Originally Posted by Peter J
Originally Posted by MDS61
Originally Posted by Peter J


But for the Aero Plus 8 owners, the Plus Six offers little real benefit.


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Hi Peter,

Not being brutal but honest here (same applies to my Roadster - which is a further step behind your Aero Plus 8) BUT driven in anger on a challenging road you would not see which way the PlusSix went!

The handling and ride and far more compliant and it will of course be better on fuel and the PlusSix has more room and will therefore be less tiring to drive over distances.

As I say - this is progress (and yes I must agree with you...the V8 rumble will NEVER be beaten) but on every other front the PlusSix is much superior...

Of course this is only my opinion rtm


Mark,

the standard Plus 8 suspension isn't perfect, with a little help from SSL and Peter Ballard it is significantly improved. But you are right, someone like Henry Williams in a Plus Six would blast himself in the Plus 8 into the weeds.
BUT...most of us are not in Henry's league. For the average driver, and I class myself as a bit above average in anticipation and reaction time but well below average in bravery, the Plus 8 is preferable.

Why?
The Plus Six, like all modern Turbo engines, delivers maximum torque low low down the rev range. The Plus 8 needs to be well wound up to deliver maxim toque. In our 2 AMGs the various traction/stability devices make it reasonably difficult to get the things to bite. I've tried a C43 on the Mercedes World circuit and even with the traction control "off" the 4 WD makes it impossible to spin. It just under steers.....
The Plus 8 has a LSD, which is good and bad, but in the real world, coupled with a fairly lazy auto box and torque that rises steadily, makes it controllable. My experience with the engine used in the Plus Six, in a BMW M140i, with sophisticated traction control but no LSD, was that the car would bite it too much boot is applied too soon. I talked to Birds BMW Tuning Centre and they strongly advised a Quaife LSD. I'd be very interested to know what they would make of the Plus Six.

So, the Plus Six is, in the right hands, going to be VERY quick. But in the wrong hands it could behave rather wilfully.



I agree with all your points above Peter.

I went on a BMW track day last year. The M4 I drove in 100% anger for 15 or so laps (5 with an instructor on board) and 10 on my own, told me a lot about Turbo engines!

The instructor - made it very clear, keep the engine above 4k - that way the low down grunt is removed and you will not spin the thing, so once up to speed (literally!) - you revved them out and pulled another gear.

In the afternoon in a BMW M140i (same engine and gearbox as the PlusSix) I personally felt much more at home - even on a track a BMW M4 is really really fast - but now using what we had learnt in the morning the six cylinder M140i was enjoyed by everyone in our group and I could ring the car's neck. In other words I was in tune with the car.

I therefore think that - if a PlusSix is abused and spins on the road it will be at lower speeds - where the engine is below 3k and the turbo will deliver the low down grunt (which makes these turbo engined cars feel so fast).

So the answer is: rev the nuts off a PlusSix in a lower gear....and you will stay on the tarmac (if wanting to go quick - that is!!) woohoo

Honesty means doing it right, even when no one is looking!

2004 Roadster S1 3.0 V6 gone!

Mark