SUPERCAR DRIVER E92 M3 HANDLING UPGRADES

When Supercar Driver contacted us recently with a view to upgrading their E92 M3 we were only too happy to lend a hand... The brief was clear, they wanted simple modifications that would allow their M3 to perform better on the various road trips that they offer plus, being as it’s the lead car for these trips, allow it to handle track work alongside the rarer exotica that they often have along with them. Oh… and whatever we did also had to be easily reversible, too.

First, we took the car on track to get a feel for the current setup and to provide a base for comparison, Michelin kindly provided a set of new Pilot Sport 4S tyres, so we thought it only right that we dispatch the old Michelin’s in customary MMR fashion. Safe to say that after a ‘few’ signature drifts and donuts, they’d well and truly waved the white flag!

We really rate Michelin tyres from our own testing, not only due to the strong performance characteristics, but also because they offer great consistency, even when pushing hard or getting the car sideways, you always know where you’re at from lap-to-lap.

With the car back in our workshop the first job was to install a set of lowering springs to help reduce the centre of gravity; not only do these particular Eibach springs transform the handling, they also improve aesthetics no-end.

Whenever you change your ride height or make substantial component changes on your car, it’s essential to reset your geometry back to the OE recommended settings as a worst case, or to at least ensure your tracking is correct. We like to go one step further and optimise the way the car performs by making a few further tweaks, courtesy of Matt from Suspension Secrets.

Matt has extensive suspension knowledge from his background in motorsport and has setup countless cars at track days and even at customers own premises before events to ensure they enjoy a fully geometrically optimised vehicle.

With the new springs, rubber and geometry dialled-in, we headed back out on track to get a feel for what these modest changes had made – but we couldn’t let this M3 go before we fitted a set of our new billet aluminium gear-shift paddles. It’s one of the main key contact points after all plus, apart from looking so much better than the OE paddle, the better design and larger contact area also means it’s even easier to change gear when you’re pushing on!

Sure enough, the subtle tweaks had made a very noticeable difference and it was great to see the reaction of the Supercar Driver team whose faces concurred with our own findings.

For our latest range of E92 M3 upgrades click here, or if you’re after a geometry setup, get in touch via the usual means. If you own a Supercar and want to enjoy it together with a large group of likeminded owners and enthusiasts, be sure to check out the Supercar Driver website.

Pics: Riad Ariane