Calling all benchracers: why is the BMW M4 so much faster?

[Guard5.0]

And just for full disclosure, I've never been faster than 11's in the quarter mile... in 1983, I'm old. Had a 1982 GS1100E with a pipe, different Mikuni's, shocks, etc., standard stuff for the time. A few others got 10's out of these but my fastest was an 11.1 something at a smidge over 120. Kids on 600's now giggle at this. So if history is representative I'm sure my S550 would do 11's and no more. I do wish I had that bike back.

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[socalsnake]

Don't know? Just know the stock S550 is a poor matchup. Mine will stay around 600RWHP and is in no way setup for the drag strip but with a decent launch it should be in the 11's somewhere. So I guess to answer your question by crank HP apparently my 680 or so is equal to BMW's 425. So this has become true bench racing, how do the two cars run similar times given the HP disparity? How much does BMW under rate? Does 103 octane add 200HP? Bench racing is fun:headbonk:
All that being said I love the Bimmer 6cyl.

I think trap speed is more telling of a car's power more than 1/4 mile times. Too many variables in 1/4 mile times - traction, humidity, 60 ft./reaction time.

I'm sure your Roush set up with 600rwhp is capable of mid 120's or more.

 

[Dave2013M3]

FYI on a road course an M is barely faster than a Stang. Ms have DCT and launch control with turbos (much greater low end torque off the line). Those are huge advantages.

The MT car ran a 12.1@120mph as well...

To be frank the lowest dyno I have seen for a F8X (S55) is low 400's out of the box. I think they are severely underrated from the factory.

 

[Dave2013M3]

FYI on a road course an M is barely faster than a Stang. Ms have DCT and launch control with turbos (much greater low end torque off the line). Those are huge advantages.

Thats one track and one test. They are faster by quite a bit even on a road course. For those that don't believe it you are kidding yourselves. The issue for the M3/4 is smoothness with the throttle. The torque hits like a sledge hammer when the turbos spool up.

Also, whats need about the S55 motor it will pull to its 7600rpm redline, a lot of turbo cars loose steam way before redline.

That being said, the Mustang is such a good piece of blank canvas with a good base now with the IRS that you can get supercar performance for so much less money.

Dave

 

[Tm@c1965]

The M4 costs more than GT350's reported MSRP

The M4 is a very nice car (I've driven them) but it is not that much faster than a stock 5.0.

If you add drag radials to a 5.0, and tune, its a drivers race. I know this because I've beaten M4's in my SRT with Drag radials, Catback, CAI & Tune.

I've also won and lost to lightly modded 5.0's with DR's and bolt on mods.

 

[Sasuketr]

A supercharged s550 with wider tires, steeda and eibach handling upgrades would leave the m3 and m4 in the dust, not just the strip but the track as well.

At the end of the day you would still pay a lot less than an m3/m4, and, you would have yourself a track monster.

 

[Chameleon]

11.66 sec @ 119.24 STOCK running 103 octane gas M3

Wow that is impressive.

 

[Jackie Chan]

Michelin pilot sports are awesome street tires for the drag strip, I've pulled high 1.8s on them and I had buddy cut high 1.7s on them and consistent low 1.8s. Looks like the m3 is on them in the gold cars vid

 

[socalsnake]

A supercharged s550 with wider tires, steeda and eibach handling upgrades would leave the m3 and m4 in the dust, not just the strip but the track as well.

At the end of the day you would still pay a lot less than an m3/m4, and, you would have yourself a track monster.

True. But again, your talking heavily modded car vs stock car. What heavily modded car wouldn't take out its stock competition???

But, driving the current M4 is sublime. Have you ever taken one out? It will change your mind. Unfortunately, no amount of mods will make an S550 drive like an M...I know it sounds cliche, but it is true.

BTW, M4 with tune, down pipe, an Pure Turbo upgrades would take down that supercharged S550 at the track or 1320.

 

[socalsnake]

A supercharged s550 with wider tires, steeda and eibach handling upgrades would leave the m3 and m4 in the dust, not just the strip but the track as well.

At the end of the day you would still pay a lot less than an m3/m4, and, you would have yourself a track monster.

Kinda funny how many of you guys are so biased toward the S550. Its great to love your car, but the M4 is faster in stock form and is much easier to mod for more horsepower at a lower cost...you're alread starting with a boosted platform with a lighter weight and with a transmission that is light years ahead. You can't dispute those facts.

I don't think I'm biased either way...I experience both cars almost everyday and like them both alot.

 

[Grimace427]

I think trap speed is more telling of a car's power more than 1/4 mile times. Too many variables in 1/4 mile times - traction, humidity, 60 ft./reaction time.

Humidity, like temperature, will affect trap speeds more than ET. Reaction time has no effect on either.

 

[Jackie Chan]

Humidity, like temperature, will affect trap speeds more than ET. Reaction time has no effect on either.

I'm sure he meant reaction time in an untimed race...where getting the hit makes a pretty big difference.

 

[Barrel]

...the M4 is faster in stock form and is much easier to mod for more horsepower at a lower cost...

I'm sure the repair bill for breaking that pretty DCT or that TT6 will be way cheaper than a built Coyote.

 

[eleanor5oh]

Kinda funny how many of you guys are so biased toward the S550. Its great to love your car, but the M4 is faster in stock form and is much easier to mod for more horsepower at a lower cost...you're alread starting with a boosted platform with a lighter weight and with a transmission that is light years ahead. You can't dispute those facts.

I don't think I'm biased either way...I experience both cars almost everyday and like them both alot.

There's a resounding problem with confirmation bias online where people have to constantly reaffirm themselves that the purchase decision they made is the best one possible, and so as a result they have to put down all other possible choices. It's not just here but you'll come across it reading about pretty much any product ever made that has internet discussion.

I've learned to ignore those people for the most part as they are not contributing to the thread. Obviously X car costs less than X car and thus you can spend X amount of more money modifying it.

Thanks to everyone that brought up the great points I hadn't considered. As someone that wants to buy a new mustang though, it does still annoy me that the M3/M4 has such an advantage everywhere. The M3's made throughout the 00-09 era were 12.9-13.5 cars in the quarter depending on year. The mustang was always right there with it, and sometimes faster. We have this brand new mustang GT that is the best thing Ford has made yet, and it's lagging by almost a second on the quarter mile. Strange times. The germans have really got their shit together though.

 

[socalsnake]

There's a resounding problem with confirmation bias online where people have to constantly reaffirm themselves that the purchase decision they made is the best one possible, and so as a result they have to put down all other possible choices. It's not just here but you'll come across it reading about pretty much any product ever made that has internet discussion.

I've learned to ignore those people for the most part as they are not contributing to the thread. Obviously X car costs less than X car and thus you can spend X amount of more money modifying it.

Thanks to everyone that brought up the great points I hadn't considered. As someone that wants to buy a new mustang though, it does still annoy me that the M3/M4 has such an advantage everywhere. The M3's made throughout the 00-09 era were 12.9-13.5 cars in the quarter depending on year. The mustang was always right there with it, and sometimes faster. We have this brand new mustang GT that is the best thing Ford has made yet, and it's lagging by almost a second on the quarter mile. Strange times. The germans have really got their shit together though.

Your point is well taken. Ford has an answer in the GT350 and from all preliminary indications, it should perform well and be competitive with the M products. And who knows what Ford has planned for the GT500...that's got me excited.

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