oldrascal, I presume those times you listed are for the C32? Turning the 1/4 at 13 flat in a C32 is an extraordinarily good time on stock everything. Do you have the M3 times? Have you run your C32 at the strip or with a meter?

 

NTGURU, your request is my command.

And no, I have not run my C32 at a strip. The words "hen's" and "teeth" spring to mind when I think of locally accessible strips in England

 

Thank you, sir!

I think that's the only car rag article I've seen where the C32 outaccelerates the M3!

You need to grab one of the G-Tech comp's.

 

whoa...4.6 I wonder were they going downhill...haha jk

no wonder my friend ask me if my car goes to 60mph in 4.6 second. He must have seen that article or something.

 

OK, with the fast track times and the, annoying 107 trapspeed "barrier" got me thinking, so I made a C32 speed calculator.

The Autocar C32 is a darn fast specimen, no doubt. But it can be easily explained by basic math and a few assumptions. BTW this will also help our local 1/4 milers understand and break the 12 second barrier.

The C32's gear ratios are fixed and do not change, for any car US or european. Also fixed is the rear end ratio, ditto the stock tire size (rolling diameter). However redline is variable. Redline is variable, directly affected by the RON setting in the ECU.

For the Autocar C32 to shift at 44, 71, 111! and 150 the redline must be 6400 (or 6450). These speeds simply CANNOT be met at lower redline settings (ie 6250, 6000, 5800). To make these speeds at lower redline is mathematically impossible given the final drive ratio and the standard transmission ratios of the C32.

So the Autocar C32 had ECU set at a very high RON so that 6400 was possible, [or was in fact a "ringer" with oversized tire diameter or a "taller" rear end]. In any case YOUR CAR WILL not be like this car, certainly not in most parts of the US.

Some other facts: if your car is set to a more standard 6250 redline you will make 107 in third gear not the 111 Autocar saw. Does 107 Sound familiar? The 3-4 shift at 107 is probably is the 1/4 mile barrier that 95% of the guys face.

Almost forgot, you do need the other conditions to be favorable too, cool day near sea-level etc. And don't discount the skills of the drivers of the "fastest C32 quarters".

So fast quarters are: cool day, sea-level, high RON >> hottest possible ECU setting, larger diameter tires (245- 45 -17) to avoid the 3-4 shift at 107 plus all of the other usual factors, lightest weight, and a roozy-like launch!

 

Will the ECU adjust itself after agressive driving or is that only something a dealer can perform?

Kevin

 

cars i've beat

E36 M3 (ECU,EXHAUST,INTAKE)
E46 M3 stock 3 or 4 different ones
M5 stock 2 different ones
new corvette (not Z06)
'02 Porsche 996 Carrera conv.

cars i've lost to

'02 996 stage IV twin turbo (DUH)
WRX STI (intake, downpipe, blowoff valve)
02 BMW M-coupe 321hp

 

How close were those races? Could you recount them in detail?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

Is C32 really faster than M3 ??
seems everybody beat a M3~~

 

at speed: should be every time
off the line: sometimes, if the M3 driver can't shift.

 

Oh my... did they think the M3 is the fasted vehicle? lol..

 

That's true !
No more M-power wanna play with AMG guys here.
we've to invite RS4, F355, F360, GT3....
AMG V6K is aweful ......... IMO


For those V8K brothers,they're even "lonely"
Porsche TT(GT2) are fun to play with.

 

My MB W203 C 2001 Lost sudden engine power. Can run with it but have problems in uphill and when I run backwards. What could be wrong?