[P1]

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Just like the two previous years, attended the M Track Day at COTA with Violator.

If I make one comment, it's that the M5 doesn't belong on the track. Too heavy, too big, too squirrelly. Really missed having the M3 Comp with all the M Performance goodies on it like they had years previous.

In any regard, enjoy the photos!

[Grip Addict]

Thanks for sharing

[8500RPM]

Is it true the cost is over 1K? If so I'd rather do Porsche experience for cheaper.

[Grip Addict]

Originally Posted by 8500RPM

Is it true the cost is over 1K? If so I'd rather do Porsche experience for cheaper.

Half day is $495, full day is $995

The price has gone up and up, but there is no other brand that does this for this price.

[MmmmmM2]

Great pics. Thanks!

[rickc007]

Man, gotta say, can't believe I'm reading this.
My partner and I both liked the M5 much better.
Couldn't believe how "planted" it fealt, much more power.

The M4 had us leaning a bit more.

Also like the M3 Competition from the previous years more than the M4

Originally Posted by P1et

Just like the two previous years, attended the M Track Day at COTA with Violator.

If I make one comment, it's that the M5 doesn't belong on the track. Too heavy, too big, too squirrelly. Really missed having the M3 Comp with all the M Performance goodies on it like they had years previous.

[SakhirM4]

Great pics!! Caught a very good friend in one of them (guy in the middle).

[P1]

Originally Posted by rickc007

Man, gotta say, can't believe I'm reading this.
My partner and I both liked the M5 much better.
Couldn't believe how "planted" it fealt, much more power.

The M4 had us leaning a bit more.

Also like the M3 Competition from the previous years more than the M4

My group, including the instructor all felt the M5 didn't belong on COTA. It's certainly has plenty of get up and go, but once the corners came, it felt large and heavy tackling those. Brakes were disappointing. You could tell if you were following an M5 coming in for a hard stop; rear end got very squirrelly. The instructor actually warned us of this: get the M5 as straight as possible before braking.

This one, from to two years ago, was my favorite:

[Mosely]

Originally Posted by P1et

My group, including the instructor all felt the M5 didn't belong on COTA. It's certainly has plenty of get up and go, but once the corners came, it felt large and heavy tackling those. Brakes were disappointing. You could tell if you were following an M5 coming in for a hard stop; rear end got very squirrelly. The instructor actually warned us of this: get the M5 as straight as possible before braking.

This one, from to two years ago, was my favorite:

Agree 100%! The M5 really showed its weight on the track especially coming from the M4 immediately before hand. Also agree that it danced around quite a bit under heavy braking although I did get into the ABS a few times. I was surprised (pleasantly) at how nicely the back end rotated out of some of the slower corners even in 4WD mode with DCS in traction, had to catch the slide a few times. It's a big car though, and very few are buying it to set fast times on the track, so I think it does what it's designed for on the street very well.

[CP911]

Looked like great fun! Thanks for sharing all the sweet pics. I do wonder how a M5 Comp with carbon ceramic brakes would have fared on track compared to the M5 you guys drove.

[clee1982]

You guys are talking about M5 or M5 Comp?

[SanchoDivine]

Here was the track line up for the full day (M2C, M4C, M5C):

[uniqueMR]

Bravo. Thanks for sharing.
Love the variety and colors

[Mrgunfun]

I also felt that M5 was kinda heavy and drove like a boat when doing the M Town Tour event.
Someone actually said it felt better than the M2C, curious who that was lol

[M3BeamerVroom]

Ugh I did not get the email about this like previous year! Attended in 2017 when it was only $250 for the half day.

[Happy Motoring]

Nice pics! Did you feel the price increase was worth it? Will you be going next year?

[rickc007]

I did not, and no to next year at the same price.

Though I had a blast.
Loved it at $295

Originally Posted by Happy Motoring

Nice pics! Did you feel the price increase was worth it? Will you be going next year?

