BMW e90 M3 LSL - Willow Springs
Finally finding some track time as the weekends get a little less busy, or as I merely put off projects. The car is fairly well sorted with some recent updates to the suspension and tires. Bimmerworld lower control arm and trailing arm sphericals installed. Updated front and rear Swift springs for slightly stiffer rates at 10kgf/16kgf. Car has been re-aligned, balanced. Michelin Sport Cup 2 (240) Connected tires were fitted to the Titan7 T-R10 wheels along with the little temp/pressure sensors. I have the Motion Control 2way shocks set up nicely as well.
These Michelin are interesting in that they are a Sport Cup 2 tire but in 240 tread wear. The tires are quite soft still, similar to a regular Sport Cup 2. Hoping for some longevity out of these, as I get some new wheels sorted for track use. The Michelins are also the new “Connected Tire” which means they have a small pocket on the inside for a sensor that measures pressure and temp. The sensor comes with a separate 500$ package that is 4 sensors, receiver and a phone mount. The idea is that the sensors are paired to the Michelin Track Connect mobile app, giving you real time temp and pressure data. The data is collected while you are on track with real-time feedback as to state of tires relative to their sweet spot. The app is much like a lap timer, giving you lap times (GPS based) and a course map review of what your tires did and where. Its interesting seeing the temps go up as you run the session. The lap timer is nice but more importantly - you just get a quick readout for temps and pressures.
One of the track events was the Shift-Sector half mile event. This is not the car for it but still fun to stretch it out some. With poor start traction and relatively low effort on my part it ran 135mph or so in the half. To put things into perspective, the McLaren 675LT we bought out ran 187mph at 1000whp and our Porsche GT2 flagship runs 205-208mph consistently at just over 1400whp (6speed to boot)
Two weekends ago got to Streets of Willow at Willow Springs Raceway with SpeedDistrict and the shop, which was sort of the first time the car was set up right. Good tires, shocks tuned with the stiffer springs and etc. This was my first time being at Streets and was a great time learning the track and getting a handle on it. Managed to just dip into 1.29s - lots of work left. It was quite cool and the track took a bit to warm up - this is where that Michelin app came in handy - you could see how the tires were taking a bit to get up to temp. Looking forward to the coming weekend at Big Willow and more California track (I’ve been in SoCal 3 years and its time to get out and drive)
The Brembo GT-S holding up great, though Im nearing the end of the Ts-20 pads. Shocks are always there and the car just deliveres. 167k Miles and counting!
Overall the car handles great. I need to look at mitigating body roll somewhat and setting up with a track-only set of wheels and tires so I dont kill the street tires. Keep tuning the dampers and just get more seat time. Really want a set of seats and harnesses, but maybe just harnesses. Getting flung about is tiring.
Images by CaliPhotoVideo for SpeedDistrict
BMW e90 M3 LSL - Wheel and Tire
The E90 M3 was presented with 220 Style 19" wheels which featured a machined face and a 10 spoke design. The Fuchs-manufactured design fits the platform very well, but they are heavy at 29lbs and a bit narrow.
Commonly underestimated - the wheel and tire combo massively affects performance of a chassis. Low rotating mass, good grip and wheel rigidity is essential.
A forged wheel is a must and I went looking for something in the 18" range. I really liked the Style 219 wheels in that gunmetal color with the concativity and spoke design, but they are still a bit conservative on widths. Combing through the usual offerings I stumbled across the Titan7 brand via EAS. The manufacturing specs were very good as well as the price point. My usual go-to would be the Apex wheels, as they are a staple and I've owned a set before, great wheels to daily on and not worry about. As with the day-job - we try to stay on top of new brands, tech and offerings. The people behind Titan7 have a vast history in the industry and track record. The products resonated with my own standards for detail, design and execution. My other choice would've been the Bimmerworld wheels, but I wanted to deviate from the classic design some. Ill be looking to pick up a set of 18x10 for a square track setup, but for now the 18x9.5 and x10.5 fitment is just right. The wheels are designed for the platform so no spacers are needed and they are light at about 19lbs each. (also easy to clean!)
The tires for a daily application were a no-brainer - Michelin. I opted for the PSS tires because at the time the PS4S was not available for the front size of 265/35R18 (rear is 285/35R18). In my mind - these PSS tires are a gold standard with great wet/dry condition and cornering performance. The car sees a 70 mile daily commute and they maintain a level of comfort and holding their ground when called upon.
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