A dyno, a laptop and a dream: the BBM Motorsport upgrade for the E91 generation of BMW 3 Series brings an extra 251 pound-feet of torque with a simple induction, exhaust and ECU re-flash. Yep, this 330d has 635 pound-feet of torque to go with its appealing red foil wrap and 19-inch BBS alloys.

BBM Motorsport's impressive project really shows the scope of tasteful performance modifications to this generation of BMW 3 Series wagons. From looking like it probably has melted candy in the leather seats, to now looking at home making sparks on the Nordschleife and racing RS6 Avants on the autobahn until the tires or nerves call it quits.

This revamp is pretty cost effective as well, with BBM offering component sales for guys who might only be able to afford one upgrade at a time. The LED lights and matte wrap might be eye-catching, but the real gold comes from 30 minutes of ‘hotsynching’ to the BMW's OBDII port.

A more effective ECU re-flash is hard to recall, but as we all know, tuners are not quite OEM in their durability and long-term reliability testing. Does the BBM kit push the limits of this excellent BMW turbo-diesel engine too high?

Despite sounding like a tractor or school bus to American ears, there is actually much more soulful inline-six bellow from the BBM upgrades. Bellows are the last thing you hear before your head meets the seat when the torque comes in a knockout punch.

Click past the jump for the full image gallery and details on the BMW E91 330d Touring by BBM Motorsport's performance and style upgrades.

2006 - 2011 BMW E91 330d Touring by BBM Motorsport

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2006 - 2011 BMW E91 330d Touring by BBM Motorsport
  • Engine/Motor: inline-6
  • Horsepower: 274
  • Torque: 635
  • Transmission: 6-speed Manual, 6-speed Auto Opt.
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Exterior

A suspension drop, tinted windows and large wheels are all the handsome 330d needs to look as authentic as any modified Audi or Mercedes. The BBM upgrade brings a full SFT Carwrap in a matte red foil that looks outstanding in the shade or sunlight. The wrap includes more matte finishes for everything that would otherwise be chrome on the BMW, like the window line accent and the kidney grilles up front.

An LED retrofit looks pretty obviously non-OEM, and a more focused racing bumper would improve the front aspect to no end. Even so, this is a handsome and clearly very performance-focused wagon.

BMW E91 330d by BBM Motorsports - Exterior Features:

- SFT Carwrap from Ibbenbüren: full wrapping with matt red foil with matte black highlights and trim

- Dark-tinted BMW emblems and the side markers

Interior

The BBM kit is not nearly as thorough on the interior, and only brings a few embossed dash panel leathers to dress up the BMW's cockpit. The leather wrap looks a bit misaligned in the one image provided, but shoppers will be far more interested in BBM's dyno and tuning expertise anyway.

BMW E91 330d by BBM Motorsports - Interior Features:

- BBM custom leather-wrapped dash, console and steering wheel

Drivetrain, Suspension and Brakes

The biggest news about the drivetrain is a colossal jump in max torque from an engine that was already quite speedy off the line. From the stock 384 pound-feet, the BBM Motorsport upgrade delivers 635 horsepower to the 9-inch-wide rear tires.

A bump of 43 horsepower to 274 is nothing compared to the extra 251 pound-feet of torque. The BMW engine's untapped performance reserves liberate enough power to make this BMW wagon feel as fast as the MTM TT BiMoto - which had an engine in front and in back.

The performance drops are impressive, about 1 second down to the high 4s for this BBM Motorsport prototype, and an increase in top speed to about 165 mph before the original 155 mph limited realizes what is going on.

BMW E91 330d by BBM Motorsports - Mechanical Upgrades:

- BBM Motorsport custom ECU chip tuning

- KW Street Comfort coil over suspension drop

- Supersprint exhaust system

- Pipercross air filter

- 19x8-inch front and 19x9-inch rear BBS CH-R rims and 225/35 and 225/30 tires

BMW E91 330d by BBM Motorsports - Performance Details:

Engine

3.0-liter BMW 330d Turbo-Diesel - E91 Stock Power Outputs

3.0-liter BMW 330d Turbo-Diesel - E91 BBM Motorsport Power Outputs

Transmission

6-Speed Manual or Automatic

6-Speed Manual or Automatic

Power

231 horsepower

274 horsepower

Torque

384 pound-feet

635 pound-feet

0-60 mph

5.6 seconds, est

4.7 seconds, est

Top Speed

155 mph

165 mph, est

EPA Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined)

35/45/37, est

33/43/34, est


Pricing and Availability

The whole upgrade or its components are available now for all E90 and E91 models running this engine, but the exhaust pieces will be Touring-specific versus the sedan due to a slightly longer rear overhang on the wagons.

Pricing of the BBM engine computer chips, exhaust upgrade and styling modifications are available at the firm's home page.