Photo: BMW
In an exclusive interview for M-Power.com, DTM Champion Bruno Spengler talked about the way the new BMW M3 and M4 handle and drive, his experience as a race car driver being an important part of developing the two M cars.
When the engineers set out to break new boundaries, they knew that just fitting them with the latest technologies wouldn’t be enough. The cars needed to feel alive and frisky in the hands of their enthusiastic owners. Therefore Bruno was called up to give some insight as to what needed correcting.
Talking about the way the car drives, Bruno said: “The suspension has a very sporty set-up, the feedback from the front axle is extremely direct. The grip at the rear axle is phenomenal and the engine performance is awesome. This is the ideal basis for our DTM car.”
“As a race driver, I’m very impressed by the instant, lag-free response from the two turbos as soon you step on the gas. This is a sensational feature of this engine which translates to more fun at the wheel and is perfect for sporty driving. The electronic power steering is very precise, and from my point of view as a race driver that’s very, very important. It responds instantly to inputs and provides excellent feedback,” he added.
Talking about the new suspension and limited-slip differential, Spengler declared himself very impressed: ”The rear axle has a very progressive locking action, due to the electronically controlled limited-slip differential, and generates huge amounts of grip. he electronic control system is configured so that when you lift off the gas going into corners, the differential opens up and the lock-up effect is reduced to zero, resulting in very eager turn-in.”
“When you accelerate out of the corner again, the lock-up engages progressively all the way up to 100 per cent full lock, for optimal traction. I’m proud to have made a contribution to the set-up work on these two cars,” said the 2012 DTM Champion.
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