VG30DE 510 handling report: |
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The local BMW club organized a track day at PIR and I took our recently suspension-upgraded VG30DE 510. The most common car was easily the E36 (second generation) M3. There were a couple of brand new M5's, M coupes, a few "lesser" BMW's (328i's, etc), and a race 2002. Also a couple Acura NSX's, VW Corrado's, Subaru WRX's, 300ZX's TT's, a TVR, Honda S2000, a couple Corvettes and Mustangs, a Viper, and even a Louts Elise! The 510 looked pretty out of place in this environment. Probably the next oldest street car was 1986 or so. This was really the first time I was able to concentrate on driving the 510 really hard and analyzing how the car handles, as well as my own driving technique. I decided to run in the "novice" group, as I had never driven around PIR, and the car has changed an extreme amount since the last autocross and track days. We ran in 20 minute sessions, and the first 20min session there was no passing allowed. This worked out fine, as I got time to feel how the car responds to the different corners. Prior to this event, I had felt the car oversteered a bit too much, but found that my driving technique largely determined this behavior. As it is currently set up - 200#/in front springs, 21mm 280ZX front anti-sway bar, cut (1/2" shorter uninstalled) 862# Roadster Competition springs that give about 235#/in wheel rate, and no rear bar - it handles very very well. At no time did the car not do something I wanted (well ONE time - but I'll get to that later). I could rotate the car at will, 4-wheel drift it, or let it push. To say I am impressed with how well the car works on the track would be a complete understatement! Experienced drivers would probably think different, but from my skill level and experience the car is balanced to the point where it does whatever I want. The car works well enough that throughout the day I certainly did a lot more passing than moving over to be passed (remember I was in the novice group). This 510 is certainly equal to the (E36) M3's and M-Roadster's on outright power, as even the M-roadster I eventually moved over for never closed the gap on the straights. There have been long discussions on an internet 510 mailing list if the 510 could be made to work as well as an M3. My opinion now is with the VG30DE and some effort in selecting springs rates, suspension settings and tires, you can get it close enough that the driver will be a bigger factor than the car. You'll never get the mix of refinement and performance the M3 has, but from a pure track-day standpoint, you can get a street 510 to work well enough that you can have fun on the track and not have to pull over for every M3 on the track. It was my very first time driving PIR, and I certainly passed more M3's than went around me. The car isn't perfect, but it does work very well. Currently it's biggest weakness is brakes. On the front straight, where I was reaching speeds of well over 120mph, you NEED great brakes to make the 40mph or so turn 1. The ZXT wheels don't have a lot of "air room" to allow really efficient cooling. That and the front rotors, while 1" bigger than stock, are not ventilated. I do have good pads (Porterfield R4S) and high boiling point brake fluid. As an added ego boost, a friend who has his '91 Acura NSX at the track (and rode with me in the 2nd session) said the 510 feels faster in a straight line than his NSX. Probably not the case, but it was nice to get praise like that from an NSX owner! Overall it is a very rewarding and forgiving car to drive. The tail can be easily rotated with complete control and confidence, never snapping around at an unexpected rate. It has no terminal understeer or oversteer tendencies, it can be completely varied by minor driving technique changes. I LOVE it! Next up is a move to the Intermediate group and see how well the 510 and me can hold our own there. |
