507 and C63 Coupe at Bedford Circuit 22-03-14

[Alex L]

Anyone on here own at Bedford circuit yesterday?

Photos to follow

 

[DuncS3]

Hi Alex - yes I was in the 507. First outing for the Merc at Bedford but it went well round the track. Love to see some pics

What were you in?

Dunc

 

[Alex L]

Hi Dunc,

I was there with my friend "testing" his Caterham Academy car as his first proper race is next month.

I didn't bring the C63, instead my diesel 3 series loaded up with tools etc.

It's nice to hear a C63 at full chat from the outside. You seemed pretty tidy, the other coupe less so but perhaps he was trying to drift at every opportunity?

I note you didn't have 507 wheels on, are they track wheels or did you spec the 18s?

 

[DuncS3]

They are track/winters - looks so much better with the 507 19" wheels but cheaper to track with 18"s. The c63 is definitely not a track car but it is pretty capable around a track like Bedford - it had lots of grip out of the corners too. The other guy I chatted to on the day, not sure if it was intentional or not but he did get a talking too about drifting I think as the Marshall told me off for it when I was waiting to go on track (mistaken identity).

 

[Alex L]

They are track/winters - looks so much better with the 507 19" wheels but cheaper to track with 18"s. The c63 is definitely not a track car but it is pretty capable around a track like Bedford - it had lots of grip out of the corners too. The other guy I chatted to on the day, not sure if it was intentional or not but he did get a talking too about drifting I think as the Marshall told me off for it when I was waiting to go on track (mistaken identity).

I was going to ask you for a passenger ride but didn't get the opportunity, took our c63 estate around Silverstone last year, it's a bit heavy for the track and I was trying not to melt the tyres/brakes.

Good call on the 18s, I just took our winter 18s off which are the same size front and rear so wouldn't fancy tracking them.

Did you suffer much tyre wear?

 

[zltm089]

Pics looking good!!!

 

[DuncS3]

I was going to ask you for a passenger ride but didn't get the opportunity, took our c63 estate around Silverstone last year, it's a bit heavy for the track and I was trying not to melt the tyres/brakes.

Good call on the 18s, I just took our winter 18s off which are the same size front and rear so wouldn't fancy tracking them.

Did you suffer much tyre wear?

I have the standard sidewall shoulder scrubb on the fronts - The C63 can understeer a bit when really pushing it and it seems to me that it can be heavy on the front tyres more than the rears.

It was a lot of fun out there though. I think it was in the faster car group on the day - I think when I was out on track the fastest (not including Radicals/Atoms) appeared to be the silver/orange Clio (cup car?) green TT RS and subaru P1 - all with track tyres and obviously modded.

I have done Bedford in my e92 m3 and I was about 10 mph faster on the long straight than in my M3 (140 vs 150 give or take) - thats quite significant.

In terms of oil temp - the car never went above 125 and that is at full pelt for approx 20 minutes sessions. What I did notice though was that when it got warmer - 123-125 degrees there was a delay/miss/cut in power when changing gear at the top of the rev range. I was in manual mode at first and thought maybe it was me so switched to Sports + but saw the same - to be honest I then left it in Sports + as it handled the gear changes fine (felt a bit bad about doing that ). In terms of traction control I was in Sports mode all the time - didnt switch traction fully off but only because in Sports mode traction control never appeared to come on or interfere in any obvious way. I had one 'moment', when I was probably one lap to many over when I should have came in and the green TT was getting close (which distracted me a bit - my fault) and I had a minor tank slapper at the hairpin before the straight but no real drama and didn't go off track.

Brakes were strong but on my last session I did get some fade at the end of the long straight chasing the 996 Turbo X50 - decided to call it a day then

Overall the car was extremely solid and only needed about 15 mins rest between sessions - I used 2.5 tanks of fuel on the day - arrived fully topped up, had to fill up again by noon then again in the afternoon leaving just under half a tank to get home.

Overall a fun day - I am sure the diff helped a lot when getting traction out of corners.

Dunc

 

[Alex L]

You seemed to match the green TT for speed from what I could see so must have been the quickest thing on track, in a straight line at least.

The Clio weighed exactly a tonne, was on slicks and had a blue printed 250bhp engine. The driver seemed quite handy too and had lots of track time/tuition as I was speaking to his dad.

Presumably yours has the bigger oil cooler over the standard C63? Or is there still a performance pack option on the 507? I'd be interested to drive an LSD and a Non-LSD equipped car back to back on track.

The X50 looked rapid but dull and sounded incredibly quiet. I could tell you were in Sport + due to the bark on up changes. Mine is a 2011 pre-MCT box so I only have the Sport option.

We did 2.5 tanks in the Caterham which equated to about £60 in fuel...bit of a difference

 

[DuncS3]

I don't think the oil cooler is any different unless it is on the PP car also?

very short video :

Bedford - Javelin Track Day - 22/03/14 - Session 4 - Merc gets lairy - YouTube

Dunc

 

[The _Don]

I don't think the oil cooler is any different unless it is on the PP car also? very short video : Bedford - Javelin Track Day - 22/03/14 - Session 4 - Merc gets lairy - YouTube Dunc

The c63 bs has a uprated oil cooler, all other c63 have the same size cooler.