OEM M3 GTS Aero?? + Sweet Sounds of the Akrapovic Evo at the Track

radiantm3 · 02-13-2013, 03:00 AM

Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

When I removed my supercharger, I decided that I would use that money to buy BMW Performance seats (still for sale, btw). When I called Aleks over at Alekshop about putting in an order, he mentioned that he acquired GTS parts for his build. He also mentioned that he had 2 sets of OEM GTS Aero parts coming in. I quickly had a change of heart. I called dibs on the 2nd set of aero parts and decided to get Recaro Sportsters instead (sometime in the future).

When the parts came in, I had less than a week before my next track day. I really wanted to get these on quickly. So we removed my trunk and prepped it as much as we could. It was a matter of removing all the plastic parts and sticking on the template where the holes needed to be drilled.

I brought my trunk over to B-Line auto body in San Jose and they were able to drill, weld, seal, and paint my trunk in 3 days. It came out flawlessly.

On the same day I picked up the trunk, Aleks installed the front splitter. I've had aftermarket splitters in the past and OEM is on a whole other level. I lost my last splitter because it fell off at the track. That won't happen with this one.

The results were nothing short of breathtaking.

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I know a big wing on a street car isn't for everyone, but this one is OEM and it gets used at the track. Besides, I was never one to really care what others think about what I do to my car.

If you are interested in seeing more beautiful photos of the aero parts, you can see them here (if you scroll down the page).

But I didn't purchase these parts just to look cool on the street (though it certainly does!). I bought them because I always wanted more downforce, but not at the expense of driving around town with a ridiculously huge wing and 2 foot deep splitter. I think the GTS parts play both roles perfectly.

You might have noticed that the bottom part of the splitter is missing in the photo above. That's because it is a bit low (though not nearly as low as my previous Challenge GT3 splitter) with the lower splitter in place. So I just put it on at the track with the 6 bolts supplied. Here are some photos from Laguna Seca yesterday:

Track photos by Gotbluemilk Photography

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Track photos by Gotbluemilk Photography

So do I feel a difference? Hard to say. The only place I really feel a difference is flying through turn 1. Usually the rear feels really light through there and this time it was much more planted and balanced. So I think the effects of the aero parts are more for speeds above 80mph or so. One thing I haven't done yet is adjust the wing for a bit more downforce. I might try that on Monday's event.

And as promised, some video from the event with the car properly mic'd (instead of the gopro's famous sounds of wind). I also have 2 camera angles in these videos which really seems to give a better sense of "being there".

Thanks for reading!

Ivan@PYSpeed.com · 02-13-2013, 03:55 AM

sick!! thanks for sharing!!

KEYON · 02-13-2013, 05:21 AM

Looks and sounds amazing

IMG · 02-13-2013, 07:28 AM

So sick !

And1M3 · 02-13-2013, 07:39 AM

Sweet vid. Thanks for sharing.

Alekshop · 02-13-2013, 09:23 AM

Thanks for sharing Mark!

I think we might need to push the front lip 1/2 inch back or to see if that would change things.

avsbmw · 02-13-2013, 09:48 AM

perfect taste in mods! Great job!

I had the same mic set up when I went to the track and makes a world of difference

Autobahn335i · 02-13-2013, 09:49 AM

Very nice. And indeed the effects of aero are barely noticable at speeds below 100mph.

JEllis · 02-13-2013, 09:52 AM

Looking good!

Jason

THE TECH · 02-13-2013, 09:53 AM

Don't care for those wings but clean nonetheless.

Powerbeast · 02-13-2013, 10:24 AM

Looks great

Curt2000 · 02-13-2013, 10:35 AM

Dream setup

Nate@IND · 02-13-2013, 10:40 AM

Very nice! Ralf is the man

slicer · 02-13-2013, 10:46 AM

Looks fantastic! I appreciate that you have modified the car to improve it's performance - not to just look "unique" like many forum members.

Nice driving too!

chuxdelux · 02-13-2013, 10:52 AM

Your m3 is all business

Just a question. Do you plan on swapping your KW v3s to something more track dedicated or adjustable ie: JRZ, MCS, or Ohlins?

tha_good_life · 02-13-2013, 11:12 AM

Dude, your car is perfectly executed! Tastefully mods and everything. I've always been a fan of your car since day one!

signes · 02-13-2013, 11:18 AM

Car looks amazing. Never been a fan of wings on street cars either, but seems to work for yours (maybe seeing the track driving swayed my opinion.)

Sam@ModeCarbon · 02-13-2013, 01:21 PM

Looking better than ever.

radiantm3 · 02-13-2013, 01:24 PM

Thanks guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autobahn335i

Very nice. And indeed the effects of aero are barely noticable at speeds below 100mph.

Yea. I'm curious if adjusting the wing for a bit more downforce will have much affect at lower speeds? I guess only one way to find out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

Very nice! Ralf is the man

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicer

Looks fantastic! I appreciate that you have modified the car to improve it's performance - not to just look "unique" like many forum members.

Nice driving too!

