2011 S-tronic S4 at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant racetrack chasing down a BMW 1M.

[M3 Montreal]

Just posted a nice video of me chasing down a BMW 1M at the racetrack today.

Couldn't get pads on time for my M3 so took the bonestock S4 (yes even with those crappy Pirelli Pzero's).

Wow... The S4 is VERY easy to drive fast. My only weak points were the tires and brakes. I ended up finishing the day with a 2:05 at LCMT.

For those that haven't tracked their S4 ... You don't know what you're missing... Stock E92 M3's were not even pulling on me at the back straight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8isDHd933Bo

[zcd2.7t]

Wow... The S4 is VERY easy to drive fast. My only weak points were the tires and brakes. I ended up finishing the day with a 2:05 at LCMT.

For those that haven't tracked their S4 ... You don't know what you're missing...

This is SO true.

For all the talk of 1/4 mile times and dyno runs, a road course is where the S4 can show what it's really made of. I guarantee that it will surprise everyone at the track (including the driver) with its speed and unflappable demeanor. It's SO planted and stable that the driver can take fuller advantage of its capabilities than can the drivers of most other cars. The net result is that the S4 is seriously fast on a track.

When I had mine out at Blackhawk Farms in June, I passed everything on the track that wasn't a dedicated track car - SRSLY. I was even surprised at how much grip the supposedly crappy Pirellis gave, and the stock brake pads held up fine for 1 day of 20 minute sessions.

So, for all you guys living life a 1/4 mile at a time, get to a HPDE with the Audi Club or some other sanctioning body and REALLY find out what your car is all about.

[egalley]

I'm jealous. I really wanted to be at Tremblant this weekend but I had to work.
Nice run on the 1M. Where did you mount that camera? I kinda looks like it's on your hood.

[Chestlock]

Pretty much the only part I miss about living out east - lots of world-class tracks!


Great video - I sooooo miss Tremblant. Thanks for posting!

[M3 Montreal]

I'm jealous. I really wanted to be at Tremblant this weekend but I had to work.
Nice run on the 1M. Where did you mount that camera? I kinda looks like it's on your hood.

I'm probably going to sign up to Auidi NEQ in Tremblant again for 2 dAys in october. It's $545 for 2 days. You should sign up for that. I'll probably be there with my E92 M3. Just look for a loud white 2 door M3 with red Brembo calipers and say hi.

As far as the camera ... It's my iPhone 4g using the app "Harry's laptimer" which was mounted on a TomTom cradle for accurate lapting. It was mounted on my front windshield. The negative about the app is it only records every second lap due to it doing a save function of the lap it recorded but it does time every lap from a set waypoint.

My tire are pretty toasted now so I'm looking forward to picking up Direzza Starspecs , RE11's,AD08's or NT05's.

[Norm_S4]

I'm probably going to sign up to Auidi NEQ in Tremblant again for 2 dAys in october. It's $545 for 2 days. You should sign up for that. I'll probably be there with my E92 M3. Just look for a loud white 2 door M3 with red Brembo calipers and say hi.

As far as the camera ... It's my iPhone 4g using the app "Harry's laptimer" which was mounted on a TomTom cradle for accurate lapting. It was mounted on my front windshield. The negative about the app is it only records every second lap due to it doing a save function of the lap it recorded but it does time every lap from a set waypoint.

My tire are pretty toasted now so I'm looking forward to picking up Direzza Starspecs , RE11's,AD08's or NT05's.

No mods on that S4 and you got that out of it? If this is with a stock suspension...man imagine a souped up S4... blows my mind so I can just picture the folks around the track...

Man I've got to think about puting mine up for the test... I live just off the island of Montreal so we might just get to see each other.

Looks like you had a great time.

[M3 Montreal]

No mods on that S4 and you got that out of it? If this is with a stock suspension...man imagine a souped up S4... blows my mind so I can just picture the folks around the track...

Man I've got to think about puting mine up for the test... I live just off the island of Montreal so we might just get to see each other.

Looks like you had a great time.

You should defi itely try it at the track.

As an FYI I don't even have ADS I only tool the sport differential and it works great!

[Norm_S4]

You should defi itely try it at the track.

As an FYI I don't even have ADS I only tool the sport differential and it works great!

