Modifications
Brakes
Mov'it 380mm 6-piston front brakes
Bigger brakes were on top of my wishlist the moment I started to think about modding my Alpina. With the possibility of a supercharger conversion in mind, I knew a big brake kit would be a necessary investment. Upgrading the brakes on the Roadster S turned into quite a challenging objective because of the extremely limited clearance of the Alpina Dynamic wheels, leaving very little space for bigger brake calipers. Replacing the wheels was out of the question since I wanted to preserve the distinctive aesthetics of the Alpina Roadster S, set by the wheels and the front and rear spoilers.
After comparing several brake manufacturers I chose to go with Mov'it because of the excellent support provided by the Dutch Mov'it supplier Dick van Hoekendijk. Dick is a frequent contributor to the leading performance car enthusiast forums in the Netherlands. He is also a respected instructor for Scuderia Hanseat and other drifting and sports driving courses.
Originally we planned to use Mov'its 342mm 4-piston brake kit in the front. After taking delivery of the kit, we soon found out it would be impossible to fit the brake caliper behind the spokes of the Alpina wheels. The wheels would stick out past the fenders. Widening the fenders was a possible solution, however it would be a costly exercise and in terms of looks the outcome would be unsure. After considering the alternatives for a moment, we chose to replace the brakes with a bigger kit. One of the front wheels and a wheel hub were shipped to the Mov'it factory in Germany in order to make accurate measurements. By replacing the brakes with a 380mm six piston kit the brake caliper could be placed further away from the heart of the wheel, creating just enough clearance to fit the calipers. 380mm is also the largest rotor diameter you can fit inside a 19 inch wheel. The clearance between the inner edges of the wheel spokes and the brake calipers is just a few millimeters. There is a slight paint damage on the edge of one of the calipers but other than that there have been no issues.
In terms of performance the Mov'it brake kit doesn't make a huge difference for everyday driving. At street legal speeds the brakes are limited by tyre traction and will easily lockup the tyres. With the added power of the supercharger, the bigger brakes are a simple necessity for spirited driving and high speed Autobahn runs. The brake pedal feel and wet weather performance is very consistent. Obviously, the bigger brakes are also helpful on the track. I haven't done any track days with the car yet, although I have driven several 'Touristenfahrten' laps on the Nurburgring Northloop. After driving continuously for several laps, the brakes weren't breaking a sweat.
The brakes are a huge investment that will rarely pay off for everyday driving, but in the end you cannot do without with so much power.
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