Went down to Bruntingthorpe test track the other week with some pals, Stock M3 Cab, an R34 and an R33 Skyline (both modded by Middlehurst to 400 BHP) and a Mitsubushi 3000 GT (also modded to around 420 BHP).

Did a couple of speed runs on the straight here is a link to the video (not big 556K, the sound is poor compared to what it was like)

Unfortunately when I have the camera secured to the wheel it slightly obstructs my view of the instruments and the gear indicator. It doesn't disrupt my operation of the main controls, but it is distracting and this makes it difficult to get a really good run with the thing on, having said that , 0-60 comes up at 6secs, 0-100 at just on 13 secs and 0-155 at round 41 secs. I got better times than this without the video in the way, using lauch control and putting the hood up improves the times. The Straight is 2 miles long.

Dry Track, 16 Centigrade, M3 Cab SMG, Hood Down , S6 DSC off (to begin), no launch control.

Drove the R34 and the Misubushi (the R33 broke its drive half way through), all very quick cars, amazingly both myself and the R34 driver could corner the M3 just as quickly as the up rated R34 (bottom corner 85ish left hander 110) and he was very impressed by its rigidity and lack of shake rattle and roll something i to have noticed in other cabs, mind you this one does have a front strut brace.

On the straight going off the line without launch control (and if the R33 R34 and Mitsi got away alright) the M3 lost out by between almost a car length to 60 and then held its own against the R34 and Mitsi right the way up, the R33 which despite being in the same state of tune as the R34 was quicker 80+. In practise usually one or other of the cars fluffed the start or missed a gear so in fact the M3 was never last (more consistency from SMG gearbox) and in fact did end up 2nd a couple of times to 60 and was 1st to 100 once and did better generally to 100.

Link to video
Skyline R33, R34 and Mitsi racing off the mark.
Bruntingthorpe
0-157mph with hood down :D :D :D 0-157mph
http://www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/0-157mph.WMV
http://www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/Br...Thorpe001a.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/Br...Thorpe002a.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/Br...Thorpe005a.JPG
Drove the R34 and the Misubushi (the R33 broke its drive half way through), all very quick cars, amazingly both myself and the R34 driver could corner the M3 just as quickly as the up rated R34 (bottom corner 85ish left hander 110) and he was very impressed by its rigidity and lack of shake rattle and roll !!!.

On the straight going off the line without launch control (and if the R33 R34 and Mitsi got away alright) the M3 lost out by between almost a car length to 60 and then held its own against the R34 and Mitsi right the way up, the R33 which despite being in the same state of tune as the R34 was quicker 80+. In practise usually one or other of the cars fluffed the start or missed a gear so in fact the M3 was never last (more consistency from SMG gearbox) and in fact did end up 2nd a couple of times to 60 and was 1st to 100 once and did better generally to 100.

1st time with launch control, (by this time the r33 was broken), The M3 stayed within half a car length of the R34 (he got a good start) to about 65mph (the Mitsi fluffed the start), then the r34 had a sloppy 2nd to 3rd, I got a car length clear and he couldn't close the gap if anything it was growing by 150mph.
2nd time I was on my own and got the car up to bumping along at 158-160mph in 5th, limiter seems to be there and it was present in the other cars.

Excellent day, the Skyline E34 was supposed to be 400bhp and 4.5 0-60 4wheel drive 4 wheel steer, racing suspension and strut braces. It drove well and went very quick but really there wasn't that much in it compared to the M3, it did have less feel that the m3 through the steering and the in gear acceleration may have been slightly better but it didn't feel it or manifest it self round the track, the gear change was good and the clutch really light (not a lot of feel) .
The Mitsi had no headroom and had really light steering a notchy gear box and it oversteered !! At speeds when the other cars were sticking to the track with slight understeer in the Skylines, the back end of the Mitsi was coming out, it didn't make you that much slower but it was alarming, the steering didn't inspire confidence. I actually beat every one off the mark in this car, everybody else was getting all 4 wheels spinning, but because it wasn't my car I wasn't trying too hard and just pulled away at 3250-3500, I went off like a train and only lost out at the first corner when the back went out and I shat myself backing right off.

A great day and it really shows what these cars are capable of once you hit the high numbers. :D :D :D

dayumn.....
that R33 fly's straight of the line

You should be ashamed of yourself!! 6 seconds to get to an indicated 62mph in an E46 M3 :eek: Outrageous!!

M3 - most impressively quick between 60 and 120ish
Someones clutch sounded a bit poorly on the first vid?

I wasn't too impressed with the 60-120 either considering how quick the M3 is! Is it fully run in? You said the top was down does this create lots more drag?

No, I was genuinely impressed! Mind, I havent been in or seen a new m3 doing a run, should I have been more impressed? :confused:

I would have thought so. From my experieces the new M3 busts through the 100mph barrier like it wasn't there :eek:

What is the 100bhp barrier ;) :D

The R33 was really quick off the mark and spot on the R33's clutch did fail during the day.

The 6 seconds is no big surprise if you just pull away from idle as in the clip, normally you would pull away at around 3-3500 revs and from idle the engine gets a bit bogged down before it gets going, with the video run on I was looking for the top speed, it was a wee bit tricky trying to get the best out the car because the video sits inside the wheel in front of the instruments.
By being more aggressive with the throttle you can get it to go a bit quicker and with launch control the car flies off the line, but because it is a cab your still talking about 5.5 seconds (0-62) as about the best you could hope for, this is because the cab is a bit heavier than the coupe. I did give the car a couple of runs with the launch control, but they weren't timed, although it did perform well against the other cars. With launch control the car takes over the pulling away process, you turn off the traction control, select 1st gear, push forward the gear leaver, press the accelerator fully down and the car decides the optimum revs and amount of traction control to use to get the best possible start, release the lever and vroom your off, very little fuss just very quick. This makes it difficult for someone to beat you even if they are in a faster car, because it is far easier for you to get a really excellent start and to beat you they have to make no mistakes.
What was quite impressive on that day was how consistent the car is with the SMG (F1 Style)gearbox, never misses a gear, each change is precise and quick.

The hood was down which does cause extra drag but does make it more fun. The 60-120 was still pretty impressive compared to the other cars there. Hood up it would have gone quicker and by using launch control as well you might have been able to take 4-5 seconds off the 0-157 ? I'll try in next time, what I really need it a camera mount that doesn't get in the way :D