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  • TUNED BMW M2: STIFF COMPETITION

    BMW’s M2 Competition is a pretty devastating weapon straight from the showroom floor. But this aggressively tuned example? This one’s as hard as nails…

    Feature taken from Fast Car magazine. Words Daniel Bevis Photography Daniel Pullen

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    BMW’s M division has always dabbled craftily with the fusion of the suave and the aggressive. Picture a stylish, crisply cut Savile Row suit; perhaps a sober black with a delicate charcoal pinstripe. But within it resides not an accountant or a lawyer, but a snarling bear with glistening rows of knife-sharp teeth, its rippling muscles barely contained by the genteel fabric. That’s basically what the original BMW M5 was. Unleashed upon the crowded executive/midsize market in 1985, it took many a boy racer by surprise at the lights, looking for all the world like the motorway-munching wheels of a travelling salesman (albeit one who was doing rather well for himself).

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    Beneath that stylish suit hid the chassis from the M535i and the engine from the spaceship-like M1; it had 282bhp, which was a lot for the mid-eighties. Hell, it’s a lot now. And ever since that original foray into the entertaining world of stealth ballistics, the M5 has consistently remained a paragon of neatly tailored brutality and, a few generations down the line, its influence has spread throughout the ever-expanding M-pire with subtle but devastating force.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    Look at the M2, which is currently lurking malevolently in the showrooms. There’s a car with a twisted development story – it’s based on the 2 Series, which was launched to replace the coupe and convertible variants of the 1 Series. So it’s already a confused proposition, being an upscaled badge on a lengthened version of a hatchback which, oddly, is the size of the older versions of the saloons that sit above it in the model line-up. Keeping up with all this? Stick with it, it gets weirder. BMW decided to amp up the details to create the M2, an entry-level proposition for the broader M catalogue and a spiritual successor to the old 1 Series M Coupe.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    But as the project developed, it became increasingly apparent that the M division doesn’t really do ‘entry-level’, and the whole thing started to get a bit crazy. The M2 was fitted with a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six, good for a vivid 365bhp, and you could either choose a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed M-DCT dual-clutch transmission, the latter of which featured a ‘Smokey Burnout’ mode as standard (seriously). The N55 motor was stuffed with pistons pinched from the M3/M4, and the chassis sported extensive lightweight aluminium componentry to strip out oodles of weight.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    …and then things became even more bonkers. You see, the car we have before the camera today is no ordinary M2. And we’re not specifically talking about the aftermarket upgrades; the key point here is that this is an M2 Competition. And that one word stands for a lot. What’s the difference? The standard M2 runs the aforementioned N55 straight-six with the M3/M4 pistons, but the M2 Competition takes that idea a step further by essentially pinching the entire twin-turbo S55 engine from the M3/M4, lightly modifying cooling and lubrication for the M2 application. All of this gives the perky two-door a handy 405bhp. That’s a huge amount of horsepower to shovel into a car with such a compact profile, which serves to prove how the M division really is kicking out the jams these days. BMW has basically modified the M2 on buyers’ behalf and sold it with a warranty.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    So, the M2 Competition serves as a pretty bloody rambunctious base for a project, you’ll no doubt agree. And sidling into the story here from stage left are the guys from Car Audio Security – an aftermarket powerhouse with a long and illustrious history of taking desirable motors and making them, well, more desirable. The modus operandi is clear, owing to the fact that Car Audio Security don’t only deal with matters pertaining to car audio and security; both of those elements are at the forefront of their builds, of course, but the fact that this company is also an approved dealer for Rotiform wheels and Air Lift suspension means that these cars all share common values. In short, they get dropped into the weeds on saucy rims. And that’s precisely what’s happened here.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    Snapping up a showroom-fresh example of the factory-hot-rodded Competition model, this collective of mad scientists wasted no time in tearing into the stock suspension; the M2’s now wearing a full Air Lift setup, complete with custom boot install and the air-ride controller neatly mounted in the lower dash. This is a seamless integration in the interior, which features all of the fancy bits you’d expect of an M car (particularly those awesome seats – just look at them, they’re magnificent) along with the desirable carbon pack.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    And if carbon fibre’s your bag, look at what’s been going on outside. That crisp Alpine White is masterfully counterpointed by a tasteful smattering of carbon – and the more you look, the more you find. At the nose we spot carbon kidney grilles, and a glossy splitter at the bottom; moving to the side we find the material upgrade taking over the mirrors, the wing vents and the lower splitters, and at the tail end there’s a lip spoiler on the bootlid and a racy diffuser down below.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    The carbon offers the perfect motorsport vibe to take the M2 Competition to the next level – an effect hugely amplified by the wheel choice. Check ’em out, they even say ‘MOTORSPORT’ in huge letters on each one! These are Rotiform’s fresh BUC-M design, a Touring Car-inspired multispoke affair that suits the coupe – quite literally – down to the ground.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    The overall package is simple but effective, and very much in-keeping with the M division’s own vibe: the fusion of the suave and the aggressive. This M2 just happens to wear its aggression a little more openly – yes, it’s still a snarling bear in a Savile Row suit… but this one’s got neck tattoos and chunky signet rings. The full M experience, but with a harder edge.

