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2011 BMW M3 by ATT-TEC 
Rastatt, Germany is, by most accounts, a place you wouldn’t be able to point on a map even if you’re life depended on it, but that doesn’t mean the town is a mere afterthought. On the contrary, it’s the home of German tuner ATT-TEC, a tuning company that specializes in wicked programs for BMWs. Their latest project is for the BMW M3 E93 Convertible. Comprised of a complete aerodynamic and performance upgrade, ATT-TEC went to great lengths to give the M3 some serious looking edge. Aesthetically, the tuner gave the sports car a matte black wrapping foil to go with new carbon fiber components, particularly on the hood, the grille, mirrors, and side gills. Then, they fitted the M3 with a new set of 20" one-piece forged ADV.1 rims wrapped in 245/30R20 (front) and 295/20R20 (rear) Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta tires. Finally, ATT-TEC gave the car a KW Variant 3 inox-line coilover kit, which is adjustable for ride height, rebound, and damping. Moving on to the engine, ATT-TEC fitted an SK I “Sporty Drive” supercharger system from G-Power to the M3’s 4.0-liter V8 engine, before reprogramming its ECU unit and adding a new stainless steel exhaust. The result of all the engine tweaking is a car that now carries an output of 520 horsepower, a 100-horsepower increase from the stock model’s 420-horsepower output. As far as prices go, the aesthetic modifications cost €2,600 ($3,400) while the complete wheel-and-tire set hits €7,150 ($9,400) with the coil over kit costing €1,929 ($2,500). From there, the supercharger system will cost you €12,740 ($16,800) with the stainless steel exhaust setting you back another €1,595 ($2,100). Basically, customers are going to have to REALLY want to upgrade their M3 to dish out all of this cash.
2004 BMW M3 E46 by G-Power
The BMW M3 E46 is a car that’s already past its production date, but for a tuning company like G-Power, "out-dated" isn’t a word that can stop them from building one of their customary - and impressive - tuning programs. In order to give this M3 E46 something to brag to about, G-Power decided that the only way to do so was to make it more powerful than the current M3, the E92. Powered by a 3.2-liter straight cylinder engine that produces 343 horsepower and 269 lb/ft of torque, G-Power fitted a new SK I "SPORTY DRIVE" supercharger system to the car’s engine, resulting in an increased output of 450 horsepower and 339 lb/ft of torque. In addition to the supercharger system, G-Power also fitted the M3 E46 with a new set of 20" Silverstone Diamond wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Tires while also adding a new coilover suspension, a stainless steel muffler, and high performance brakes. With all the modifications in tow, the G-Power-tuned M3 E46 is now capable of hitting 0-124 mph in just 14.7 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph. By comparison, the current M3 - called the E92 - comes with a 4.0-liter, M V8 engine that delivers 414 horsepower. In their mission to set-up the M3 E46 to be faster and more powerful than the current generation model, G-Power accomplished all that and more.
TopSpeed Rendering: U.S. Bound BMW M135i Coupe Earlier this year, at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, BMW unveiled a very cool M135i Concept and, of course, shortly thereafter rumors began about a production version. A few weeks ago, we brought the first spy shots of the M135i testing around Nurburgring and now we’re hearing that the U.S. may be getting their own version of the M135i, but in Coupe form. We expect the future M135i Coupe to feature the same setup as that of the Wagon, so we should see a sport-tuned suspension with M sport brakes, a new set of 18-inch M light alloys with a double spoke design, and an aerodynamic body kit. Under the hood, BMW may place the straight six-cylinder petrol engine that features M Performance Twin Power Turbo technology possibly with a few tweaks here and there. Output should come in at about 300 HP as in the Wagon version. The engine will be combined with a rear-wheel drive system. An official debut for the BMW M135i Coupe should be made sometime in late 2013 or early 2014.
BMW’s Active Sound: Cool Trick or Useless Gimmick?
