Corsa Exhaust : Round 2 - E92 M3

[polonus]

I just installed Corsa in my E90 M3. I love it! Job was done by GMP in Charlotte, NC: https://gmpperformance.com/index.cfm...8#imageSet_358

I recorded how it sounds. It is done by cheap pocket cameras and a GoPro Hero camera, but still sounds great.

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

I bought a Corsa based almost solely on this review. It seemed like everything that I wanted. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the sound. As everyone says, there is zero drone. However, it was a little too bassy around 2k. It's not an intrusive sound, just more that I was used to with my OEM mod or stock exhausts. It also doesn't have as much "high-pitch" sound as before. These were my initial impressions.

Each time I drove the car, I liked this exhaust more. Once I got used to hearing the Corsa, I realized how nice and refined it sounds. As one forum member stated, it's a "gentleman's exhaust." It also helped to hear the car from behind. Wow! It sounds really mean under throttle. It's not what you expect, since the cabin is so relatively quiet.

My friend had a Challenge Street x-pipe paired with a BMW Performance exhaust, which is a terrible combination. The tone of this exhaust is very unique and wonderfully hollow-sounding. Paired with the x-pipe, it made some really odd sounds at two different RPM through the band. He decided to let go of the x-pipe, so last night I paired it with my Corsa. Unbelievable.

The Corsa completely woke up, changed tone, and projected an amazing guttural sound, all while staying completely drone free. It is only the slightest louder, now, at that 2k point where it had always been bassy. After that, and under normal driving, it sounded just as before - quiet from the inside and out. Under throttle, I can't keep from grinning. The tone is now extremely unique. It has almost a refined, but hollow and metallic, sound. It's hard to articulate the difference in tone, but it sounds unlike any V8 I've heard.

Sound is so subjective, so I am processing this differently than others may. My opinion is this, though. Corsa by itself is great. Corsa with Challenge Street x-pipe is awe-insiring. It may not be the prettiest, but it is definitely an exhaust worth considering.

Well, I don't hear anything. How about a sound sample. Is it very raspy? Is the high pitch Back to where you'd like with the xpipe?

Cheers

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by polonus

I just installed Corsa in my E90 M3. I love it! Job was done by GMP in Charlotte, NC: https://gmpperformance.com/index.cfm...8#imageSet_358

I recorded how it sounds. It is done by cheap pocket cameras and a GoPro Hero camera, but still sounds great.

Going to get headphones.

[URG8RB8]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

I bought a Corsa based almost solely on this review. It seemed like everything that I wanted. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the sound. As everyone says, there is zero drone. However, it was a little too bassy around 2k. It's not an intrusive sound, just more that I was used to with my OEM mod or stock exhausts. It also doesn't have as much "high-pitch" sound as before. These were my initial impressions.

Each time I drove the car, I liked this exhaust more. Once I got used to hearing the Corsa, I realized how nice and refined it sounds. As one forum member stated, it's a "gentleman's exhaust." It also helped to hear the car from behind. Wow! It sounds really mean under throttle. It's not what you expect, since the cabin is so relatively quiet.

My friend had a Challenge Street x-pipe paired with a BMW Performance exhaust, which is a terrible combination. The tone of this exhaust is very unique and wonderfully hollow-sounding. Paired with the x-pipe, it made some really odd sounds at two different RPM through the band. He decided to let go of the x-pipe, so last night I paired it with my Corsa. Unbelievable.

The Corsa completely woke up, changed tone, and projected an amazing guttural sound, all while staying completely drone free. It is only the slightest louder, now, at that 2k point where it had always been bassy. After that, and under normal driving, it sounded just as before - quiet from the inside and out. Under throttle, I can't keep from grinning. The tone is now extremely unique. It has almost a refined, but hollow and metallic, sound. It's hard to articulate the difference in tone, but it sounds unlike any V8 I've heard.

Sound is so subjective, so I am processing this differently than others may. My opinion is this, though. Corsa by itself is great. Corsa with Challenge Street x-pipe is awe-insiring. It may not be the prettiest, but it is definitely an exhaust worth considering.