    Tuned BMW M2 Competition

    TECH SPEC: BMW M2

    Styling:
    Alpine White, carbon fibre front splitter, carbon wing mirrors, carbon kidney grilles, carbon boot spoiler, carbon side vents, carbon side splitters, carbon rear diffuser

    Tuning:
    N55B30T0 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six, 7-speed dual-clutch M-DCT

    Chassis:
    8.5×19” Rotiform BUC-M wheels, Nankang AS-2+ tyres, Air Lift Performance suspension

    Interior:
    Carbon pack, Air Lift controller installed in lower dash

    Source

  • Someone turned a Porsche Carrera GT into the ultimate track car, and now it can be yours

    The Porsche Carrera GT is a pretty extreme vehicle, but for one original owner there was additional performance required.

    The Carrera GT you see here, a 2005 example, was originally ordered by a customer from Belgium who wanted to take it racing, and thus fulfil Porsche’s original goal for the engine and platform that went into the Carrera GT (they were originally developed for Le Mans).

    As a result, he ended up commissioning a firm by the name of GPR Racing to turn his supercar into a race car. The result is the Carrera GT-R you see here, and it’s currently listed for sale by expert restorer Mechatronik for 849,000 euros (approximately $1,037,180).

    Porsche Carrera GT-R by GPR Racing

    Porsche Carrera GT-R by GPR Racing

    Incredibly, it only has 2,000 kilometers (approximately 1,242 miles) on its odometer. It never ended up being used as a race car as there was no series where it could be homologated, even with Balance of Performance rules. According to the listing, the car is making 650 horsepower, up from the stock Carrera GT’s 603 hp.

    The modifications made to the car are extensive and allegedly cost over 220,000 euros. The list includes a new engine management system from Motec, a custom pushrod suspension system including new wishbones, and brakes from AP Racing. There’s also an air jack system, BBS magnesium wheels, and a stripped out interior where everything that needed to stay was replaced with lighter carbon-fiber elements. A roll cage and fire suppression system have also been installed.

    You can find the listing here.

    Source

  • TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN: PRACTICAL JOKER

    As you reach that point in your life when you’ve bought a practical estate car, it’s time to be sensible… isn’t it? No, Jack Hutchins doesn’t think so – his grown-up tuned MINI R55 Clubman’s packing air-ride, Rotiforms, and 290bhp…

    Feature taken from Fast Car magazine. Words Joe Partridge Photos Matt Clifford

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    Life, as the internet is always keen to point out, comes at you fast. You start out tearing about in hot hatches and before you know it, you’ve unexpectedly grown up and you find yourself trundling around in an estate car, desperately trying to figure out where your youth went.

