From Misano International Circuit

[savage.ulm1]

Just came back from an event planned by Bmw Italy. Bmw is making around some Italian circuits some events named "M3 experiences".
Tomorrow is the last of many of these meetings started in October . Monza was one of those meeting...Misano was mine experience.Very nice experience. Very well organized.
From the 8,30 am to 13 pm....it was all simply so exciting
30 people on the morning. 30 in the afternoon. 6 instructors, 6 cars.
Theory..and practice on the track. The final very funny and instructive experience was the slalom in another area with the Z4 M copuè. A turn on this second circuit was totally wet and with the pavment painted...So many many oversteers-understeers
Six pilots , one after the other (about 15 seconds far), with as a passenger an instructor. Test of the car in all configuration but never totally without DSC. I tell you what a nice experience is to have a calm instructor that helps you in the searching of the perfect trajectory also close to the 200 km/h in a large and intense right turn. To play with the gas and the steer, to feel free to accellerate up to the 8400 rpm,to make some surpasses, coordinated by the instructors via radio...and to feel the car better and better...and to understand how fast you are driving when during a very very fast turn the istructor corrects you using your arm and says: come on...you are too rigid...you seem to have to pcs of wood not two arms...pls relax those muscles... Wow....and all these at 200km/h..or over that speed.
Funny funny funny...and very instructive. Very well organized too. They spend a lot in Italy for this kind of promotion. Gadgets, every sort of things to eat and drink and some inside informations. At first I would say that after taking a look on a dvd with the "History" of the M3 and after some questions I realized many things but some of them I didn't know:
Michelin : the best of the best for this car. The school "Guidare Pilotare" (you can find it on the web) of Sigfried Stohr that over controls all these events and that cooperates with BMW Italy, are sponsorized by other marks of tires. I don't write the names.They tested these tires and they have not reported good comments . The Pilot Sport from Continental with the asteriscs that BMW wants on these tires are simply the best...On dry use. On wet only a competitor (Continental...sssttttt!!!) was similar.Only similar. Then I knew that the hunger of air of these engine at 8.400 rpm is in one hour the correspondent of 43 standard containers!!
They told that at Monza they used the same tires for full four days events before to change them. They are really surpriced to see how regular the consumption is on the tires. Also considering that every 6-7 tours they changed the pilot-guest.This means and shows how perfect and balanced is the chassis due to the stronger rigidity of this car!
Brakes: I don't remember if they told that these brakes are the same of the M5 or simply similar. At least similar.Anyway no problems with the brakes but they admit that BMW could make them better Not in the strenght but in the components..Like Brembo??Anyway they used standard pads and I had no fading (not even after 6 full fast tours in the track). So for normal use I am sure we will be almost satisfied.Then some comments on the front, big spoiler....They told: that big spoiler that someone is changing (they read the blogs my friends......) for esthetical reasons is the same in concept of the racing Championchip GT-Fia and his function is to help a lot during very fast driving "turns" the front of the car.In fact they told us during the briefing that this car needs much less effort during these turns (than previous M3)at high speed and needs less steer use. I appreciated a very very low understeer today also at an incredible high speed (incredible for me...sure).
So my last though: thank you BMW Italy for this nice and exciting experience. And thank you to have created this new generation of M3.
To ear the cars running from the paddock and take pics (after my tests) was something really I will not forget..
One negative thing I heard...anyway. Those pilots (from Guidare Pilotare team)also if admit that :chassis, tires, brakes, electronics, luxury ,speed and handling are better in this new car than in the old....they would have preferred (but they told this unofficially....)the old curve of torque of the old M3, because this "seemed" to show a different character in the old car. More sportive...also if the final lap times are absolutely in favour of the new one.
Their conclusions? unofficially? out from microphones?a very good and fast car that with minor modifications on brake lines (at least aeronautical type) and some increased anti-torsional bars in the front can be used also on the track for very fast and funny experiences...

Bye bye now

The circuit :
http://www.guidarepilotare.com/chi_s...misano-new.htm
explained by the chief instructor..

[Big Windy]

thanks for keeping us updated savage...you always give great info and pics. sounds like a blast. a bit similar to what BMW does in spartanburg- i attended for the M5 back in '02.
i wouldn't have guessed they liked michelin with all those stickers on every car...

[Epacy]

Cool!

[Mark]

great writeup!!

[mhutchins14]

Awesome pics and great write up Savage. Must have been really cool to be at Monza!!! Did you see any Tifosi?

[SpencerM3]

WOW! That looks like an amazing event, though I would prefer to be racing around in a Ferrari in Monza

[savage.ulm1]

Originally Posted by mhutchins14

Awesome pics and great write up Savage. Must have been really cool to be at Monza!!! Did you see any Tifosi?

I made many grammatical mistakes..I was on hurry ...I corrected the whole write up as much as I was able and also I have seen that Misano Circuit was misunderstood for Monza Circuit. They are two different track:-)

bye

[UltimateBMW]

Great write up and awesome pics. Looks like it was amazing fun.

