M Coupe: 1999 vs. 2002

TD said:

You're looking at the Euro E36 M3 motors. The US-spec S52 is the 240hp 3.2L engine that was in the US-bound 96-99 M3s (including mine). It has not as much HP as the Euro version but it has lots of torque, especially down low. So, compared to the Euro motor, the only place it really falls short is at the top end (where HP truly matters). And in the US, top end is far less relevent than accelleration (which is largely a factor of torque).

And I ran with one of those 240HP M Coupes on the track this weekend and that car is DAMN fast. The weight advantage is huge over my sedan, at least down the main straight where he'd just pull away.

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So how was it TD?!! I've been waiting for a report..
I was there Saturday afternoon, around 3-3:30. I was hoping to run into Hunter or Lil Raja...but no such luck. Maybe then were there in the morning half... :dunno:
Boy it looked like a ton of fun!! You have a black 2-dr, right? If the one I saw was you...man your M3 sounds awesome! Did you do anything to your exhaust or is it stock? For some reason it sounded different than the other M3's on the track...better. Oh and that M5 exhaust music gave me goosebumps! Nice...deep gurgle...
I liked the fact that there was a 323/325 too!! Oh and that old e30 M3 was nice too! I gotta do it next time....

TD said:

Really! You came out? Hunter (CD-55) was there from ~10-11am until about 5pm. He took all of the pics I have of me on the track.

And, no, I had the only M3 SEDAN out there on Sautrday. There were 4 or 5 BLACK E36 M3 coupes. And about 5 or 6 E30 M3s of various colors. No exhaust mods on mine either. Obviously, you were watching one of the coupes, although I'd have a hard time guessing which one. Depending on which run group, it might have been a damn fast one too. Those A group students know their sh*t.

(I was also surprised at the fact that there were 3 E39 M5s out there being driven VERY VERY hard.)

In my run group (the novice C group) there were 2 black E36 M3s, two other E36 M3s, one E30 M3, one E46 non-SP 328i (with non-step auto tranny), one non-SP 330i, one 240hp M Coupe, one E30 325e and one E30 318is.

The only wreck of the weekend was the E30 M3 in my run group who lost it in the heavy rain on Sunday coming out of turn 2. He impacted the inside berm with his right front corner. We're all guessing $2-3K of damage. He was an especially nice guy, so we all felt bad that it happened to him. As we're all novices in that run group, we all realized that it could have just as easily been one of us.

You haven't lived until you've driven through twisties over uneven, oily pavement, with both front windows down at really high speeds in the pouring rain. THAT was my Sunday. And those pics are still on the camera (too tired to offload them last night).

Here are the only two pics from Saturday that I uploaded to webspace-

I'll upload and post more pics and do a long write-up later this week when I get more time.

Too bad I missed you on Saturday. I never saw Lil Raja either (although, as I've never met him, I wouldn't know him if I saw him).

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oh ya doh...don't know how I forgot you have a sedan! Lucky you!! Don't know how I missed Hunter...I was looking for his car (silver 330ci, right?) but didn't see it. I saw a e36 and a M e30 parked lil after the entrance. And a nice silver e46 M3 near the second lookout tower (not sure what they're called...) I did see people on the towers...maybe he was on one of them.

Actuallu, I must have watched some other group, because there was a light blue (not sure what the actual color is...) M5 in the group. And an older 911, and a 928 I think, along with other e36 M3's, 330ci, etc.. so where were you guys when the other groups were on the track?

Oh and nice pics!! :thumb: