo you included for comparison... looks more like primer than even the Nimbus.

[Jdem2]

Originally Posted by SaMaster14

Interesting comments guys! I thought there would be more love for the Nimbus.

The S3 is definitely smaller and much more understated than the M3 (missing those rear flares!), but it's quite a quick little car (actually quicker than the S4/5... not sure why Audi did that).

Mine is MG like yours and I like the Nimbus...kinda sharp!! I'm a bit surprised (having never seen one in person) at the size of the S3, I thought it'd be MUCH smaller comparatively.

As for it being quicker than the S4/5, I thought I read somewhere that the next gen (2017) S4/5 will have 30 more horse power bringing it back ahead of the S3 performance wise.

IMHO, Audi seems disjointed the way they go to market. Their S-line 4/5 is basically only comparable speed wise to a 3/435 and their A4/5 isn't really on par with a 3/428, yet they charge so much more. Seems to me they should dump the S-line for the RS-line and put a 3.0 liter back in the A.

Ok Audi rant over!!

[BwoodBMW]

I love Nardo and Nimbus.... Audi's color palette for the S3 is great. I actually like mineral grey as well but for some reason with greys I prefer flatter colors.

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by Jdem2

Mine is MG like yours and I like the Nimbus...kinda sharp!! I'm a bit surprised (having never seen one in person) at the size of the S3, I thought it'd be MUCH smaller comparatively.

As for it being quicker than the S4/5, I thought I read somewhere that the next gen (2017) S4/5 will have 30 more horse power bringing it back ahead of the S3 performance wise.

IMHO, Audi seems disjointed the way they go to market. Their S-line 4/5 is basically only comparable speed wise to a 3/435 and their A4/5 isn't really on par with a 3/428, yet they charge so much more. Seems to me they should dump the S-line for the RS-line and put a 3.0 liter back in the A.

Ok Audi rant over!!

I agree with pretty much all of this. The S4/5, imo, outperforms the 3/435i every so slightly (unless you get the PPK/M exhaust, etc etc for more power). I think the 335is with the DCT and overboost was the perfect current gen S5 competitor.

The a4/5 are completely underwhelming... and they are EVERYWHERE.

I LOVE the S3, but I do also have a hard time seeing how it differs from the S4. They aren't that much different in size (as you can see from the M3 comparison), and the performance is obviously in favor of the lighter S3. The interior quality is also great on the S3... it wouldn't pay for an S4 if that is what you were worried about. Maybe the next gen S4/5 will be larger than the current one making more distinction (as BMW did with the F8x platform vs the E9x)

Originally Posted by BwoodBMW

I love Nardo and Nimbus.... Audi's color palette for the S3 is great. I actually like mineral grey as well but for some reason with greys I prefer flatter colors.

I definitely agree. It looks almost liquid!

[catch]

i like all 3 there!

As much as I love Mineral Grey id say Nardo, then Nimbus then Mineral

[Xtabi]

Originally Posted by SaMaster14

I agree with pretty much all of this. The S4/5, imo, outperforms the 3/435i every so slightly (unless you get the PPK/M exhaust, etc etc for more power). I think the 335is with the DCT and overboost was the perfect current gen S5 competitor.

The a4/5 are completely underwhelming... and they are EVERYWHERE.

I LOVE the S3, but I do also have a hard time seeing how it differs from the S4. They aren't that much different in size (as you can see from the M3 comparison), and the performance is obviously in favor of the lighter S3. The interior quality is also great on the S3... it wouldn't pay for an S4 if that is what you were worried about. Maybe the next gen S4/5 will be larger than the current one making more distinction (as BMW did with the F8x platform vs the E9x)

I definitely agree. It looks almost liquid!

I sat in the back seat of an A3 and found it significantly smaller than the B8 A/S4. The drivers seat in both were adjusted for me before I tested the back seats. Much too cramped for a medium to long ride. I'm 180 6'2".

[Blksnowflake]

Originally Posted by Brosef

The car is an absolute no brainer. But I must say, for color, Nardo > Nimbus > Mineral. I like lighter grays.

x2

[danniexi]

I do like the color... I wish we had more options (grey and blue colors especially) for the F8x.

As for the car itself? Very... uh.. cute... like "i'm an 18 year old girl who got her new audi thanks to daddy and now I'm off to get my mani pedi with the girls but before i do that i soooo have to stop by starbucks to grab my venti pumpkin spice skinny latte omg isn't my car so pretty hold on, this selfie of me and the car is going straight up on instagram" kind of way.

[cotmfk]

I'm surprised no one has done an individual F8x in this color yet actually. We seem to have so many individual colors out there, Grigio Telesto, Nardo, Ferrari Red, Fashion Grey, Suzuka, etc....

[Nomana]

The look of the car makes colour sometime outstanding.

For me both colours would look good with particular car

Audi looked old and Nardo made it even worst.

My 2 cent

[Blksnowflake]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

I'm surprised no one has done an individual F8x in this color yet actually. We seem to have so many individual colors out there, Grigio Telesto, Nardo, Ferrari Red, Fashion Grey, Suzuka, etc....

Well I like the Nimbus better than Mineral but for $5k or possibly $7.5(development costs) I'd rather the Nardo or any of Grigios, hands down. Nimbus isn't worth $5k over Mineral for me...and likely why you'll never see it.

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by danniexi

I do like the color... I wish we had more options (grey and blue colors especially) for the F8x.

As for the car itself? Very... uh.. cute... like "i'm an 18 year old girl who got her new audi thanks to daddy and now I'm off to get my mani pedi with the girls but before i do that i soooo have to stop by starbucks to grab my venti pumpkin spice skinny latte omg isn't my car so pretty hold on, this selfie of me and the car is going straight up on instagram" kind of way.

I do have to disagree with this. Obviously it's an opinion, so there's no right/wrong, but I think that makes sense if it's a A3/4... but the S3 is aggressive in its own way.
It is much better looking than the CLA45, and the interior blows away the M235i. Better exterior than the CLA, better interior than the 2 series = best of both worlds?

It also outperforms both in a straight line and on a track (probably won't beat the M2 performance wise, but the M2 is $10k more base and is an M car... this is an "s-line", not RS, so it's meant to compete with the M235i, not M2).


Again, my friend came from an M5, and an S3 blew past the M5 during a track day(one of the reasons he went for it). He's no stranger to M cars or AMGs, but this is his first Audi and he loves it.

[Blindside_137]

I think Mineral grey is a great color. It is a nice middle of the road grey that isn't too light (like I feel my space grey is sometimes although space grey is my favorite) and it isn't too dark.

However, I think both those audi colors are more attention grabbing. The nimbus reminds me of those grigio telesto M3's floating around the forum. Absolutely stunning.

Then of course nardo grey seems to be "so hot right now" but I would actually take that nimbus over nardo (but of course in a BMW M4 or M3 ) Thanks for sharing the comparison!