Ok not really a question or information but thought this was the perfect place to give everyone a laugh.

I had a guy on another forum swear up and down that no matter how set up for handling a Mini was a "10 year old M3 with coilovers would own it" because a Mini was "a cute little around town car not a performance car like the M3". I pointed out the fact an M3 is just a family car with a bigger motor with a 500 pound weight surplus, and a 9 inch longer wheelbase and said that power oversteer was not actually a handling characteristic. Then added "explain those physics to me".

I never did get a response.

 

I did a driving school at Infineon and it was just me and a guy in an E46 M3, each with our own instructor. He had driven the track before (I hadn't) and was a little quicker for the first couple of sessions, but I was walking away from him the last few. Later M3s are bloated luxo-pigs. Minis rule!

 

yep if it was an E30 M3 that would be different

 

M3s. e46, e36, e30.. all are great great driving machines.. and is very capable of handing mini its **** under talented hands. However MINIs do hold its own when there are alot of tight corners...

O and M3s aren't just a 3 series sedan/coupe with weight reduction and more power.. you should know that...

 

Sears is a very tricky track to master. Horsepower doesnt really make as much difference as behind the wheel practice. Big horse power can just get you into trouble faster.
I have been around there doing 1:50's with a chicane but on a bike.

 

Tell him to have a peek here:
http://www.madnessequipped.com/video/MM4.wmv
http://www.madnessequipped.com/video/MM2.wmv

If a Mini can do that to a P-Car, then what do you think would happen to the M-Car?

 

Damn thats one really loose mini. Coming from a rwd background is being that loose (stiff rear bar) really necessary for fast laps?

 

That's rediculous. The in car Porsche cam made me think of this:

A few minutes before when the Mustang pops up in the Charger's mirror...

 

Great vids, thanks for posting.

 

lol I like the M3 with a massive wing to make downforce For a while I was thinking it was a mustang. So yes an M3 is entirely capable of beating a Mini on track. but something tells me without the wing it would not have been out front the whole time.

 

I've driven an e36 and my JCW back to back at Lime Rock a few times. My take is that the Mini's limits are more accessible to most, but that the E36 M3 was much more natural feeling. Lap times were very similar - consistent 105s/106s. The E36 M3 and a 2005 or later JCW - better gearing - are about neck and neck down the stright at Lime Rock - given equal opportunity to nail the last turn. But an E46 in capable hands...the Mini looses even on this short straight.

These just happen to be two cars have I have experience in. The E36 I drive on occasion and the E46 is driven by a friend. The best experience was at an Open Event at LRP. So, we all pushed these cars very hard. We ran in between the NASA races. The E46 was hauling butt! And at the Glen...the Mini fairs worse.

...a good driver can cure a lot of things...

 

that is the truth

 

So can a bad driver for that matter.

(lol @ benchracing )

 

It is amazing what some cars are capable of, in the hands of a professional driver. A Pro Race Driver is the ultimate mod.

 

Very nice vids. These cars are amazing that they can keep up with bigger and stronger Porsches and the M3s.

One thing though, did the Mini seem like it was doing fish tail on the corners more often than not?

To me it seemed as if the tail end kept sliding out during hard cornering.

 

It was.