Humbly, my racetrack habilities stop at go-kart stuff (never did the 125 series though) but did a lot at one point. To get the Tremblant course, do you need any special driver's license? I guess you do have to prove you wont go bumper car riding... ;-)

Anyway, looks really like a lot of fun.

[M3 Montreal]

Humbly, my racetrack habilities stop at go-kart stuff (never did the 125 series though) but did a lot at one point. To get the Tremblant course, do you need any special driver's license? I guess you do have to prove you wont go bumper car riding... ;-)

Anyway, looks really like a lot of fun.

Here's the next LCMT track day.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/event/event.advert/uidEvent/F89195A4-DB60-D186-F1F8DE0EBB99C9BC

You just follow the instructions and don't worry if you have no experience on the track with cars. You will have an instructor and they will only sign you off solo if they see you know everything needed including knowing what each flag means. There is also on class instruction.

I would suggest changing your brake fluid to racing fluid and since you have experience with karting you may progress quicker than most so maybe even some track pads. Carbotech XP10's for the front should do. :)

[vincent9993]

I'm probably going to sign up to Auidi NEQ in Tremblant again for 2 dAys in october. It's $545 for 2 days. You should sign up for that. I'll probably be there with my E92 M3. Just look for a loud white 2 door M3 with red Brembo calipers and say hi. ...

Don't mind if I do... I'm already signed up. I have my Motul 600 sitting in my office and going to be scheduling a visit to the dealer this week to get the fluid replaced and tech inspection signed off.

I even have my MMI track map for the event:
http://www.debrouillard.ca/ph/audi/MMI-Tremblant2.jpg

[rvca3112]

Don't mind if I do... I'm already signed up. I have my Motul 600 sitting in my office and going to be scheduling a visit to the dealer this week to get the fluid replaced and tech inspection signed off.

I even have my MMI track map for the event:
http://www.debrouillard.ca/ph/audi/MMI-Tremblant2.jpg


How did you get that!?!

[vincent9993]

How did you get that!?!

I had my graphic artist make me a JPG 120x720 that I wanted and created a DVD.

Lets be clear here, this is a static image... It's not going to show where I am on the track. I'm hoping I can figure that out myself.

I used PowerDirector to create the DVD with the image. I extended the play to 1h and created the DVD with no menus. As soon as I insert the DVD (while in media) it displays the image. Pretty sick I think.

Oh and I have the VIM hack of course.

[Deep Sea S4]

That MMI visual of the track layout is really cool. Love the detail at the bottom with the Audi logo etc......

Great idea

[Brick Oven]

I had my graphic artist make me a JPG 120x720 that I wanted and created a DVD.

Lets be clear here, this is a static image... It's not going to show where I am on the track. I'm hoping I can figure that out myself.

I used PowerDirector to create the DVD with the image. I extended the play to 1h and created the DVD with no menus. As soon as I insert the DVD (while in media) it displays the image. Pretty sick I think.

Oh and I have the VIM hack of course.

That's an ingenious workaround.

[M3 Montreal]

Don't mind if I do... I'm already signed up. I have my Motul 600 sitting in my office and going to be scheduling a visit to the dealer this week to get the fluid replaced and tech inspection signed off.

I even have my MMI track map for the event:
http://www.debrouillard.ca/ph/audi/MMI-Tremblant2.jpg

Just registered for LCMT in October. See you there :)

I notice the Audi community is not into tracking as they are about 1/4 mile unlike the BMW Community having a lot of people tracking their cars.

[jeffc31337]

Just registered for LCMT in October. See you there :)

I notice the Audi community is not into tracking as they are about 1/4 mile unlike the BMW Community having a lot of people tracking their cars.

I think a lot of that has to do with the cars that have been available from both makes. Previous to this generation of BMWs they were exceptionally light and often lower powered than their competitors so they made for fantastic track cars but not always impressive drag cars. Starting with the 335 and the move to turbo applications across their line they now offer huge tuning potential and great straight line performance you see a TON of focus on drag times and much less on tracking then I have ever seen in the BMW community.. Likewise I think Audi applications have become more balanced and better handling cars so you are seeing people take them to the track more.

[zcd2.7t]

......I notice the Audi community is not into tracking as they are about 1/4 mile.....

Actually, in my experience it's not the Audi community that doesn't track, it's the AUDIZINE community that doesn't.

