[M2 CSL]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Class: LL2
Lap time: 3:01.9
Base price: $52,695
As-tested price: $54,495
365 hp • 3455 lb • 9.5 lb/hp
Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sport
F: 245/35ZR-19 (93Y), R: 265/35ZR-19 (98Y)

Here’s a fact: 16 of the 18 street cars at this year’s Lightning Lap went quickest in the cool morning air of Day Three. By then, every driver was accustomed to their cars’ nuances, and every car that was getting new tires had them fitted in anticipation of the favorable conditions on the final day.

BMW’s M2 was not among them. As a testament to its heat tolerance and communicative chassis, it went quickest on used tires during the afternoon of Day Two. Stubbornly durable Michelin Pilot Super Sports yielded consistent hot-weather laps within tenths of a second of each other, despite the less-than-ideal conditions. The M2’s giant-killer attitude shined in sector two’s Climbing Esses where its average speed is higher than the Audi R8’s. And in the fast transitions of sector four, it equals the mid-engined Audi’s time. The mil-spec precision of the M2’s steering, brakes, and shifter provides a trustworthy foundation for purposeful driving, contributing hugely to driver confidence.

If Ford’s Focus RS is the antithesis of convention, then the M2 is the dictionary definition of it—at least when it comes to rear-drive dynamics. Linear, responsive, honest, intuitive, and predictable, it’s a performance coupe that does what it’s told. The M2 lacks the pretense that accompanies so many modern cars. Behind its thoroughly of-the-moment control feel and responses lies the uninhibited sincerity of a 30-year-old sports car.

Never upset by curbing and always easily placed, the M2 offers the ease of driving that beginners need without compromising the speed and ability experts appreciate. There’s enough power to find almost 140 mph on the front straight and sufficient balance to encourage early throttle openings at every corner exit. Its nose obediently follows commands from the thick-rimmed wheel, and when the slide comes, the M2 has already notified you of its arrival. Switch the stability control off and trust its predictable feedback. If it bites you, you probably deserve to be bitten.

Source: http://www.caranddriver.com/features...p-2016-feature

[paradoxical3]

Who is this dude driving? Shuffle steering, late throttle application, etc? Hands not even in 9 and 3 position most of the time. I figured C&D would have had a racer drive the cars to get real lap times, this pretty much invalidates them all.

[zenmaster]

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...p-2016-feature

[paradoxical3]

Originally Posted by zenmaster

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...p-2016-feature

"Here’s a fact: 16 of the 18 street cars at this year’s Lightning Lap went quickest in the cool morning air of Day Three. By then, every driver was accustomed to their cars’ nuances, and every car that was getting new tires had them fitted in anticipation of the favorable conditions on the final day.

BMW’s M2 was not among them. As a testament to its heat tolerance and communicative chassis, it went quickest on used tires during the afternoon of Day Two. Stubbornly durable Michelin Pilot Super Sports yielded consistent hot-weather laps within tenths of a second of each other, despite the less-than-ideal conditions. "

LOL! How slow are these guys that Michelin PSS tires are not getting greasy?

[Car22]

I like the plastic water bottle in the cup holder. Just in case you get a moment on the straight to quench your thirst.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

LOL! How slow are these guys that Michelin PSS tires are not getting greasy?

I've had the same experience on my M3 PSS as C&D. Keep the pressures down and they are very consistent. Anything over 36-37 hot and they'll get slippery. If you don't drop a couple psi from your street pressures you'll definitely be overheating them. I'm not the absolute fastest guy out there, but I'm very far from slow.

I'm pretty sure BMW developed this tire for longevity and consistency at the track at the expense of ultimate grip. Even high level racing is about managing your brakes and tires . . . you have to know how to do that even at this level if you want to get the most out of your car.

Also, I know professional instructors who instruct professionals who teach shuffle steering. It's not my preferred method, but there are many people who swear by it.

[noro]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

Who is this dude driving? Shuffle steering, late throttle application, etc? Hands not even in 9 and 3 position most of the time. I figured C&D would have had a racer drive the cars to get real lap times, this pretty much invalidates them all.

I WAS JUST THINKING THAT!!! How are these people considered "good" drivers!. If this chap was my student I would be slapping his wrists pretty much at every freakin' turn!

[amw896]

Decent. Look at the time on that GT350 thou!!

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Car22

I like the plastic water bottle in the cup holder. Just in case you get a moment on the straight to quench your thirst.

LOL. Totally.