Originally Posted by L4ces

Well, I don't hear anything. How about a sound sample. Is it very raspy? Is the high pitch Back to where you'd like with the xpipe?

Cheers

The high-pitch is exactly where I want it, after the X-pipe installation.

I don't have the best videos right now, since I finished up the installation late the other day. I'll get some better ones soon. The biggest difference is not the revving but in the sound when the car is pulling. And, as always, the videos do not do exhaust videos justice.

Before X-pipe


After X-pipe

[warp10]

here is mine right after just UUC Install


Then after AA HFC X-pipe

[BLACK OPS]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

The high-pitch is exactly where I want it, after the X-pipe installation.

I don't have the best videos right now, since I finished up the installation late the other day. I'll get some better ones soon. The biggest difference is not the revving but in the sound when the car is pulling. And, as always, the videos do not do exhaust videos justice.

Before X-pipe


After X-pipe

Sounds Super with the x-pipe!

[Keik E92 M3]

amazing great review man.

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by BLACK OPS

Sounds Super with the x-pipe!

What is difference between the two cars in the first video (the video labeled before). The second car had what?

[BLACK OPS]

Originally Posted by L4ces

What is difference between the two cars in the first video (the video labeled before). The second car had what?

I assumed the car on left is Corsa and car on right has Performance exhaust with Challenge street x-pipe. Video below has Corsa with Challenge street x-pipe. ??

[URG8RB8]

Originally Posted by BLACK OPS

I assumed the car on left is Corsa and car on right has Performance exhaust with Challenge street x-pipe. Video below has Corsa with Challenge street x-pipe. ??

That's correct. I should have stated that better. The sedan is mine; the coupe is my friend's. The top video is my Corsa by itself, on the left. The coupe on the right is a BMW Performance exhaust with a Challenge Street X-pipe. The bottom video is a clip of my car with the Corsa paired with the X-pipe that we removed from my friend's E92.

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

That's correct. I should have stated that better. The sedan is mine; the coupe is my friend's. The top video is my Corsa by itself, on the left. The coupe on the right is a BMW Performance exhaust with a Challenge Street X-pipe. The bottom video is a clip of my car with the Corsa paired with the X-pipe that we removed from my friend's E92.

Thanks for clarifying. Unfortunately vroom vroom without the wheels moving barely helps. If you get a chance to capture the in car audio and a drive by (not just WOT), it would be more helpful.

Thanks for what you shared so far

[URG8RB8]

Originally Posted by L4ces

Thanks for clarifying. Unfortunately vroom vroom without the wheels moving barely helps. If you get a chance to capture the in car audio and a drive by (not just WOT), it would be more helpful.

Thanks for what you shared so far

As soon as I get some time, I'll get some videos of the car as it is now. However, you'll have to rely on other people's videos to compare with the Corsa without an X-pipe. I never got any ride-along or fly-by videos with just the muffler.

[GMP Performance]

Originally Posted by polonus

I just installed Corsa in my E90 M3. I love it! Job was done by GMP in Charlotte, NC: https://gmpperformance.com/index.cfm...8#imageSet_358

I recorded how it sounds. It is done by cheap pocket cameras and a GoPro Hero camera, but still sounds great.

Sounds Great! We enjoyed working with you!

[URG8RB8]

Originally Posted by L4ces

Thanks for clarifying. Unfortunately vroom vroom without the wheels moving barely helps. If you get a chance to capture the in car audio and a drive by (not just WOT), it would be more helpful.

Thanks for what you shared so far

Here's a brief clip that my friend recorded last night.

[polonus]

Originally Posted by GMP Performance

Sounds Great! We enjoyed working with you!

It was a very pleasant experience for me too.

That is one minute version of my Corsa video.



I love the sound more and more every day.

[FrankThomas]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

Here's a brief clip that my friend recorded last night.

How much of a difference did the challenge street pipe make? Did you add it because it was too quite with just the axle back?

[URG8RB8]

Originally Posted by FrankThomas

How much of a difference did the challenge street pipe make? Did you add it because it was too quite with just the axle back?