[Queenskid24]

looks like fun. beautiful cars

[e46e92love]

Awesome write-up.......great read, thank you so much for taking the time

[Zeiss]

Fantastic!
Thank you

[nusevad]

very cool, looks like alot of fun!

[lakerfan007]

so i may sound stupid, but what color are those M3's?

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by lakerfan007

so i may sound stupid, but what color are those M3's?

Silverstone II

[enricob]

I was there on 28 november. Fantastic event!!!!
http://www.bmwpassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114516



here a little video

[savage.ulm1]

Originally Posted by enricobraglia

I was there on 28 november. Fantastic event!!!!
http://www.bmwpassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114516



here a little video

Hi Enrico...
I was writing too on that Forum, probably you remember. Can you tell your opinion in English about those high speed turns? about the gear and the great handling? I know what you wrote in that Forum about that day since it is my language, but if you confirm also that we had similar opinions in two different days and without to know each other, probably this Forum will thank you a lot.You know what it is that fast turn (variante rettilineo) in 5th gear with just a little of gas peeling the inside corner of that large turn. Unluky I was not able to describe that sensation...So fasttttttt.............
Ciao

[OzStriker]

SSII looks awesome on those shots!

[enricob]

Originally Posted by savage.ulm1

Hi Enrico...
I was writing too on that Forum, probably you remember. Can you tell your opinion in English about those high speed turns? about the gear and the great handling? I know what you wrote in that Forum about that day since it is my language, but if you confirm also that we had similar opinions in two different days and without to know each other, probably this Forum will thank you a lot.You know what it is that fast turn (variante rettilineo) in 5th gear with just a little of gas peeling the inside corner of that large turn. Unluky I was not able to describe that sensation...So fasttttttt.............
Ciao

Hi Savage!!!
I've tried M3 with Andrea Montermini (http://www.montermini.com/home.htm) and I've done about 8 laps (7+1 cooling the brakes). M3 is very very fast and have an elevate torque since low rpm. In some turn I've tried to mantain the IV gear but the engine is very fast to take the rounds. The variante rettilineo is very very difficult, you have to put also V gear and to mantain the speed. I used III and IV gear and a bit of V. The circuit is very technical and if you made a mistake in a turn you loose a lot of time in the next turn. In my opinion only the brakes aren't very good. A lot of fading after 3 laps, but I thing that the new CSL will be much better.
Today I'll go to BMW dealer to take some infos of price and delivery

Sorry fo my english

[savage.ulm1]

Originally Posted by enricobraglia

Hi Savage!!!
I've tried M3 with Andrea Montermini (http://www.montermini.com/home.htm) and I've done about 8 laps (7+1 cooling the brakes). M3 is very very fast and have an elevate torque since low rpm. In some turn I've tried to mantain the IV gear but the engine is very fast to take the rounds. The variante rettilineo is very very difficult, you have to put also V gear and to mantain the speed. I used III and IV gear and a bit of V. The circuit is very technical and if you made a mistake in a turn you loose a lot of time in the next turn. In my opinion only the brakes aren't very good. A lot of fading after 3 laps, but I thing that the new CSL will be much better.
Today I'll go to BMW dealer to take some infos of price and delivery

Sorry fo my english

Hi Andrea,
I assure you that I was really fast. The instructor seatting in the car number six in the pic above was my instructor and can confirm that we started in 6th position and we surpassed all the other M3. I tell this only to confirm that we were "really" fast...with his nice help....But we had not fading problems on the brakes. Probably our car was lucky or simply with new pads...:-)You know those cars are used all the day...
thanks for you answer...

ciao

[enricob]

Originally Posted by savage.ulm1

Hi Andrea,
I assure you that I was really fast. The instructor seatting in the car number six in the pic above was my instructor and can confirm that we started in 6th position and we surpassed all the other M3. I tell this only to confirm that we were "really" fast...with his nice help....But we had not fading problems on the brakes. Probably our car was lucky or simply with new pads...:-)You know those cars are used all the day...
thanks for you answer...

ciao

I was in the second group to try the M3. Perhaps the brakes were very hot. I think I had a good run. The instructor said me that I've a good technique and a good visulization of the track. The M3 is very simple to drive. A week earlier in the same track i've tried Z4M and 130i and I think that are much difficult to mantain in the right lines. The M3 is a good car also for smart tour

[Gabri343]

Hi! Yes M3 is fast (not like M5/M6) but i was very surprise for the handling of this car, no understeer and it's incredible for this type of car. Variante rettilineo is amazing, at the first laps it was impressive because I didn't know the track but the ultimate 3 laps V gear over 200 km/h
Z4 M is a real funny car, i love that engine and the steer is fast.........fantastic for drifting; this is my next car

[OC ///M]

Savage:

I appreciate the write up and photos to compliment... Thanks!

P.S. I had a lot of fun trying to "pause" your short video to catch a glimpse of the car! Can't get enough of the sound of that motor!