The Launch Control activation sequence on BMW cars has been known to give some people a bit of a headache. On BMW M cars it is a bit more complicated than on standard cars but to us, it still doesn’t seem too tricky to use. The steps are almost the same but there are some interesting differences. That being the case, the people over at BMW Motorsport decided to put together a short clip showing you exactly what you should do to get a perfect launch.
The first thing you need to do, and I can’t say highlight this enough, is get the engine warmed up. If you ever drove an M car you probably noticed that when the car starts up, the rev counter has some yellow indicators just before the red line. Those are there to let you know that the car hasn’t reached the optimal working temperature and that you should probably take it easy for the next couple of miles.This system has been in place for years, it’s not a new thing.
Once the yellow lights turned off, you have successfully warmed up the engine and can now initiate the launch sequence. To do so, you need to come to a complete stop, deactivate DSC, get the car in Manual/Sport mode (push the lever to the right) and get the gearbox in the fastest shifting setting. Once all of those are done, mash the brake and the gas pedals at the same time. You’ll see a checkered flag on the instrument cluster and the car will rev but not up to the red line.
This is where you get to pick the perfect launch RPM. According to BMW Instructor Stefan Landmann, the perfect choice would be between 3,000 and 3,500 RPM. You can set the preferred RPM using the cruise control button on the left side of the steering wheel. Once you’re done, release the brake and enjoy the ride.
