Have you ever ever encountered a automobile at a show that completely blows you away, making every thing else feel a bit… extraordinary by comparison?
Automobile shows are undeniably fun for anyone with a deep love for cars, but for normal attendees like myself, they will sometimes feel repetitive. Perhaps it’s the shortage of innovation, the predictable formats, or the customarily unfinished projects on display. With the latter, I blame social media, where sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes content often overshadow the standard unveiling process.
Despite doing multiple walks through the 2024 Oslo Motorshow back in October, it was towards the tip of my time on the show that something I had previously missed caught my eye. I’m so glad it did because Jørgen Aune‘s 2002 BMW E46 M3 is crazy cool.
Jørgen, a 39-year-old automobile builder and owner of JAAS Industriservice AS/JAAS Performance in Surnadal, Norway, has been immersed within the modified automobile scene for over 30 years. In that point, he’s built several cars, including two we’ve featured before: a 900hp BMW M3 clone and a 1,000hp BMW E21 ‘Street Sweeper.’
At first glance, Jørgen’s recent E46 BMW M3 may seem like a comparatively extraordinary construct — when you look past the oversized wheels and tyre setup. But as is commonly the case along with his creations, there’s excess of meets the attention.
Jørgen’s signature style revolves around a clean and subtle exterior, with only a number of well-chosen aftermarket touches. The true artistry at all times lies beneath the surface. We’ll delve into those details shortly.
His principal focus with the outside was to accommodate massive 300/68/18 Michelin racing slicks under the rear wheel wells. To realize this, 40mm of additional body width was added to every rear fender. On the front, no modification was needed to suit the chosen Michelin 280/68/18 rubber. The wheels are three-piece Work Meister S1s: 18×10.5-inch on the front and 18×11-inch on the rear.
The BMW also sports a custom carbon fibre front lip, an HGK carbon roof, and an aftermarket boot lid, all contributing to its minimalist yet purposeful look.
And now, for the part that made my jaw drop. Displayed on the Buldre Racing Team booth, the M3’s presence was unmistakable. If you happen to know Buldre, you’ll understand that these Norwegian tuning experts are known for constructing insane machines capable of manufacturing ridiculous power.
The massive Garrett intercooler hanging from the front is the primary clue that something extraordinary lies under the E46’s hood.
Behold, the wildest-looking BMW S62B50 engine I’ve ever laid eyes on.
What immediately caught my attention was the engine’s unusual layout. Jørgen has repositioned the engine 350mm rearward, primarily to accommodate a modified BMW E30 325i differential, reversed and mounted in front of the engine. That’s right, this M3 puts its power down through all 4 wheels.
This radical setup allowed for the installation of dual Precision 6266 turbos, each with a 50mm wastegate. With the engine sitting farther back within the bay, custom piping was fabricated to route air through the intercooler before it enters the combustion chambers via dual Bosch 74mm throttle bodies.
If that’s not wild enough, try the custom air intakes routed through the headlights!
The engine’s internals are equally impressive: ported heads by Tore Toppklokk with Supertech valves, Wiseco forged pistons, and ZRP forged connecting rods all work in tandem with the stock BMW S62B50 crankshaft, ensuring rock-solid reliability.
The MaxxECU engine management system was tuned in-house by Jørgen himself. The result? A staggering 1,250hp and 1,400Nm at 1.6bar (23.2psi) of boost.
All this power is transmitted through a Tilton quad-plate clutch and custom flywheel right into a Samsonas 5-speed sequential gearbox, paired with a Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R transfer case. The rear diff is a BMW E34 M5 unit, with Gripper LSDs featuring front and rear.
Once unibody, the M3’s chassis now revolves around a custom tube frame. Coilover suspension – a mixture of AST (front) and BC Racing (rear) – enhances the handling and sets the ride height, while Ksport 8-piston and 6-piston brakes front and rear, respectively, make sure the automobile can stop in addition to it goes.
The front frame extends into the cabin, where a completely integrated 6-point roll cage and 4 additional rear attachment points ensure that the structure can withstand all on-track punishment.
Inside, the BMW’s original interior is totally gone, replaced with a stripped-down, race-focused setup. The firewall was custom-built to accommodate the relocated engine, and a specially fabricated transmission tunnel was created to suit the 4-inch exhaust system.
Mounted on the tunnel are a Blink Marine keypad for controls, a QSP hydraulic handbrake with a Wilwood master cylinder, and a Samsonas shifter for lightning-fast gear changes.
The inside also features Atech bucket seats with 6-point harnesses, a QSP steering wheel, and an ECUmaster ADU7 dash logger for advanced data monitoring.
The trunk houses two 405mm Spal cooling fans paired with an HGK 970x470x65mm dual-pass radiator. Fuel is supplied by three Walbro 535 pumps, a Nuke Performance regulator, and a custom catch tank.
“The thought to construct an AWD BMW M3 got here to me because I used to be uninterested in spinning the wheels with my previous cars. This time, I wanted something that would hook up,” says Jørgen. “The principal inspiration was Ken Block’s Hoonicorn Mustang. I wanted something that would do the identical insane things – but additionally compete within the Gatebil Extreme series. Above all, though, I wanted to construct something nobody had ever done before.”
With those words, I can’t wait to see Jørgen in motion at next 12 months’s Gatebil events – each competing in time attack and putting his AWD drift skills to the test within the Breisladden (Power Drift) competition. What a machine!
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
