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      02-19-2014, 05:41 PM   #2
02rsxpilot
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Drives: 2012 BMW 135i
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NorCal

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2012 BMW 135i  [10.00]
2013 Mini Cooper S  [0.00]
2002 Acura RSX  [0.00]
Thanks for posting. Interesting discussion, although they were prone to quite a few tangents and not sure they ever answered their question.

In my experience, the 1-er does a bit of both, making me both faster and slower in certain ways. The DCT allows me to shift faster than I ever could manually. The e-diff though neuters acceleration out of many corners and probably costs me several seconds per lap, depending on the track. Other aids like stability control give me the peace of mind to know I'll have to screw up pretty bad to end up in a wall, but they also impede my ability to get the car right to its limits.

I'm not sure it's at the point just yet in most cars where they've completely replaced the skills of traction-sensing and good racing lines which really are what make up the bulk of good lap times, but electronics have certainly narrowed the gap on some of the less critical skills that in the past have separated true professional drivers from amateurs and posers.
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