Thanks! I told myself that every mod I do needs to have a functional purpose as well. One of the reasons I removed my arkym rear diffuser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuxdelux

Your m3 is all business

Just a question. Do you plan on swapping your KW v3s to something more track dedicated or adjustable ie: JRZ, MCS, or Ohlins?

Yea I plan to get a setup with linear springs, but I think seats will take priority. I'm hanging on to the wheel and my knee is pinned against the door or center console on every corner because the stock seats do a terrible job holding me in place.

DRAY_M3 · 02-13-2013, 01:28 PM

Looks good Mark

. Did you have the front spliter extended out at the track? Any scrape at full compression or coming down the cork screw?

radiantm3 · 02-13-2013, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRAY_M3

Looks good Mark

. Did you have the front spliter extended out at the track? Any scrape at full compression or coming down the cork screw?

Thanks Ray. Yes it was fully extended and no scraping. Apparently I need to go through the corkscrew faster. :P

tbone28 · 02-13-2013, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radiantm3

LOVE this shot!

02-13-2013, 03:00 AM	#1
radiantm3 Apex Everything! Drives: >1000 HP in my garage Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Danville, CA Posts: 3,709 iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 E92 M3 [4.79] 2013 BMW X5M [4.33]	OEM M3 GTS Aero?? + Sweet Sounds of the Akrapovic Evo at the Track Featured on BIMMERPOST.com When I removed my supercharger, I decided that I would use that money to buy BMW Performance seats (still for sale, btw). When I called Aleks over at Alekshop about putting in an order, he mentioned that he acquired GTS parts for his build. He also mentioned that he had 2 sets of OEM GTS Aero parts coming in. I quickly had a change of heart. I called dibs on the 2nd set of aero parts and decided to get Recaro Sportsters instead (sometime in the future). When the parts came in, I had less than a week before my next track day. I really wanted to get these on quickly. So we removed my trunk and prepped it as much as we could. It was a matter of removing all the plastic parts and sticking on the template where the holes needed to be drilled. I brought my trunk over to B-Line auto body in San Jose and they were able to drill, weld, seal, and paint my trunk in 3 days. It came out flawlessly. On the same day I picked up the trunk, Aleks installed the front splitter. I've had aftermarket splitters in the past and OEM is on a whole other level. I lost my last splitter because it fell off at the track. That won't happen with this one. The results were nothing short of breathtaking. I know a big wing on a street car isn't for everyone, but this one is OEM and it gets used at the track. Besides, I was never one to really care what others think about what I do to my car. If you are interested in seeing more beautiful photos of the aero parts, you can see them here (if you scroll down the page). But I didn't purchase these parts just to look cool on the street (though it certainly does!). I bought them because I always wanted more downforce, but not at the expense of driving around town with a ridiculously huge wing and 2 foot deep splitter. I think the GTS parts play both roles perfectly. You might have noticed that the bottom part of the splitter is missing in the photo above. That's because it is a bit low (though not nearly as low as my previous Challenge GT3 splitter) with the lower splitter in place. So I just put it on at the track with the 6 bolts supplied. Here are some photos from Laguna Seca yesterday: Track photos by Gotbluemilk Photography Track photos by Gotbluemilk Photography So do I feel a difference? Hard to say. The only place I really feel a difference is flying through turn 1. Usually the rear feels really light through there and this time it was much more planted and balanced. So I think the effects of the aero parts are more for speeds above 80mph or so. One thing I haven't done yet is adjust the wing for a bit more downforce. I might try that on Monday's event. And as promised, some video from the event with the car properly mic'd (instead of the gopro's famous sounds of wind). I also have 2 camera angles in these videos which really seems to give a better sense of "being there". Thanks for reading! __________________ (1:40 @ Laguna Seca, 2:03 @ Thunderhill, 1:52 @ Infineon)
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02-13-2013, 07:28 AM	#4
IMG VT3 Drives: E36 M3 Track car,Ess E90 M3 DD Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The Couch Posts: 6,945 iTrader: (5)	So sick ! __________________ NO FEAR.NO LIMITS.NO EQUAL Ess VT3 LC built motor,Volk TE37SL,Euro taillights,Dinan Xpipe,Custom Headers,Akra axle back CF tips,ModeCarbon FR lip,BMW CF wing LOW BOOST 60-130 6.7 sec
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02-13-2013, 07:39 AM	#5
And1M3 Major Drives: 2013 M3 MR FR/Bk Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NYC Posts: 1,051 iTrader: (6)	Sweet vid. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Click Here 13 MR E92 Build -Akrapovic slip on, Varis, BBS E88, Mode Carbon Lip + Side Skirt, LUX H8, KW Clubsport, ESS Tune + ACM Test Pipes, OEM CF spoiler, OEM CF mirror cover
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02-13-2013, 09:49 AM	#8
Autobahn335i Lieutenant Colonel Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 1,565 iTrader: (5)	Very nice. And indeed the effects of aero are barely noticable at speeds below 100mph. __________________ Performance Seats, Exhaust, Splitters, Pedals, Steering Wheel / RB Turbos / M3 CF Roof / Brembo GT BBK 355/345 / Rollcage / Forge FMIC / Quaife LSD / Bilstein PSS10 / M3 Suspension Parts / Powerflex Bushings / Vorshlag Camberplates / RE Toe Links / LeatherZ Gauges / Extended M3 DCT Paddles / ER Sports OC / AR OC / Aux Radiator / AR DPs / Alpina TCU Flash / COBB Pro-Tune
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02-13-2013, 09:52 AM	#9
JEllis Brigadier General Drives: E36 M3, E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: SD CA/Yuma Posts: 4,571 iTrader: (4)	Looking good! Jason __________________
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02-13-2013, 03:55 AM	#2
Ivan@PYSpeed.com Drives: E90 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 3,953 iTrader: (4)	sick!! thanks for sharing!!
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02-13-2013, 05:21 AM	#3
KEYON Brigadier General Drives: '14 RS5 Join Date: May 2008 Location: LA x SD Posts: 3,416 iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 E92 M3 [4.83]	Looks and sounds amazing
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02-13-2013, 09:23 AM	#6
Alekshop BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: M3 l M5 l X5 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 2,224 iTrader: (8)	Thanks for sharing Mark! I think we might need to push the front lip 1/2 inch back or to see if that would change things.
	0