I've been an active member on other Audi boards (not to name names, but "AW" and "QW" ;-) for over 10 years, and the participants on those boards regularly discuss and report on their road-course experiences. I personally had my 2 A6 2.7Ts out on road courses 15+ times in the years I owned them, despite them ultimately being ill-suited to road-course driving. I had a blast at every event, despite my hardware. The B8 is by far the most track-ready non-RS model Audi has ever built, and despite that, few here seem willing to try their hands at it.

Having been down a 1/4 mile strip several times, IMO there's no comparison in excitement, learning or enjoyment between drag strip driving and road-course driving. Audis are not dragsters, even though quattro gives them a starting-line advantage (and, truth be told, a finish-line DISadvantage). They're designed to do everything well, including road-course driving. Tell me, have you ever seen Audi (the company) sponsor drag racing?!?! You never have and you never will. On the other hand, Audi's record in road-racing is one that few companies can match, from dominating IMSA racing so completely in the 80s that their cars were forever banned from the series, to winning LeMans 8 out of the past 10 years!

If you're serious about your Audi enthusiasm, and aren't just a fanboi, you owe it to yourself to go to a High Performance Driving Event, whether sponsored by Audi Club, Chin Motorsports, TrackDaze, or any of the other dozens of sanctioning bodies. You'll learn more about your car, yourself and your respective abilities than you could ever learn by droning down a drag strip again and again, trying to extract that last tenth of a second.

IMHO, of course!

[socfan12]

I certainly plan to track my S4. Confirmed for one class in Sep and looking at two other events (one AWE, one BMW CCA). In October, will be joining my friend with his M3 at NJMSP. Can't wait to learn what what my car can really do.

[Marcus S4]

I agree the B8 S4 is an outstanding road course track car. I've been at five High Perfromance Driving Events (HPDE) at Road America with Audi, BMW and Porsche clubs over the last year. Road America is a phenomenal 4-mile road course in Wisconsin. It really challenges your driving abilities. As your experience grows you will start stretching the S4 and your driving skill. The HPDE events are driving schools and they will teach you how to drive and handle your car at high speed.

Straight line drag races are so boring. The S4 has balanced performance and it excels on a road course.

At a minimum, the S4 does need high temperature brake fluid (Motul 600) and more aggressive brake pads or you will run out of brakes on a big road course. It's no fun when the brake pedal suddenly goes to the floor.

Overall, the more you mod the S4, the better it gets. It's soo rewarding!

[adbender]

Concur with all of you.

Just got back from Mosport today for some education with pro. Car as very stable and many positive comments about the power.

Mechanically, no issues to my relief. I was surprised by how many people were spewing coolant and black smoke.

[zcd2.7t]

I agree the B8 S4 is an outstanding road course track car. I've been at five High Perfromance Driving Events (HPDE) at Road America with Audi, BMW and Porsche clubs over the last year. Road America is a phenomenal 4-mile road course in Wisconsin. It really challenges your driving abilities...At a minimum, the S4 does need high temperature brake fluid (Motul 600) and more aggressive brake pads or you will run out of brakes on a big road course. It's no fun when the brake pedal suddenly goes to the floor...

I've driven Road America in anger on a few occasions, but never in this car, and I'm really looking forward to it. Out of curiosity, do you recall your top speed up the front straight or down into turn 5? How did it feel through the Carousel?

[M3 Montreal]

If you're looking for track pads the only ones I found were from Carbotech which another forum member from Audiworld directed me too. Put XP10's oout front and XP8's out back with race brake fluid. It did the job quite well but I did feel some fade when I pushed it. They squeal like crazy on the street. Need to change them ASAP! Lol

[Marcus S4]

I've driven Road America in anger on a few occasions, but never in this car, and I'm really looking forward to it. Out of curiosity, do you recall your top speed up the front straight or down into turn 5? How did it feel through the Carousel?

The S4 with STaSIS ECU upgrade can easily do 140+ on the front straight or the back straight into turn 5. However there is alot of braking going into turn 1 or 5. I have tended to keep it round 130 so the braking isn't as severe. The key to Road America is keeping the transitions smooth.

I try to keep the left tires inside the seam through the Carousel. It was fine on the stock suspension but it is much more controlled with the Challenge / Ohlins suspension. I'm now carrying much more speed through the Carousel (72-75 mph). Remember to look way ahead in the carousel. I'm looking almost out the passenger window and it's so much smoother because the car follows where you are looking.