I'm really interested to know how much faster you were in your new track prepped E36 M3, compared to your previous E92 M3 and current C63. Did you measure actual laptimes?

And what track did you drive on? High speed track, or slow technical track?

 

We aren't technically permitted to record laptimes (insurance issues). However, in my run group (similarly skilled drivers) there was an older 911 Turbo, a Corvette Grand Sport and and E92 M3 (DCT) and I was as faster or faster than all of those cars.

The course is a more technical course and the E36 M3 does have a real advantage there. If the course was wide open, long straights and sweeping corners, a well sorted C63 (better rubber, brakes, camber, etc) would likely be faster. The E36 doesn't have anywhere near the power and is more of momentum car... you can carry more speed into corners, get on the gas earlier, brake less (or not at all in places where I needed to in the C63 or I would have not made the corner). The biggest difference is the weight. The E36 M3 (at about 2,700lbs stripped) actually feels so light. The C63, in comparison, feels very big and heavy. It hides its weight well for a heavy car, but when you drive something a lot lighter you then really notice it. The lower weight actually makes the E36 much more fun to drive at the track (as I mentioned above, "go-kart like" is the best way to describe the difference). If you know what you are doing on the track, the E36 is fast, fast, fast. If someone didn't have much experience, the power of the C63 can make up a lot of "wasted time" and mistakes by "catching up" in the straights. On the track I attend (about a 1:20s track for a decent driver), I would bet a very good driver is 5 seconds faster in my E36 M3.

Don't get me wrong, I would still pick the C63 for weekend back road runs and driving on the street. The power is simply too significant to not matter and be a ton of fun. On the track, however, power and lap times aside, the E36 M3 is so raw, connected and capable that it is just so damn fun.

 

Congrats. I'm a big fan of the old skool E30 M3.

 

I had an opportunity to flog this 97 last weekend at Roebling Road in Georgia. Its a 2 mile, 9 turn track with a very long straight seperating 9 and 1. My best time in the C63 with DOT slicks was a 1:22.7 Keith has dipped into the 1:21's with the additional power and much wider rear tires. Terminal speed for the Benz's were 150+.
This little car with 205 whp put down my first 1:20xx and ran 1:21 all day. It was shod with 2 year old V710's that would fade after ten laps or so. It caught and passed every thing in the run group, GTR's, GT3's RS's all semi modded including Hoosiers and driven by friends who track much more than me.(It had been a year since I drove). Terminal speed in this car reached just at 130, it is momentum or nothing! In perspective a pro driver (John Miller) had a modded FRS on PSS's running 1:23 and he took out my friends 600 bhp Viper on full slicks and ran 1:19. Driving this little car was simply the most fun i have ever had in any car!

 

I completely agree with the "most fun ever" comment. Track ready E36 M3s are hard to beat. I was out last Wednesday and the car was incredibly fast. I was running on street tires (Star Specs)... didn't want to put the R888 on so late in the season... and I was also passing everything on the track (including cars with far in excess of twice the power) It isn't because I'm the best driver either as many I track with are better. The car just carries silly amounts of speed through corners and I am on the throttle WAY earlier. Brake very late, brake very hard, completely balanced, on the gas early... a very fast way around the track!

 

Bumping from the dead to get your opinions:

Toying with the idea of getting a track car for weekend fun. Thing is, I'm not a tremendously experienced road course driver but would love to learn on something that really excites the heck out of me and will force me to challenge myself to get better and hit the track as often as possible (vs buying a honda or something to learn on) and also will increase/accelerate my learning curve. Used to own an e36 and have always wanted a track e36. Now beginning to seriously look into it.

Thoughts/advice on getting started given the above?

 

I'm not the OP but before you take the plunge and buy a dedicated track car, you could use some of the track car funds to attend some driving schools. You would get top-notch instruction and several schools have cars available for you to use.

After that experience, perhaps you would have a better idea regarding what kind of track car would fit you best.