BMW X5 Le Mans

The_Dark_Side · 9 Mar 2009 at 18:10

Vonsteve said:
That thing sounds monsterous. I love these kind of out of production projects showing basically "look what we can do" this one is a great one.

It helps that the whole project uses BMW made parts.
I wonder if it'd sell in any kind of numbers, had they released it.

Fido McNasty · 9 Mar 2009 at 19:17

Dangerous said:
Indeed it was Hans - Another good video fo him is driving the M3 around the 'Ring

That makes for good viewing how every many times one sees it, never gets old. I always remember the gesture at the end which suggests (despite the traffic and the plonker in the red GT2) he got a good one in.

Qually lap I believe.

Entai · 9 Mar 2009 at 19:47

The_Dark_Side said:
This is an interesting post, and I'm not having a go at you at all by the way, but how would/could you modernise the Mac other than the aesthetics of the thing?

Personally I would change the following.

Tweak the six existing gear ratios and add a seventh, it runs out of revs way before power, so would easliy pull another gear, should take it over 260mph then.

Add a set of modern compound tyres, and possibly modern brake compounds on discs and pads, don't forget this car is 18 years old with 25 year old technology.

There is nothing else you need to change on an already 99.9% perfect car.

classicVin · 9 Mar 2009 at 23:19

Fido McNasty · 10 Mar 2009 at 04:03

classicVin said:

Theres an image you could wait a year to find an appropriate forum home for. Keep looking lmao. Double ewe tee eff though mate

The_Dark_Side · 10 Mar 2009 at 18:18

Entai said:
Personally I would change the following.

Tweak the six existing gear ratios and add a seventh, it runs out of revs way before power, so would easliy pull another gear, should take it over 260mph then.

Add a set of modern compound tyres, and possibly modern brake compounds on discs and pads, don't forget this car is 18 years old with 25 year old technology.

There is nothing else you need to change on an already 99.9% perfect car.

Agreed, but the brakes and tyre upgrades you suggest would probably be fitted anyway come servicing time.
A 7th gear is an interesting suggestion though. Hmm.

Tax Evader · 12 Mar 2009 at 20:12

Fido McNasty said:
That makes for good viewing how every many times one sees it, never gets old. I always remember the gesture at the end which suggests (despite the traffic and the plonker in the red GT2) he got a good one in.

Qually lap I believe.

Pole. 8m19.9s to be precise

The original DVD sounds immense through the surround sound!

(as do all the others)

The_Dark_Side · 12 Mar 2009 at 21:16

Entai said:
Tweak the six existing gear ratios and add a seventh, it runs out of revs way before power, so would easliy pull another gear, should take it over 260mph then.

Just thought I'd add, that while I love the Mac I'd say the 260mph above isn't possible. The CCX has more power and is more aerodynamic and that won't hit 260.

Entai · 13 Mar 2009 at 13:41

The_Dark_Side said:
Just thought I'd add, that while I love the Mac I'd say the 260mph above isn't possible. The CCX has more power and is more aerodynamic and that won't hit 260.

Be very interesting to find out though.

The current Mac max speed record was set at 7800 rpm when the peak power is produced at 7400 rpm. Increasing the rev limit from 7500 to 7800 ilicited an extra 12 mph so roughly speaking in sixth gear 300 revs is 12 mph.

So it would not be out of the realms of possibility to add a seventh gear to drop revs to around 7100-7200 rpm at 243 mph and I am pretty sure the engine will pull again to around 7700-7800 in seventh so you could be looking at a gain enough to get the target 260 mph.

Will Gill · 13 Mar 2009 at 13:45

Entai said:
Be very interesting to find out though.

The current Mac max speed record was set at 7800 rpm when the peak power is produced at 7400 rpm. Increasing the rev limit from 7500 to 7800 ilicited an extra 12 mph so roughly speaking in sixth gear 300 revs is 12 mph.

So it would not be out of the realms of possibility to add a seventh gear to drop revs to around 7100-7200 rpm at 243 mph and I am pretty sure the engine will pull again to around 7700-7800 in seventh so you could be looking at a gain enough to get the target 260 mph.

lush thought he car is surely it would be aerodynically brick like at that speed?

The_Dark_Side · 13 Mar 2009 at 13:45

Entai said:
Be very interesting to find out though.

The current Mac max speed record was set at 7800 rpm when the peak power is produced at 7400 rpm. Increasing the rev limit from 7500 to 7800 ilicited an extra 12 mph so roughly speaking in sixth gear 300 revs is 12 mph.

So it would not be out of the realms of possibility to add a seventh gear to drop revs to around 7100-7200 rpm at 243 mph and I am pretty sure the engine will pull again to around 7700-7800 in seventh so you could be looking at a gain enough to get the target 260 mph.

Oh I think you could achieve the right gearing, I just don't think there's enough power there to hit that kind of speed. With the Koenigsegg (spelling?) being more slippery through the air AND more powerful yet it can't hit those kinds of speed I'd bet against it.....however, if you find yourself in a position to have a go I'll be more than happy to ride shotgun

The_Dark_Side · 13 Mar 2009 at 13:47

Will Gill said:
lush thought he car is surely it would be aerodynically brick like at that speed?

It's one of the reasons why the Veyron made such an impact. The trade off between power needed and extra mph to be gained at those speeds is just crazy.

But god I hope someone tries.
Who here wouldn't like to see a 300mph road car?