Quote:
Originally Posted by djhartm69
Finally got her on track while instructing for Tarheel BMW last weekend on the full course... The car exceeded my expectations and proved a complete hoot to drive... I did change the brake fluid to SRF & was running the Race Chip GTS in mode 7 with no issues. Car was stock otherwise. The car handled fabulously, and I wasn't at its limits but had an immense smile on my face... Body roll was minimal & transitions were quick & precise. I could enter the upper esses easily in the mid 120's, and hit 145 on the back straight, and upper 130's on the front straight... I had to remind myself that I was in a 4600 lb SUV and not in the Z06!
In the last session on Sunday, I switched DSC off and got into M Sport AWD. That doesn't shut off all the nannies, but shifts the drive power to the rear and allows for some slip angle. That made a huge difference! I could rocket out of T1 & Oak Tree and drift the rear, and the car had no issues going over FIA curbing. With more seat time, this would be a total hoonigan on the track.
While the X3 MC isn't as fast around VIR as my Type-R was, or my C7 Z06 is, it exceeded my expectations immensely. It never ran hot (though it was in the low 60's), never hiccupped, and shredded everything in the D run group.
I got a TON of compliments from other drivers and instructors. If you have one of these, you owe it to yourself to get it on track.  |
Great read - thanks for sharing. M Design's team did a great job with this model for sure.