[OG Shark]

After a 1/2 day still walked away feeling like the OG M2 has a slight edge on the track for me out of that particular group - from a purely enjoyment perspective. Just a really fun car to throw around in stock trim. The others obviously aren't too shabby and would out run the M2 on the full track at COTA. For what we got to do though I enjoyed the OG M2 just a hair more than the others - even though I only got a total of 42 seconds of seat time in it. Not much of an autocross guy either.

Keeping my eyes peeled for the new programs they mentioned were coming later this year too. Driving their racing program cars and also a race license school - both at Thermal. Definitely going to be in on the their racing lineup & would have been interested in the license school if it had come along earlier.

Originally Posted by clee1982

You guys are talking about M5 or M5 Comp?

The 1/2 day had the base M5 - looks like the full day was the comp. I think there was only one full day offered and the rest of us were in the 1/2 day sessions.

Originally Posted by P1et

My group, including the instructor all felt the M5 didn't belong on COTA. It's certainly has plenty of get up and go, but once the corners came, it felt large and heavy tackling those. Brakes were disappointing. You could tell if you were following an M5 coming in for a hard stop; rear end got very squirrelly. The instructor actually warned us of this: get the M5 as straight as possible before braking.



This one, from to two years ago, was my favorite:

I agree the base M5 does feel fairly large & heavy at COTA - but I think the lines they were running didn't do it any favors either. I think if we were allowed to run a better line a decent amount of that would have negated. Certainly not going to overcome physics but would have really liked to see what it could do with proper pace & line. I got my hand slapped for not following the instructors line exactly in the M4 - so didn't press my luck in the M5... Would also really like to wring the M5 comp out a bit for a few laps - have a feeling that it would show itself very respectfully out there. If temps stay under control... which I'm not sold on...

[PARTS@STBMW]

Super jealous! Thank you for sharing.

[millerrh]

Was there the final day. I've never done anything like this before, was pretty amazing. Thanks for sharing the pics!

[RPI-M5]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

After a 1/2 day still walked away feeling like the OG M2 has a slight edge on the track for me out of that particular group - from a purely enjoyment perspective. Just a really fun car to throw around in stock trim. The others obviously aren't too shabby and would out run the M2 on the full track at COTA. For what we got to do though I enjoyed the OG M2 just a hair more than the others - even though I only got a total of 42 seconds of seat time in it. Not much of an autocross guy either.

Keeping my eyes peeled for the new programs they mentioned were coming later this year too. Driving their racing program cars and also a race license school - both at Thermal. Definitely going to be in on the their racing lineup & would have been interested in the license school if it had come along earlier.

The 1/2 day had the base M5 - looks like the full day was the comp. I think there was only one full day offered and the rest of us were in the 1/2 day sessions.

I agree the base M5 does feel fairly large & heavy at COTA - but I think the lines they were running didn't do it any favors either. I think if we were allowed to run a better line a decent amount of that would have negated. Certainly not going to overcome physics but would have really liked to see what it could do with proper pace & line. I got my hand slapped for not following the instructors line exactly in the M4 - so didn't press my luck in the M5... Would also really like to wring the M5 comp out a bit for a few laps - have a feeling that it would show itself very respectfully out there. If temps stay under control... which I'm not sold on...

^^this. I instructed HPDEs for a bit and you cannot run the same line with every car. I used to run a heavily modded RX-8 back in the day (moderate power, low torque) and would instruct other with similar cars (MX5, Eclipses etc) to carry more momentum through corners, brake later, and roll throttle earlier. very different than folks running mustangs, M5s, and heavier cars

[P1]

Originally Posted by Happy Motoring

Nice pics! Did you feel the price increase was worth it? Will you be going next year?

This was my third time, and I feel like each time it's a bit less "special". Doubling the price didn't help, and I feel like the caliber of vehicles are decreasing, the instructors are a bit more strict and the entire event just felt rushed.

So unless the event drastically changes next year, this will be my last time attending.