With the Evolve tune on the way, I have just flashed the car back to stock and I found it is a great opportunity to compare stock and ESS again. Often you have to review a mod from without to with, and not often you get a chance to experience the other way around, unless you are AlpineM3E92 who has a stock AND a ESS tuned 1M! I had an opportunity today to review the stock tune, and now I can better understand why I have written some of the things that I have written from my original review.
You can find my original post here:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614477
As soon as I jumped in the car, I can feel the 'lack of power' in the lower rev range. Now I understand why I said the power delivery was smoother and more drivable with the ESS tune. I think the problem lay with the overboost function of stock. The delivery of the ESS is immediate, whilst power kicks in around 3.5k with the stock tune. This two stage delivery from the stock file actually make day to day driving less predictable. Yes, it felt amazing when you hit 3.5k but I would rather have the power on tap right from the start.
I can understand why BMW would have tuned it this way. In second gear with ESS tune, with stock tyres and wheels you would lose traction WOT making the extra power useless. However, what about right foot modulation?
Unfortunately, I have to cut short my review short as Evolve just sent me back my tuned file. Not going to start the car at 1:42am, but will definitely try it first thing in the morning. Stay tune for the Evolve R stage 1 review.