Not all of us are quite privileged enough to be able to lump down enough money to import a 2012 BMW M5 into the U.S., nor are we all patient enough to await the 2013 release of the new M5. This means we are stuck with videos from people like the fine folks over at Bimmerpost. One of the new features on the 2012 M5, which will likely be a part of the M5 when it hits U.S. showrooms for the 2013 model year, is the Active Sound system. This is a system that is integrated with the stereo system and pipes engine notes through the stereo’s speakers. So, here is our dilemma… Is this new feature a cool trick or simply a useless gimmick that BMW is slapping on this ride to make it seem cooler? The folks at Bimmerpost saved the day again by providing us automotive nerds with audio of the 2012 M5 with the AS system active, then with it deactivated, which involves yanking a fuse that also disables the entire stereo system and the rear parking assistant. After listening to the two audio clips, which you can do in the above video, we can certainly tell the difference between the actual engine sound and the digitized engine sound. While BMW did go to great lengths to help match the digi-engine with the real engine, it is really a disappointment. To some people it might be a cool feature, but real auto buffs want to hear the engine itself. BMW could help us all out by putting an “On/Off” switch on this feature, without having to disable the entire audio system by pulling the fuse. This rings even more true with folks that add in aftermarket components to this already high-performance sedan. They want to hear the modified turbo whistle, blow-off valve, and exhaust note, not some synthesized version of the stock engine. We call this a useless gimmick for now. Let us know how you feel in the comments section below!
2012 BMW M5 wrecked following horrific autobahn crash
Even though the autobahn is one of the most technologically-advanced highway systems in the world, the lack of speed limits do present a few problems. There are some unwritten rules in regards to the autobahn as drivers pushing their cars generally keep to the inside lane and leave their left indicators on as a warning to upcoming cars to move aside. Just like any other highway system, accidents always occur and the latest involved a 2012 BMW M5 being driven at speeds in excess of 186. Reports claim that the crash occurred after the 60-year-old driver swerved to avoid a car which merged into his lane erratically, before spearing into the central divider, sliding across the road and flipping multiple times before coming to a rest on the grass bordering the road. It’s unclear just how fast the M5 was travelling at the time of the crash, but based on the following pictures, the crash must have been fairly violent. Furthermore, when the car came to a rest the engine bay caught fire, but thankfully the driver’s sons were able to put out the blaze, who were following the M5 in an M6 and M3. Thankfully all the passengers involved, including a dog, managed to escape the crash without serious injury but the M5 is definitely a write-off which is a real shame.
Spy Shots: BMW M135i caught testing at the Nurburgring BMW M GmbH president, Friedrich Nitschke, already confirmed that the M135i Concept unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show would make it to production and as proof of that statement, our spy photographers have caught the car doing some quick laps around the Nürburgring in Germany. The future M135i will be powered by an N55 6-cylinder inline engine that will deliver about 320 HP. The engine will be combined with a rear-wheel drive system and a powerful sport-tuned suspension with M sport brakes. According to Nitschke, it will also be offered with an optional AWD system. The future M135i is also said to come with a new set of 18-inch M light alloys with a double spoke design and an aerodynamic body kit. Considering the prototype caught testing this time was a three-door model, it seems that BMW will also be offering it in two body styles. All of this considered, it seems BMW is pretty serious about offering a competitor for the Mercedes A25 AMG.
2008 BMW M3 Estoril Blue by European Auto Source
Didn’t we just feature a BMW M3 that was tuned by the boys over at European Auto Source? Jump back a few weeks to the middle of March 2012 and you’ll see a similar BMW M3 that was treated to a comprehensive tuning program from VF Engineering and EAS. But while that particular M3 - billed as "Orange Fever" - sported a stealthy matte black carbon fiber look, this M3 is dressed with a custom Matte Estoril Blue Paint finish by C&C Collision. Fancy color notwithstanding, the M3 also gets an aerodynamic kit from Vorsteiner that includes a carbon fiber GTS3 front bumper, a carbon fiber aero boot lid, an aero rear diffuser, and a carbon fiber roof. Matte black kidney grilles and fender gills are also part of the exterior program, as are the carbon fiber mirror caps and the new set of 19" 360 Forged Spec 5 Wheels with Brembo TG BBK brakes. Under the hood, European Auto Source provided the M3 with a VF620 Supercharger System with its own Vortech V3Si Compressor and 6.0-7.0psi manifold boost pressure, shooting the sedan’s overall output to an impressive 700 horsepower, around 80 more ponies than the Orange Fever M3.
