Minimizing the sideslip does not only improve safety in curves. During the development of AHK at BMW, people from BMW Motorsport GmbH (in 1993 renamed to BMW M GmbH) who were developing the 850CSi at that time, were given the opportunity to drive a test vehicle equipped with AHK on the NĂĽrburgring Nordschleife circuit. The drivers had the feeling the car with AHK did not allow them to exactly hit the brake and acceleration points they were used to and complained they could not hit the proper racing line and apex in curves. Despite that and much to their surprise, the lap times of the test vehicle equipped with AHK were consistently noticeably faster. The reason is again with the sideslip angle: The car without AHK develops sideslip in a curve which is still present at the exit of the curve. The car with AHK on the other hand minimizes sideslip making it much more stable on the corner exit. This allowed the drivers to apply throttle much sooner and gaining higher speeds at the straights. Because of the performance edge AHK provided, BMW Motorsport GmbH decided to make AHK standard equipment on the 850CSi.
Nevertheless the 850CSi scored very well in tests which can be attributed mostly to AHK. In a series of tests performed in 1996 by the German Auto Motor und Sport Magazine the 850CSi put up a remarkable performance in the 36 meter (39 yard) slalom, only beaten by the Porsche 911 Carrera and Turbo and the Ferrari F350 sports cars. In the 110 meter (120 yard) moose test the 850CSi beat all other cars despite weighing over 500 kg (1100 lb) more than the other cars in the top 5.
Minimizing the sideslip does not only improve safety in curves. During the development of AHK at BMW, people from BMW Motorsport GmbH (in 1993 renamed to BMW M GmbH) who were developing the 850CSi at that time, were given the opportunity to drive a test vehicle equipped with AHK on the NĂĽrburgring Nordschleife circuit. The drivers had the feeling the car with AHK did not allow them to exactly hit the brake and acceleration points they were used to and complained they could not hit the proper racing line and apex in curves. Despite that and much to their surprise, the lap times of the test vehicle equipped with AHK were consistently noticeably faster. The reason is again with the sideslip angle: The car without AHK develops sideslip in a curve which is still present at the exit of the curve. The car with AHK on the other hand minimizes sideslip making it much more stable on the corner exit. This allowed the drivers to apply throttle much sooner and gaining higher speeds at the straights. Because of the performance edge AHK provided, BMW Motorsport GmbH decided to make AHK standard equipment on the 850CSi.
Nevertheless the 850CSi scored very well in tests which can be attributed mostly to AHK. In a series of tests performed in 1996 by the German Auto Motor und Sport Magazine the 850CSi put up a remarkable performance in the 36 meter (39 yard) slalom, only beaten by the Porsche 911 Carrera and Turbo and the Ferrari F350 sports cars. In the 110 meter (120 yard) moose test the 850CSi beat all other cars despite weighing over 500 kg (1100 lb) more than the other cars in the top 5.