In this video, BMW M How-To demonstrates how Launch Control, when used in dry ambient circumstances, allows for optimized acceleration on road surfaces with enough grip.
In This Article...
What functions the BMW launch control?
Launch Control “enables optimal acceleration on terrain with good grip,” according to BMW. Launch Control, or simply “Launch Control,” is an electronic driver assistance technology that significantly increases the pace at which you move forward from a stop by turning your standing start into, well, a launch.
Launch Control provides drivers with safe and efficient acceleration through the use of a computer program and the invention of an electronic accelerator. Although it was initially created with racers in mind, the technology is now present in BMW automobiles that are both track- and street-oriented. The mechanism quickly and smoothly accelerates your car without spinning the drive wheels.
Additionally, the system is built to consider other aspects and avoid over-revving as well as potential clutch and gearbox issues.
An BMW 3 Series has launch control, right?
For those who still like using their tachometer, every 2021 BMW 3 Series model includes an automated 8-speed transmission with paddle shifters placed on the steering wheel. The use of Launch Control, which allows drivers to maximize the gearbox when accelerating, and sport or manual modes are available to drivers.
What is launch control used for?
Pressing a button is all that is necessary for activation. Alternatively, that is how the series begins. Dynamic stability control must be off, the engine must be warmed up, and the automatic transmission must be put to sequential mode with the vehicle in first gear on a BMW M vehicle. The next step is as follows:
- firmly apply the brakes.
- Accelerator down till it kicks down, then hold
- A start flag should eventually display in the driver information screen.
- Control the beginning speed and rpm.
- As you release the brake, keep your foot firmly planted.
- Once the clutch or gear engages, you can start moving.
For Dodge Hellcat automobiles, the procedure is the same, and the vehicle information center also provides instructional help. With the sadly defunct Challenger SRT Demon, which includes a transbrake feature, a little modification is necessary. The transbrake locks the vehicle’s output shaft and enables a launch without using the brakes when the launch control is engaged using the paddle shifter. The initiation sequence stays the same everywhere else.
Is there a launch mode on a BMW?
A fun technique to make your car’s standing start into a much more pleasant and exciting launch is with launch control. Launch mode is designed to improve your vehicle’s acceleration and is best used on a level, dry road with good traction.
- By holding down the center console button for roughly four seconds, you can disable DSC.
- Firmly depress both the gas and braking pedals.
- Your instrument cluster should display the words Preparing Launch Control or Launch Control Ready. If you don’t, wait a brief while until it does.
- To activate launch control, let off of the brake pedal.
You can benefit now that you are aware of how your BMW’s launch control system functions!
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How often can a BMW launch control be used?
At its most severe shift setting, Launch Control can only be used 50 times on a BMW M3 G80 G82. We on the F90 board discovered a few weeks ago that BMW only allows the ZF8 transmissions to carry out 50 launches.
What does “3 Step Launch Control” mean?
Three-step as well as two-step. Making a lot of noise and moving you forward as quickly as possible are its only goals. not a dance.
Let’s start with the fundamentals first. Two-step is a type of launch control that is also referred to as a stutterbox. Two-step essentially serves as a supplemental rev limiter. Two-step relies on your speed sensor to determine when you are and are not moving. The motor will be able to rev and hold at a lower set value while you are not moving and the clutch is depressed. This stresses the engine and, if you have a turbo arrangement, builds some boost as well. Three-step only adds one more step after you’ve already started moving, no joke. In essence, three steps are a third rpm limiter that let you No Lift Shift. You may hold boost between shifts with NLS as well.
So in essence, if you roll up to the dragstrip and stage, you can put the car in gear, step on the gas, and it will maintain the RPM you set the two-step for. All that’s left to do is release the clutch on the third yellow and launch like an eff. When you blow through first, you can safely powershift into second, third, and so on by keeping the pedal down to the floor. You could develop boost using two- and three-step not just at the staging line but also in between shifts.
Purchasing an AEM EMS or MSD 2-step module is the ideal approach to begin two-stepping. A 2 or 3 step is a very effective strategy to increase boost off the line and maintain boost when shifting. It will unquestionably reduce your 1/4 times and ensure a better launch for you.
Should I set the launch control at what RPM?
The sweet spot appears to be 5400… Though always adaptable, ensure sure the traction control is turned off. At the track night, I committed that error and lost some time because I was unaware that it needed to be corrected. When I took my car to the test and tune night, I didn’t even consider that because I never launch it on a regular basis, but it kicked my behind!
The clutch also needs to be slipped a little; else, it would just grab and fall on its face.
