Originally posted by: vi_edit
So all things being equal, if I take the same disk brake/rotor/pad combination found in a Porche GT2 and put them in a Camry, it will have the same stopping distance of an identical Camry with the stock drum/disk brake combo?
Assuming identical tires?
Yes. The brakes won't even break a sweat, but the tires will still easily lose traction like they did before. The limiting factor is the tires' adhesion to the road, not the brakes, so beefing up the brakes won't do you a bit of good.
Having big brake kits on sports cars doesn't decrease the stopping distance at highway speeds. What it does do is give the brakes more thermal capacity and increase fade resistance. So if you're on a racetrack making hard brakes repeatedly, the better brake system won't fade as easily.
Brembo link
"At the speeds that stopping distance is generally measured from (60 to 70mph), the test is primarily testing the tire's grip on the pavement. As delivered from the manufacturer, nearly all vehicles are able to engage the ABS or lock the wheels at these speeds. Therefore, an increase in braking power will do nothing to stop the vehicle in a shorter distance."
Grassroots motorsports
"This highlights that big brakes don?t actually help your car stop in shorter distances, you install them for their increased thermal capacity. Your tires and their contact patch are actually more important for braking distances"
