[Eriphill]

Not sure if this has been posted before, but was watching a Motor Trend video and they tracked a 1990 E30 wagon versus a 340i. Skip to 11:30

[KGB_123_99]

Interesting...and kind of sad at the same time. I was expecting the 340i to cream the E30 with double the horsepower but this is totally unexpected.

[AGONXF30]

I miss my E30..... I will always love that M20B27 with the 25 head on it. One day I will find me another one that has not been eaten by rust!

[440xiGCMsport]

Got to say it but tires played a huge role in this. Look at the tires on the wagon and the 340i was most likely on damn runflats. The extra weight on todays cars doesn't help but I think they should have put some Michelin PSS on and see what happens.

[Eriphill]

Originally Posted by 435xiGCMsport

Got to say it but tires played a huge role in this. Look at the tires on the wagon and the 340i was most likely on damn runflats. The extra weight on todays cars doesn't help but I think they should have put some Michelin PSS on and see what happens.

I can't disagree with you. It rained today and the run flats were by far the worst performing wet tires I've come across in a while. Complete garbage.

[89alpinem3]

Sweet!!!!!! Btw the E30 is on 16" style 5's and not sure but dosent the track package have PSS's?

[Eriphill]

Originally Posted by 89alpinem3

Sweet!!!!!! Btw the E30 is on 16" style 5's and not sure but dosent the track package have PSS's?

When the camera panned past the tires I saw Potenza so Bridgestone I believe. Not sure if those are run flats or not?

[89alpinem3]

Yup your right... There S001 run flats

[eluded]

Another great story. It's times like this I wish my unicorn was still alive so i could go out for a ride.

[Y0tsuya]

340i with THP can be optioned with non-RFT tires. Don't know what they'll put on it (picking one up in July) but my M235i came with Pilot SS which I quite like.

[NightWriter]

Originally Posted by 89alpinem3

Sweet!!!!!! Btw the E30 is on 16" style 5's and not sure but dosent the track package have PSS's?

Only with the 18" 398 wheels; if you upgrade to one of the 19" options (as is the case with this one in the video), you lose the PSS.

[Beek]

Yeah they really should try this again but with PSS on 18" wheels.

[goj]

Reinforcing the fact that the best mod is replacing the bricks that are Bridgestone S001s

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by KGB_123_99

Interesting...and kind of sad at the same time. I was expecting the 340i to cream the E30 with double the horsepower but this is totally unexpected.

The E30 is far from stock.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by Y0tsuya

340i with THP can be optioned with non-RFT tires.

+1. A variation on the test would be to have both cars go across spike strips at the midpoint of the course and see which gets the better time to the finish line. If you want the best performance then of course you don't want RFTs. But that doesn't mean that they don't have their advantages.

[bri1042]

I watched the video this morning, and it was a fun watch. Another thing you can take from the video, is that BMW has actually done a great job of adding all the required or expected modern features of the auto industry (including increased vehicle size, which is appreciated more by some than others, crumple zones, reinforcements, bigger wheels, all the electronics, heated seats, leather, air bags, actual trunk space, etc...) and is still producing cars that can keep up with or beat light-weight, stripped-down (by modern standards) sport sedans that have been heavily modified from yesteryear on the track.

That being said, I agree with the tire comments...no way that car would have done that well on any tires that it would have come with from the factory. He also would have had to at least put a stage 1 tune on the B58 to make the comparison even remotely fair considering what he did to the engine.

I'd like to see this done with other makers' cars and see if they've kept up or not, and stock vs. stock this time.

[AGONXF30]

Originally Posted by bri1042

I watched the video this morning, and it was a fun watch. Another thing you can take from the video, is that BMW has actually done a great job of adding all the required or expected modern features of the auto industry (including increased vehicle size, which is appreciated more by some than others, crumple zones, reinforcements, bigger wheels, all the electronics, heated seats, leather, air bags, actual trunk space, etc...) and is still producing cars that can keep up with or beat light-weight, stripped-down (by modern standards) sport sedans that have been heavily modified from yesteryear on the track.

That being said, I agree with the tire comments...no way that car would have done that well on any tires that it would have come with from the factory. He also would have had to at least put a stage 1 tune on the B58 to make the comparison even remotely fair considering what he did to the engine.

I'd like to see this done with other makers' cars and see if they've kept up or not, and stock vs. stock this time.

That E30 is not heavily modified, but I can see where you are coming from changing bottom ends can be considered a heavy mod!

[Vegetable]

Originally Posted by KGB_123_99

Interesting...and kind of sad at the same time. I was expecting the 340i to cream the E30 with double the horsepower but this is totally unexpected.

If it were to cream the e30 there would be no story. Marketing for internet hits wins! That said, I would kill for an e30 wagon.

[nicknaz]

Toyo rr are r comps, bridgestone s001 are commuter tires. It makes a huge difference, as do suspension mods

[Meeni]

Yeah, the Potenza tires are not bad, but that's not an R-spec tire... Still an entertaining video, especially the rally school !