When my car was still white, scroll down to see a video of me utilizing launch control. And yeah, I came in last, but to be fair, it was my friend’s 500 horsepower M5. lol
Does launch control speed up the car?
A computer program and an electronic accelerator are used in launch control. Based on engine specs, the software regulates acceleration to make the automobile accelerate smoothly and quickly while preventing difficulties with the clutch and gearbox, spinning of the drive wheels, and engine failure due to over-revving. Only at the beginning of the race, when the car is still on the starting grid, is this capability available in racing cars. The program is turned off after the car reaches a specific speed.
What advantage does launch control provide?
Launch control, once relegated to just the most expensive supercars, is now much more frequently desired and present in more “everyday” super-powered vehicles.
Launch command explanation: Launch control reduces wheel spin and hop, increases usable power, weight transfer, and traction, and, in forced-induction powertrains, increases boost to the necessary level.
You can activate a certain driver mode within the traction control settings to start launch control in newer automobiles (with launch control choices). The brake must be depressed for a predetermined amount of time after the setting has been chosen before the throttle can be fully opened. When the rev counter reaches a predetermined limit, you must release the brake. The throttle is specifically opened at this time to enable the least amount of tire spin and the fastest acceleration. The clutch is engaged by the ECU when the brake pedal is depressed, in effect acting as a trigger mechanism.
To prevent the engine from turning over at a faster rate, pre-set rev limiters (programmed into the car’s computer) will turn off the ignition. Most rev limiters are placed between 3500 and 4500 rpm, and they begin to decrease after the torque is released to the wheels. The experts who programmed the ECU estimated this limit by determining the highest torque output through the wheels that will result in the quickest acceleration.
Launch control is increasingly common on supercar spec sheets all over the world, but it works best with turbocharged or supercharged engines. Launch control systems enable a turbocharger to spool up in advance of launch by allowing your car’s engine to achieve a rev limit at a standstill. This results in a significantly higher power output from the engine than from a standard launch.
Avoid confusing launch control with anti-lag, which works by essentially igniting small amounts of exhaust gas just before the turbocharger to keep it spinning.
Although many newer models include a launch control button, many older model owners still want to test this out and can do so manually.
- Locate a space that is free of obstructions and safe before attempting your launch.
- Disable traction control.
- Set the rpm to 5200 using the access port.
- Affirm the clutch.
- When you step on the gas, you’ll notice the rev counter rise to 5200 rpm.
- Open the clutch.
Always use caution and enjoy properly exploring your launch control experiences.
Does launch control require Sport Plus?
Warning:
The motor, drivetrain, tires, and transmission can all suffer severe abuse while using launch control. At your own risk, use.
- You DO NOT need to turn off the traction or stability controls.
- Sport Plus DOES NOT need to be enabled.
- Leave the transmission set to AUTO.
- RPM values for launch (configurable in AccesstunerPro):
- When Sport Chrono is absent:
- Standard – 4500 RPM
- 4500 RPM for sport
- Sport Chrono uses:
- 5500 RPM for Sport Plus
Has BMW got a secret key?
Have you ever locked yourself out of your BMW only to discover that your key fob’s battery is also dead? There, many of us have been. However, there is a shockingly simple solution—your key fob really contains a concealed key. A
Even if your key fob dies, you can still unlock your BMW. Simply slide the mechanical key out by holding and pressing the key release tab at the bottom of the key fob, close to the key chain. The driver’s side door can now be unlocked as usual using a conventional key. Congratulations! You’ve opened it and are now prepared to leave.
What is the launch control speed?
Launch control may have been more of a novelty when it initially appeared on production automobiles than a practical performance element.
According to Road & Track, significant powertrain damage from multiple launches wasn’t uncommon. According to Car and Driver, Nissan had to reprogramme the R35 GT-R’s system exactly because the dual-clutch transmission of the supercar would be destroyed. In some cases, careful human input could surpass computer control in performance vehicles. It was demonstrated on an SRT Viper by Car and Driver.
Launch control is now necessary to obtain the finest acceleration data, though, as of recent years. For instance, it enables the future Hummer EV to achieve a stated 0-60 mph pace of 3.0 seconds. According to MotorTrend, the electronics just react more quickly and reliably than even some of the greatest humans can.
These advantages, it must be said, are frequently somewhat little. The launch control typically reduced 0-60 mph times by 0.1-0.2 seconds during Car and Driver’s testing. Likewise, 1/4-mile times were lowered. A faster 0-60 mph time is still a great method to demonstrate how fast your new sports car is, The Drive suggests. And launch control makes that possible.
However, the consistency difference is likely the most important advantage. All but the best human drivers cannot measure power and traction as accurately as a properly calibrated computer. Which is crucial if you’re taking part in a drag race.