'16 S3 @ Sonoma Raceway

[Raacerx]

Put the new S3 on the track this weekend. Did great. Impressive lap times for a nearly stock car.

Kumho 225/40R18 R-compound
Stoptech ST40 with PFC01
034Motorsport rear sway
034Motorsport X34 CAI

No other mods, no tuning. Consistent ~2:00, with best lap @ 1:58. Also haven't been to Sonoma in a few years.

My biggest complaint was the DSG; the factory software just doesn't have track performance in mind. I had a lot of issues with the car banging redline coming into a turn and upshifting, leaving you with understeer and less power out of the corner. I felt the magride was nowhere near up to the task of track time, but with considering how smooth it is on the street, it's pretty good. Perhaps some lowering springs and camber will change that enough.

But really impressed with how balanced the car felt, very neutral with the rear swaybar (I kept it in the softer setting), and the AWD was most excellent, although of course needs more power to the rear (or just more camber up front). Without an exhaust on the car, it felt slow in a straight line, but was neck and neck with any TT-RS that wasn't tuned. Surprising considering there's a 60hp difference. Although it was 90F out.

Here's some laps from the end of day 2, I'll post some helmet cam footage, but without an exhaust, all you hear is wind noise for the most part:

[Anthony]

Man, I wish I made it to this. I'm so jealous!

Thanks for posting!

[The_Kracken]

Won't be tracking mine for a while, so rely on these vids to get my fill. Thanks for posting!

[Raacerx]

Man, I wish I made it to this. I'm so jealous!

Thanks for posting!

There were a lot of people, and pretty cool to get passed by an R8 LMS car as well! I also was able to sleep in my own bed since its only 45 minutes away.

Won't be tracking mine for a while, so rely on these vids to get my fill. Thanks for posting!

Still got one or two more days this year, and quite a few planned for next year. Looking forward to wearing out the 225's (they're from my last car) and doing 255's with camber. Still not sure what to do about the suspension though. Anyone had any experience with the KW DCC made specifically for S3?

[ChrisF1]

Nice video. Definitely some time left on the table but I very much get that as the walls at Sonoma are very unforgiving. :)

My initial impressions after taking my mostly bone stock S3 (just JB1) out at Thunderhill is that the car is really well balanced from the factory. If I was going to track it regularly, I'd probably do springs to drop ride height a little, a good alignment and a BBK; maybe a bigger IC for thermal management; Definitely wider RE71R's. Oil temps didn't seem to be an issue surprisingly. The lack of control over shifting at redline definitely not ideal on track.

[Raacerx]

Nice video. Definitely some time left on the table but I very much get that as the walls at Sonoma are very unforgiving. :)

My initial impressions after taking my mostly bone stock S3 (just JB1) out at Thunderhill is that the car is really well balanced from the factory. If I was going to track it regularly, I'd probably do springs to drop ride height a little, a good alignment and a BBK; maybe a bigger IC for thermal management; Definitely wider RE71R's. Oil temps didn't seem to be an issue surprisingly. The lack of control over shifting at redline definitely not ideal on track.

I was surprised with the oil temps as well, although I'd like to know the transmission temps too. I only hit 250F oil temp once (perfectly acceptable), and was generally around 235-245 despite the high ambient temps.

Turn 7 was and is my biggest issue, but braking in general was just very tough to modulate with the PFC01 up front and stock rears. I couldn't get the rears warmed up because the fronts would lock without much effort. Back to XP10/12, this was just a last minute toss on.

Just need to convince PSI to make some Ohlins TTX

[Gusman1]

I was out there as a spectator. Car looked great from the Grandstands . But as you mentioned very quiet.

[Raacerx]

I was out there as a spectator. Car looked great from the Grandstands . But as you mentioned very quiet.

Thanks. Got an exhaust already, just waiting on a small piece for it. Downpipe to follow. Decided to do a valved system for places like Laguna.

Did a couple sessions on street tires to get a feel for the car.