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      04-12-2011, 06:28 AM   #7
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Drives: EJ207
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Canada

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Day 7 - SPA Track Day - Monday April 18

Details later about SPA but the car was awesome. Here are some pics, details on the cars handling as soon as we have time.

No we didn’t crash ~we were going too “safe” at the track.



SPA is the most amazing track we have ever been too. We found our way in and up to the paddock area where we were greeted by the organizers, signed in and given our track briefing. Our objective for SPA was to learn the track, learn what the car can do and above all have some fun. Neither of us had ever driven the track, not even in video game form. Originally we had planned to learn the track via video game before the trip but life (aka work) has a way of getting in the way.



So the night before we watched some videos and went from there. My review of the track and the car will be referenced from what I know and have driven. Our home track is just outside Toronto; Mosport International Raceway (2.459 mile, 10 turns), those of you who watch ALMS know it’s the fastest average speed track in the series with top qualifying lap of over 138 miles per hour (average). That being said we are used to a track with high speed corners and lots of elevation change and SPA did not disappoint. I went for a 2 lap ride with an instructor that was lapping there for a quick guide on the racing line and then we were off. Having only the afternoon to play because of our unplanned morning service we made quick work of mounting our GoPro cameras and getting on the track. We never hit the limits of the car or ourselves but pushed enough to know that the car has sooo much more in it... too many more payments to try that type of driving ;-)



Ok, more about the car. My other track ride is a highly “massaged” Subaru STi; coil overs and all the necessary suspension mods, uber sticky tires, an oiling system that will cope with our home tracks high G corners, a quick steering rack and an awesome alignment and car setup from our local expert. Power wise a 2 Liter motor with larger turbo and fueling safely makes a very useable 300 whp and 300 ft*lbs of torque, with a peak power band stretching from 4000-8200rpm. Also weighing in around 3300 lbs I am willing to bet the 1M will be faster on the track while remaining a much better street car, since the STi spring rates and camber don't cope well off the track (she's a handful when the road is rutted or wet).



Going into SPA I was hoping that the 1M would be as fun to drive as my track car... and it met every expectation that I had! The torque and power delivery is linear, learning to aggressively get to the throttle without inducing too much wheel spin took some getting used to. The car pulls through each gear with ease; the M button when pressed was like waking up a sleeping tiger, it just begged to attack the road ahead. There is power everywhere, no need to run the motor out as it pulls from idle right through to redline. I have never driven a tuned 135 but my guess is that is close.



What's power without stopping power? The cars brakes are simply fantastic; M3 brakes on a much lighter car and great tires has the car stopping from high speeds quickly and without much incident. It's as surefooted as a 6 legged mountain goat when braking and the bias feels spot on.



In the steering department it took some getting used to the thick beefy steering wheel but it seems right once you've been behind the wheel for a length of time. The weighting of the wheel at first felt overly stiff compared to my previous cars but this proves to add the the cars driveability on and off the track. Highway driving would surely be twitchy if the steering was not weighted as heavily as it is due to the quick turn rack. On track the steering is precise and refined but still manages to provide the necessary feedback to feel what the front wheels are doing.



Handling being the final feature that continued to impress over and over, not only does the car feel comfortable on the European highways and city streets, its stiffness and appropriate shock valving made the car so much fun to drive. Could it use a set of Ohlins for the track, sure, but the reality for me was I wanted a street car that would drive and do well at the track. The 1M delivers!



My only complaint was the sensation of speed is somewhat devoid in the car. It's quiet, comfortable and it doesn't make you feel like it is even breaking a sweat... remember that we're used to stripped, caged and loud track cars... matching that performance and feeling like you are on your living room couch is quite the odd feeling. No where else did the 1M disappoint at the track. I am beginning to understand why BMW's are called “driving machines” by their owners; the car continues to impress over and over.

More videos soon, have to reduce the 3 gig files


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Last edited by MNavigator; 05-02-2011 at 10:47 PM..
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