For it's first round of modifications this brand new M5 came to us for the essentials. Swapping the OEM front orange reflectors with Alpine White color-matched IND reflectors and replacing the chrome kidney grills with a set of matte black grills instantly cleaned up the appearance of this M5. To improve the stance and handling of the car we installed the H&R sport lowering springs, giving it a stiffer ride and dropping the car by 1.0" in the front and 0.6" in the rear. Last but not least we installed the Eisenmann Sport Exhaust System featuring the 102mm tips for a more aggressive look and tone.
Steve W. from Washington sent us these photos of his 2013 Lime Rock Park Edition after installing two sets of Macht Schnell wheel spacers. Fitted with 15mm spacers in the front and 12mm spacers in the rear, the OEM black ZCP wheels are now pushed out to the edges of the fenders giving this E92 M3 a properly aggressive stance. In our opinion this is how the car should have come from the factory. Looking good Steve!
Of all the modifications, perhaps some of the most coveted are the BMW Performance Seats. It isn't difficult to see why; designed and manufactured by Recaro, these reclinable bucket seats offer superior support and styling over the standard seats while weighing in at about 10lbs less. Luxury isn't spared in the slightest. Featuring high-end Alcantara and leather construction, adjustable height, integrated airbags and seat heaters, the BMW Performance seats offer the best in both sporty driving and comfort.
BMW Performance Seat Features:
- Modern sport seat made from lightweight buckets (~10lbs lighter than stock seats)
- Very sporty design coordinated with BMW and other Performance parts
- Very good side support combined with high level of comfort
- High standard of safety thanks to integrated side airbag
- Lower structure similar to that used in race cars
- Two different heights and two different angles using perforated plate
- BMW Performance logo on backrest
- Developed and produced by Recaro
- Seat heating can be connected to an existing control unit
- Made using black Alcantara & black leather
Unlike the naturally aspirated S65 engine in the M3, the turbocharged N54 and N55 engines used in the 335i are very easy to make substantial power gains with bolt-on modifications. Simply by swapping the restrictive stock intake and downpipe with free flowing replacements and adding a tune, this E90 N55 335i gained 44whp and 75wtq! These highly effective bolt-on modifications are the best bang for your buck if you're looking to increase you're N55's power output.
As is common with many of our customers, the owner of this Frozen Gray E92 M3 wanted more power than the stock S65 engine offered. After reaching 390whp with a Macht Schnell Stage 2 Intake, Macht Schnell Pulleys and a full RPI exhaust, he still wanted more power. With the NA engine reaching it's maximum potential it was time to add some boost. He opted for VF Engineering's entry level VF540 supercharger system and it definitely did the trick, taking his M3 from 390whp to 508whp.
With only an Eisenmann Race exhaust fitted, Phildeez010's M3 was brought to EAS for the ESS-treatment. As with all supercharger installations, a thorough inspection was performed. Passing with flying colors, a spark plug change was recommended as the odometer was reaching the 25K mark shortly.
Baseline dyno showed 344whp peak which is average for most stock M3s. A set of Macht Schnell Bypass Track Pipes were added to the work order, and we quickly started installing the new ESS system. Once the ESS system and Macht Schnell Bypass Track Pipes were installed, the DME was flashed with the new F/I tune and quickly loaded onto the dyno, pushing out 561hp/370ft-lbs TQ at the wheels.
Equipped with the complete list of Macht Schnell bolt-on modifications and a tune, Kaiv's Alpine White E92 was able to set the record for the most powerful naturally aspirated M3 ever strapped to our dyno. We've seen a few M3's barely break the 400whp mark before, but this M3 put down an impressive 413whp! All this power doesn't go to waste though; as an avid track day attender this M3 is pushed to it's limits on a regular basis.
When M3Forum.net member Igrok decided to pull the trigger on a supercharger for his E46 M3 we were his shop of choice. Although being located 500 miles north of us we arranged to have his E46 transported to our location for the installation. Here is what Igrok had to say after he picked up his finished ESS VT2-500 supercharged M3 from us:
"I am really enjoying the car. It's an absolute beast and I can't wait for a track day.
I can't say enough good things about Tom and EAS. I had my car shipped to EAS from Bay Area and then I flew out to Orange County to pick up the car. Tom picked me up from the airport, explained everything about the install, ran the dyno, and showed me around the shop. This was all on a Saturday morning when EAS is normally not open. In my opinion, Tom went way out of his way to make things happen for me and it's greatly appreciated. I would recommend EAS as a vendor to anyone skeptical about the process."
Take a look below to see the photos we snapped throughout the entire installation process.