2012 BMW M3 Coupe Frozen Silver Edition
In 2011, the US market received a special edition M3 "Frozen Silver" Competition Edition and now it’s the Brits turn to get in on the Frozen paint job action. BMWwill be providing UK customers with a special edition M3 Coupe Frozen Silver Edition as part of BMW M GmbH’s 40th anniversary, and while US customers only got 40 units of the special M3, British customers will get 100 units to fight over. On the exterior, the M3 Coupe Frozen Silver Edition features a Frozen Silver metallic paint and a new set of 19" matte black alloy wheels. These features are joined by a new exhaust, side gills, and kidney surrounds in carbon fiber and Jet Black bonnet intakes. The car’s ride has also been lowered by 10mm for an even sportier look. For the interior, BMW has added Black Novillo leather with contrast stitching and Palladium leather armrests and inserts, a new steering wheel sheathed in Alcantara, and plenty of carbon fiber to finish off the look. Under the hood, the BMW M3 keeps its usual 420 HP V8 engine with power transferred to the road via the standard seven-speed M DCT transmission. 2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe RS by Tuningwerk
Just when you thought that tuning programs for the BMW 1-Series M Coupe had died down, Tuningwerk comes out of the woodwork to present one, which they have affectionately called the 1M RS. With the intention of creating a street-legal race car from the 1-Series M Coupe, the German tuner decided to shave off any excess weight from the stock model. That involved replacing a number of body panels on the car with carbon fiber, including the hood, the boot lid, the GT4 front lip spoiler, the rear wing, and yes, even the Recaro bucket seats. All carbon fiber, all the time. Moving on to the wheels, Tuningwerk fitted the 1M RS with a new set of 19" forged ATS superlight wheels wrapped in Dunlop Sport Maxx high-performance tires. For the engine, Tuningwerk pretty much injected the 1M Coupe’s 3.0-liter turbocharged engine with enough upgrades to significantly increase the car’s output. The German tuner modified the turbochargers and the cooling system, installed a custom exhaust system, and remapped the car’s ECU unit, all of which were done to give the 1M RS an output of 514 horsepower and 453 lb/ft of torque and a top speed of 186 mph. If you think those aren’t significant, you only need to look at the stock model’s 335-horsepower and 332 lb/ft of torque numbers to realize how ridiculous the power upgrade is. Rounding out Tuningwerk’s program for the 1M Coupe include the addition of a racing clutch, a sturdier suspension set-up, and a new braking system that come with optional carbon fiber discs. For all the work done on this 1M Coupe, the cost pretty much reflects it. If you’re interested in the 1M RS, be prepared to shell out €119,000, which is around $156,500 based on current exchange rates. Hit the jump for more information on the BMW 1-Series Coupe RS by Tuningwerk. Full story
2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe Dakar Yellow
Back in 2010, pictures of a Dakar Yellow BMW M3 spotted in Southern California flooded the internet, gaining the admiration of many a car enthusiast. At that time, we wondered why BMW did not carry the striking yellow exterior finish on more of their models, but alas the German automaker stuck to their high maintenance "Frozen" finishes of Dark Blue, Gray, and Silver. Until now. A similar Dakar Yellow package has been applied to the new 1-Series M Coupe, rounded out by a series of visual and power upgrades. The package starts off with a series of elements from the BMW Performance arm, including new seats, a new steering wheel, pedals, shifter, and carbon fiber trunk lip. Then, since this is a high performance sports coupe, carbon fiber elements were thrown in to enhance its character. The 1M Coupe received a new front lip, a new diffuser, new side valances and skirts, and a new roof, all covered in carbon fiber. For an even meaner look, the car also received new angel eyes. Under the flashy paint job and shimmering carbon fiber, the BMW 1M Coupe also juiced up with new Brembo brakes and a new set of KW suspensions. Next, the Dakar Yellow 1M received an Akrapovic exhaust system and a wireless kit to add to the all around fun of the sports coupe’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 340 horsepower. | Find us on Facebook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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