BMW M3 CSL 03: Praiano's Tunes v The Hill v Top Performance Tuning
Classification: GBRC Clubman Class A, 404bhp/1250kg/Aero allowed/Sports Medium tyres
The specs come in at around 525pp and my first thought was the Honda NSX Type R 02. The Lotus Evora has already been banned to avoid the race series becoming a single car event and the NSX looks like going the same way. I've seen a lot of love for BMW in this class and picked out three tunes for the M3 CSL 03 built on sports tyres.
Tested: My Lounge at Trial Mountain (5 laps)
Tyres: Sports Hard
Room settings: Real Grip/Tyre wear ON
My used CSL has been to GT Auto and the tuning shop for the following modifications:
Engine rebuild
Chassis restoration
Oil change
Stage 3 engine tuning
ECU
All available weight reduction
All drivetrain parts taking most expensive options
Power limited and ballast added to meet Clubman specs, the tunes were tested with the same FC transmission settings, default max speed and final drive with individual gears evenly spaced. Then each tuner's suspension, LSD and brake settings were applied.
ABS 1, Driving Line ON, all other aids OFF and using a wheel.
PRAIANO's TUNES (praiano63)
This must be the most productive tuning garage in GT5 and one of the most respected. Praiano published a 500pp tune to Touge specs for this car which should be well suited to Trial Mountain.
The Tune:
R -17/-7
S 14.3/13.3
Ext 7/8
Com 6/7
ARB 1/2
Cam 2.0/2.2
Toe -0.05/0.15
LSD 8/16/7
Brakes 7/4
I quickly applied the settings and charged into the outlap on cold tyres. Bowling up the hill at the end of the straight and into Turn 3, I was wary that the rear might be slippy until the tyres heated up, but totally shocked when I oversteered into the wall at about 95mph. This couldn't be right, I've seen a couple of touge battle videos and those drivers don't mind a little drift. I continued on, braking early for a pretty safe ride with consistent lap times around 1:37 getting under once, by a few hundreths.
I couldn't believe praiano would publish an understeery tune, not on a BMW anyway and took another look at the settings.
Important Note: This tune has ballast added for 48%/52% weight distribution
My stupid mistake rectified, I came back to the tune after trying the other two and discovered a transformed car. Agile and willing to turn, it shaved half a second off its previous best by the second lap and managed a best lap of 1.36.363 without feeling it had been driven hard.
Very stable through the tricky turn 3 and steady under heavy braking, only lighting the outside front tyre when turning into the sharp left at the bottom of the hill after the long tunnel. Thankfully, this car does not require the driver to be a master of throttle control, it rarely tried to break loose at the rear, gave good warning and was easily brought into check. The truth is, I was a bit of a wuss and didn't really push the car as hard as it could go and know I've left a bit of time on the track.
THE HILL (Cykosis)
I've seen this guy hawking his tunes all over the forums (poetic license) and was pleased to find his garage had a CSL tuned at stock power and weight for sports soft tyres. Close enough to warrant a trial at Class A specs and harder tyres, hope you don't mind - sir.
The Tune:
R -20/-10
S 7.6/10.2
Ext 6/7
Com 6/7
ARB 1/5
Cam 1.4/2.0
Toe -0.03/0.12
LSD 6/14/6
Brakes 7/6
Cykosis has taken a different approach with his tune, most notably the soft front springs which are at the lowest setting and stabilisers set much softer at the front than rear.
Driving this car on the outlap felt very similar to praiano's set up in that it is brisk, responsive and easy to control - a very important factor for a relative novice. The first full lap brought a time marginally slower than the previous tune's Lap 1 and so started the push for a fast time.
Now the most consistent aspects of this reviewer's driving are missing braking points, shifting too early/late so as you can imagine, I often find myself stomping on the throttle at less than the ideal time. For the most part this tune was very forgiving and snapped back into line really well. When I say snapped back that is very much how it felt - a very quick, sharp corrective movement most evident at the right hander leading into the short downhill section heading towards the lake near the end of the lap. It's a wierd sensation but with a very effective result, the car comes back into line when you think maybe you've lost it.
However, I couldn't quite catch the times of the first tune, probably because the car would start losing grip a little sooner when getting on the gas through and out of the tighter corners. The best I could manage was 1:36.713 but to the car's credit, it was very consistent on all but the final lap. Here, I caught a very fast line (for me) through the first sector and was on target for low 1.36, I lost a tenth or so through sector two and in my eagerness to regain lost ground I went too hard into the third last corner and coasted a little wide on exit. A rear wheel must have been on the curb when I squeezed too hard on the throttle and the car was sent into a wild spin, on this occasion Cykosis' tuned 'recovery force' didn't take effect and I was a goner.
TOP PERFORMANCE TUNING (Jackthalad)
I've seen Jackthalad's tunes do very well in some of the shootouts and his own times indicate he's a quick driver, way ahead of my efforts. When I saw this tune at stock power and weight but 520pp, I was a little confused. But, it should be in the ball park either way and was tuned for sports tyres so might fit my needs ok.
The Tune:
R -20/-10
S 12.0/10.0
Ext 10/10
Com 9/7
ARB 1/5
Cam 1.4/1.1
Toe 0.05/0.09
LSD 9/22/12
Brakes 6/7
So here was another tune with ride height set higher at the rear and the most remarkable thing was the dampers, I can't say I've ever seen such high settings, not that it means a great deal to me.
Boy, did I know I was in for a rough ride, right from the start. Even on the outlap, the car was setting the tyres alight and at times I had all four wheels lit up as I struggled to find grip. I have to presume this tune was not built for a bumpy track like Trial Mountain, in my hands it handled erraticly throughout the test, I just couldn't find a trick to keep the car connected to the track. Not that I lost all control but it could react quite violently to bumps and elevation changes and was inconsistent through the corners.
The exaggerated behaviour could be seen in the contrast between downhill and uphill turns, pointing downhill the car would veer very sharply into the turn and I would find myself turning far too soon, but going uphill the opposite was the case with the car resistant to turning at all. It really was a battle throughout and one in which I took a hell of a beating. Lapping in the 1.38s I managed to break through once, with a best 1:37.303 on the fourth lap.
SUMMARY
Praiano's Tunes, best time 1:36.363 - safe and sure with more time in the locker
The Hill, best time 1:36.713 - consistent and enjoyable but don't push too hard
Top Performance Tuning, best time 1:37.307 - painful but could be more friendly on a flat track
PROLOGUE
The GBRC specs allow for aero which didn't feature in any of the tunes. I put a wing on Praiano's car took if for a two-lapper and gained another few tenths breaking 1.36 on the second lap. It now needs a little adjustment as the wing has introduced some understeer in the tight bends, but this car gets a paint job and a place in my favourites