[hoyasaxa]

Every time I see stuff like this it makes me excited for my M2. It makes you forget about the M240i. Sigh. I don't know.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

Who is this dude driving? Shuffle steering, late throttle application, etc? Hands not even in 9 and 3 position most of the time. I figured C&D would have had a racer drive the cars to get real lap times, this pretty much invalidates them all.

Not trying to be rude, but we are sitting in front of a PC/laptop/ iPad watching this video, and HE is driving the damn thing.

He is cautious and I understand...

On paper/internet we 'all' are faster than 'that guy'...

Cheers
Robin

[SeanWRT]

What a shame! They should've tested a DCT instead when it's all about bringing out the best lap time.

With a 3-min circuit with so many long straights like this, it won't surprise me at all if DCT turns out 2-3 secs quicker than manual.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by SeanWRT

What a shame! They should've tested a DCT instead when it's all about bringing out the best lap time.

With a 3-min circuit with so many long straights like this, it won't surprise me at all if DCT turns out 2-3 secs quicker than manual.

Or 2 seconds slower due to gearing...

Just because it's faster from 0-62.....

[LDSM]

His shuffle steering really irks me, it may work just as well as sticking to 9 & 3, but it looks so messy and out of control

[IS+1]

Originally Posted by Racer20

I've had the same experience on my M3 PSS as C&D. Keep the pressures down and they are very consistent. Anything over 36-37 hot and they'll get slippery. If you don't drop a couple psi from your street pressures you'll definitely be overheating them. I'm not the absolute fastest guy out there, but I'm very far from slow.

I'm pretty sure BMW developed this tire for longevity and consistency at the track at the expense of ultimate grip. Even high level racing is about managing your brakes and tires . . . you have to know how to do that even at this level if you want to get the most out of your car.

Also, I know professional instructors who instruct professionals who teach shuffle steering. It's not my preferred method, but there are many people who swear by it.

Agreed, PSS's get very greasy on the track once their hot pressures approach 40 psi. Running cold street pressures is just asking for trouble. Honestly, I don't find that the PSS is a very good track tire, especially on cars that don't have enough negative camber. The last couple sets of PSS's I used had major chunking at the shoulders, and since I've switched to Star Specs I have not had that issue.

[justinco]

Originally Posted by LDSM

His shuffle steering really irks me, it may work just as well as sticking to 9 & 3, but it looks so messy and out of control

I didn't think I would notice, or care, but it irked me too. Why is he shuffling his hands when steering through the esses? There is barely any wheel input needed, just stay at 9 & 3...

Guess everyone has their own style.

[rjn]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Or 2 seconds slower due to gearing...

Just because it's faster from 0-62.....

0-62 is one shift, and around a 250 mS advantage
250mS per shift on a 3 mile course with elevation means lots of shifts...
Betting it wouldn't be slower.

Shortly I will have data to see if that analysis is right
Build week 38

[paradoxical3]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

Not trying to be rude, but we are sitting in front of a PC/laptop/ iPad watching this video, and HE is driving the damn thing.

He is cautious and I understand...

On paper/internet we 'all' are faster than 'that guy'...

Cheers
Robin

It's not difficult to be faster than that guy, there are many of us on these forums that are.

I've had the same experience on my M3 PSS as C&D. Keep the pressures down and they are very consistent. Anything over 36-37 hot and they'll get slippery. If you don't drop a couple psi from your street pressures you'll definitely be overheating them. I'm not the absolute fastest guy out there, but I'm very far from slow.

I will caveat this by saying I have not tracked on the M2 specific variant of the PSS, and I acknowledge there may be a compound difference. But the normal PSS tires will chunk and delaminate if driven past the intermediate level unless you alternate hot laps with a couple of cool down laps. They absolutely can't run 30min sessions driven by an advanced driver without falling off and getting greasy.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by paradoxical3

I actually am faster than that guy, as are many of us on the forum that actually track our cars.

I track my cars too, no worries.
But that doesn't mean I'm faster than xxx guy.
I probably am faster than you but anyway.

*pissing contest*

Cheers
Robin

[paradoxical3]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

I track my cars too, no worries.
But that doesn't mean I'm faster than xxx guy.
I probably am faster than you but anyway.

*pissing contest*

Cheers
Robin

If you are faster than me than you are a ton faster than this lightning lap guy!

[Robin_NL]

I said probably.

Cheers
Robin

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by rjn

0-62 is one shift, and around a 250 mS advantage
250mS per shift on a 3 mile course with elevation means lots of shifts...
Betting it wouldn't be slower.

Shortly I will have data to see if that analysis is right
Build week 38

Yes. And when your car comes out of a corner and it's in the wrong gear, then a shift is needed , versus a car in the correct gear that doesn't need to shift.