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    Jack Hutchins, however, is a guy with vision. He’s not prepared to sit back and let life happen to him, he’s out there in forthright fashion actively pursing the next stages of his own personal development. It’s helped enormously that his first car wasn’t exactly your average first car – whereas most of us kick off with a crap twenty-year-old 1.0 runabout, Jack’s debut ride was an R56 MINI Cooper. What’s more, it was practically brand new – he bought it cheap with heavy accident damage, expertly repaired it all by himself, then set about fitting air ride and custom audio and CCW wheels. He’s a fella with a clear idea of what he wants. That car was good enough to earn itself a magazine feature and now, at the tender age of 22, he’s got his second feature car – a sensible-but-not-really R55 Clubman. “I chose an R55 this time as I wanted to stay with MINI because they’re fun to drive, but I needed the extra practicality,” he explains. “Yes, the Clubman isn’t massive, but it’s perfect for what I need it for – my R56 was impractical for travelling around due to the air tank and subwoofer filling the boot.”

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    Sound reasoning, and what’s also impressive to note is that while the old hatch was in Cooper spec, the Clubman Jack’s driving now is a full-fat John Cooper Works (JCW). Evidently the insurance cliff edge that drops away when you hit 21 is very much still a thing…

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    “Funnily enough, when I first started looking for Clubmans I was actually looking at diesels!” he laughs. “I liked the idea of having a practical and reliable daily car. It was only a week before I found this JCW that I was on the phone to a company up north about purchasing a Hampton Edition diesel, however, it had already been sold. I gave it another few days of searching and found this car online at UKI Sudbury; it was a little out of budget, but it was the best spec I’d seen for sale and it had the newer N18 engine. The JCW Clubmans are quite rare anyway, so I thought I needed to grab it while I could.”

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    And so with impeccable logic, Jack scooped it up, brought it home, and immediately started taking it to pieces. As one does. Within a week it was wearing the air-ride setup and CCW wheels from the old R56, and was ready for its first show! Infuriatingly, though, he had to attend said show with one cardboard window after someone broke into the Clubman and stole his camera gear, but such hurdles don’t cause strong-willed types like Jack to stumble for long.

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    As the car fell into daily use, our man gradually began to pool together desirable upgrades as and when they became available at the right price. The JCW is fabulously well-optioned in factory form, so he already had a head start on the juicy specs and it was more a case of enhancing than starting from scratch. Various carbon fibre trims, a JCW scuttle and strut brace, and a colour-coded Cooper fuel filler found their way into the mix, before Jack set about smoothing little details here and there to give the Clubman a classy and subtle OEM+ vibe. Being a true-blue wheel hound, it wasn’t long before he started considering his rolling stock, concluding that he fancied a set of BBS splits but was happy to wait until the right ones came along – in the meantime, he’s packing staggered Rotiform RSEs with some truly interesting tyre size choices. (A fair amount of stretch, which allows them to tuck in perfectly when he airs out… and just check out the rubber band nature of the 185/35 fronts!)

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    By the time early 2019 came around, Jack started thinking about readying the car for the trek to Wörthersee – which, of course, isn’t just about Volkswagens any more. The annual stance-scene pilgrimage to Austria embraces modifications with global influence, and Jack’s new USDM-spec arches fit the bill perfectly. But the makeover plans weren’t just about bolting on some new plastics. No, he was going all-in for this trip. “Parking the car up in the garage, I removed the rear wipers, both bumpers, intercooler, intake pipes, downpipe and rear light surrounds,” he explains. “The car was now ready for paint! I then refitted the intercooler, decat downpipe, spark plugs, intake filter, diverter valve, boost pipes and Powerflex engine mount so the car was able to drive, and dropped it off at Sprint Autos in Yardley Wood. When I collected it a week later, the screw holes in the front bumper had been fixed, the rear bumper freshened up, reflectors smoothed, rear wiper holes smoothed, door dinks removed and various other little bits fixed up. I decided not to do the usual ‘de-chrome everything’ job that a lot of people do, I wanted the keep it looking fairly stock with just my own stamp on it.”

