Good read in Grassroots Motorsports re: brakes (crossdrilled/master cylinder/rotor size, etc.)...
 

Interesting to finally read about the effects of upgrading the master cylinder to handle more brake pistons requiring more pedal travel on the brake, etc., and that for the most part a larger rotor only helps with brake cooling since tires are really the limiting factor in braking (duh), and that crossdrilled rotors have essentially been obsolete since the 1950's ended since modern brake pads don't gas off when heated up like they once used to (not to mention that they may encourage cracking, and actually decrease cooling due to less rotor mass and area), but that slotted rotors do provide fresh pad and inhibit pad glazing.

I guess I am I am sitting cool with the slotted/cryoed stock rotors then :-)

I love that magazine. Specially when they show you how to build a full race car for $2k :)

I don't agree with what he said and here's why...
 

I understand that his contention in the article was to impress on the reader that fancy brakes won't help with crap tires. I think he went too far. The ideal braking system can bring the tires you run up to incipient lockup and hold it there until you stop, from any speed. Most factory brakes cannot do that with stock tires, much less wider R compounds.

If you drive on the street then yes, bigger tires will go a long way to help you upgrade your tires. If however, you track the car and need to haul it down from triple digit speeds over and over, even with stock tires, your brakes could use an upgrade.

Of course, the "over and over" part is why the article did include fade as a reason to upgrade...
 

I'd speculate that any "modern" performance sedan or car with 4-wheel disc brakes can nearly instantaneously lock up the brakes (or engage ABS) at 120+mph; I know the S4 and my A4 could/can. With better pads and my AP Racing 4-pots, I think it happens maybe a tenth of a second faster, but have been led to believe that's really because of the better pads, although I think the AP's modulate better, and react with the ABS system better (not that I actually go into ABS too often).