In the et 8/08 issue, we introduced Evolution Racewerks (www.evolutionracewerks.com) newest BMW 135i project car. Since the tuner fabricated its own front-mount intercooler, downpipe and exhaust, the car's been upgraded further with widened front fenders, 18x10" Forgeline wheels, KW Clubsport suspension, Injen intake and Snow Performance water methanol injection. More parts are said to come before its next race at Super Lap Battle this coming November in Buttonwillow, CA, but we heard ER got their hands on the first set of Brembo big brakes for the 1-Series. So we infiltrated their facility in Southern California to document the install.
It will be interesting to see if there is a significant difference with the new big brakes. The OE brakes on the 135i are engineered by Brembo and utilize a six-piston caliper, the same size as these new Brembos. The main difference in the new caliper is its lighter weight and larger pad surface area.
The rotor is almost 1" larger in diameter using a 14" compared to the OE's 13.3" rotor. The slotted vents should help for efficient cooling on the track.