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    Once he had the car back, Jack renewed the CV boots, water pump pulley and tensioner, and gave it a full service, readying it for a remap and a bit more power. He then busied himself wiring in the USDM arches to the existing sidelights, and fitting height sensors for the air ride so that the Air Lift 3H management’s self-levelling function could be enabled and the car would maintain its set height, regardless of what he threw in the boot or how many passengers he was carrying. The final flourish was to complete the boot build. Again, practicality was the watchword, so he trimmed the spare wheel well in black carpet to match the interior, tucked the wiring and compressor out of sight, and simply made a low-key feature of the satin black AccuAir ENDO air tank and Air Lift Performance management block so that it still oozed show-car appeal.

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    “I added in some little extras,” Jack continues, “like the water trap drain hose under the car, the pressure release valve, and the handy addition of a quick release for air tools such as the tyre pump. All the tools and emergency kits are stowed away in the lower section of the boot in a genuine MINI rubber boot lining, making it easy to remove everything to get to the tank and quick-release valve. Then, to finish everything off, I took the Clubby to Millsys Autos in Nuneaton for a weekend to get it Stage 2 remapped.” The JCW-spec N18 is a formidable thing, and Jack’s up-specced it with an Airtec intercooler and Scorpion decat; the JCW intake is already superb so instead of junking and replacing, he’s upgraded that with an ITG filter. The car hasn’t been on the dyno yet, but given the specs it’s safe to assume a figure somewhere in the region of 290bhp.

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    “I’ve driven the car near enough every day since I bought it and, touch wood, haven’t had any major issues,” he says. “It’s carried everything from my luggage around Europe to a VW Beetle engine around the UK! I’ve had a few people say they don’t like the look of Clubmans, but I haven’t had anyone say that they don’t like the look of this one…” All of which makes Jack’s point rather well. The versatility of the MINI range meant that he could upscale his beloved older project to something similar but bigger, and along the way he’s gained a whole load more power and oodles of eye-catching custom ideas – but above all this was built to be used. Don’t let the show-car finish fool you, that’s exactly what happens. Sure, life can come at you fast – but if, like Jack, you’ve got a clear idea of what you want, you can take it all at your own pace.

    TUNED MINI R55 CLUBMAN

    TECH SPEC: MINI R55 Clubman

    Styling:
    USDM front arches, rear reflectors and wipers smoothed, de-badged, Cooper fuel cap, JCW scuttle vents, blackline headlights and side repeaters, LED DRLs.

    Tuning:
    N18 1.6-litre turbo, Stage 2 Manic remap, Airtec intercooler, Scorpion decat, GFB diverter valve, Forge boost pipes, ITG air filter, Evo X spark plugs, Powerflex engine mount insert, 6-speed manual. Power: 290bhp

    Chassis:
    8x17in ET30 (front) and 9x17in ET30 (rear) Rotiform RSE cast wheels, 185/35 (f) and 195/40 (r) tyres, Air Lift Performance front and rear shocks, Air Lift 3H management and height sensors, and JCW strut brace.

    Interior:
    Factory options inc. heated front screen, panoramic sunroof, Harmon Kardon speakers, heated Recaro seats, 2x seats in rear (rather than the usual 3), leather dash top and Alcantara dash trims, carbon fibre gear knob and handbrake handle, carbon fibre speedo surround, carbon door handles and door trims, spare wheel-well trimmed in black carpet with air compressor, air tank and management.

    Thanks:
    “I’d like to thank my Dad for letting me use his tools, Tony from Sprint Autos in Yardley Wood for spending the time sorting out the paint and bodywork, and the MiniFOO guys for all the help with the questions I’ve been asking! I’d also like to thank the two companies, Shift.Co and Millsys Autos for sorting out parts and tuning.”

    Source