02-13-2013, 09:48 AM	#7
avsbmw Captain Drives: 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hampton Roads VA Posts: 805 iTrader: (1)	perfect taste in mods! Great job! I had the same mic set up when I went to the track and makes a world of difference
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02-13-2013, 09:53 AM	#10
THE TECH BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: BPMsport 2012 E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 13,010 iTrader: (42) Garage List 2014 Honda Grom [0.00] 2012 Honda Ruckus [0.00] 2005 Chevy Silverad ... [0.00] 1995 Toyota Supra [0.00]	Don't care for those wings but clean nonetheless. __________________
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02-13-2013, 10:24 AM	#11
Powerbeast Major General Drives: E90 M3 Dakar Yellow Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,740 iTrader: (4)	Looks great
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02-13-2013, 10:35 AM	#12
Curt2000 Colonel Drives: '13 ///M3 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sin City Posts: 2,346 iTrader: (21)	Dream setup __________________ Current Car: '13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP (ED Thread) Former Cars:'10 E90 335i MSport / '07 Interlagos ///M5 / '09 135i / '10 E93 335i Instagram: @C2KMotorsports
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02-13-2013, 10:40 AM	#13
Nate@IND BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: BMW Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 10,060 iTrader: (19)	Very nice! Ralf is the man __________________ IND DISTRIBUTION \| 866.963.4520 \| IND Blog \| IND Facebook
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02-13-2013, 10:46 AM	#14
slicer Brigadier General Drives: '13 E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,401 iTrader: (10)	Looks fantastic! I appreciate that you have modified the car to improve it's performance - not to just look "unique" like many forum members. Nice driving too! __________________ '13 SSII M3 Coupe - KW Clubsport 3-way (Eibach Front Spring Conversion), Akrapovic Evolution, ESS Tune, StopTech Trophy, IND Euro Front Bumper and Gloss Black Mirror Covers, TMS Studs/Lugs, BMW Performance Carbon Fiber Spoiler/Interior Trim/Center Console, BMW Edition Grills/Gills, BMWPedals Extended DCT Paddles, Mode Carbon GT4 Splitter, Advan TC3 (18x9.5/10.5), BBS E05 (18x10/11), G-Force Rivals (275/35/18, 295/35/18) Last edited by slicer; 02-13-2013 at 10:54 AM.
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02-13-2013, 10:52 AM	#15
chuxdelux Captain Drives: 2005 e46 m3, 2013 Jetta TDI Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Honolulu,HI Posts: 636 iTrader: (1)	Your m3 is all business Just a question. Do you plan on swapping your KW v3s to something more track dedicated or adjustable ie: JRZ, MCS, or Ohlins?
	0

02-13-2013, 11:12 AM	#16
tha_good_life Brigadier General Drives: 2010 JzB E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 3,900 iTrader: (17) Garage List 2010 BMW M3 [4.33]	Dude, your car is perfectly executed! Tastefully mods and everything. I've always been a fan of your car since day one!
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02-13-2013, 11:18 AM	#17
signes Brigadier General Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Spinnin at 8k Posts: 4,149 iTrader: (3)	Car looks amazing. Never been a fan of wings on street cars either, but seems to work for yours (maybe seeing the track driving swayed my opinion.) __________________ 08 E90 \| Jet Black / Black \| 6MT Mods: RAC RG63 w/ Pirelli Corsa 255F/285R \| Akrapovic Evo Exhaust \| OEM Blacklines Winter Setup: OEM 18s w/ Nokian Hakkapeliita R 245/40-18
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02-13-2013, 01:21 PM	#18
Sam@ModeCarbon BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: using 3 pedals Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NY l LA Posts: 3,022 iTrader: (2)	Looking better than ever. __________________
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02-13-2013, 01:28 PM	#20
DRAY_M3 Captain Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Norcal Posts: 74 iTrader: (1)	Looks good Mark . Did you have the front spliter extended out at the track? Any scrape at full compression or coming down the cork screw?
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