The Challenge Street made the car a bit more responsive. It pulls better than with the stock x-pipe. That stutter rocking when the car is still cold is not as pronounced, either. Others have commented on how cutting out the secondary cats is the same. I actually had that done when I had my OEM muffler mod. I lost some low-end torque with that setup, to the point where I had the secondary cats placed back on. If you want better performance gains, installing an x-pipe with either no cats or high-flow cats is the way to go (ex. Challenge SPORT) - not with just a secondary cat delete.

I went to the Corsa exhaust because my OEM mod began to rattle after a year or so. I didn't want to open the muffler back up to troubleshoot where the loose connection was, so I went aftermarket. I chose the Corsa, but it wasn't what I was used to. The OEM mod wasn't boomy at all, and it was very high-pitched and somewhat raspy (which I like). But the Corsa added some low-end bassy sound, and it wasn't as high-pitch as I was used to. It's a great exhaust, but I felt that it was missing something after about 5k RPM.

I installed the Challenge Street on my Corsa to see if the tone would change. I was not at all focused on the performance gains, which are minimal. The tone changed, alright. If you don't push the car, it sounds nearly the same as with the stock x-pipe - maybe a little louder. However, giving it some throttle turns it into a beast. The sound under throttle is higher pitched and ever-so-slightly raspy. I think the best part is the subtlety of the sound when exhaust braking, or letting off of the throttle and slowing. It gives a dynamic low rumble that's difficult to describe. Throttle blips are also fantastic. Instead of just engine revving, it projects a "WHAP" sound. I think it would sound incredible on a DCT car, but it is great with my 6MT.

I have also heard my friend's car with this x-pipe mated with the BMW Performance exhaust (a horrible combo!) and the stock muffler. The dynamic sounds are still there, even with the OEM muffler. Again, it's a little more responsive. And those throttle blips sound amazing. This is also a very good combo.

[FrankThomas]

Originally Posted by URG8RB8

The Challenge Street made the car a bit more responsive. It pulls better than with the stock x-pipe. That stutter rocking when the car is still cold is not as pronounced, either. Others have commented on how cutting out the secondary cats is the same. I actually had that done when I had my OEM muffler mod. I lost some low-end torque with that setup, to the point where I had the secondary cats placed back on. If you want better performance gains, installing an x-pipe with either no cats or high-flow cats is the way to go (ex. Challenge SPORT) - not with just a secondary cat delete.

I went to the Corsa exhaust because my OEM mod began to rattle after a year or so. I didn't want to open the muffler back up to troubleshoot where the loose connection was, so I went aftermarket. I chose the Corsa, but it wasn't what I was used to. The OEM mod wasn't boomy at all, and it was very high-pitched and somewhat raspy (which I like). But the Corsa added some low-end bassy sound, and it wasn't as high-pitch as I was used to. It's a great exhaust, but I felt that it was missing something after about 5k RPM.

I installed the Challenge Street on my Corsa to see if the tone would change. I was not at all focused on the performance gains, which are minimal. The tone changed, alright. If you don't push the car, it sounds nearly the same as with the stock x-pipe - maybe a little louder. However, giving it some throttle turns it into a beast. The sound under throttle is higher pitched and ever-so-slightly raspy. I think the best part is the subtlety of the sound when exhaust braking, or letting off of the throttle and slowing. It gives a dynamic low rumble that's difficult to describe. Throttle blips are also fantastic. Instead of just engine revving, it projects a "WHAP" sound. I think it would sound incredible on a DCT car, but it is great with my 6MT.

I have also heard my friend's car with this x-pipe mated with the BMW Performance exhaust (a horrible combo!) and the stock muffler. The dynamic sounds are still there, even with the OEM muffler. Again, it's a little more responsive. And those throttle blips sound amazing. This is also a very good combo.

Thanks for the detailed response. I had a challenge street pipe paired with the eisenmann sport on my last m3 so I know exactly what you are describing. You confirmed what I was curious about, which was the corsa needs that 2nd cat delete in order to be heard above 5k. I'm surprised though about the description in tone. I thought it sounded high pitched in videos and from a few descriptions. Not a big fan of rasp but I do like a higher pitch vs bass.