‘Modifying’ is a unclean word to many OEMs nowadays.
Once upon a time, tuners like Alpina and AC Schnitzer were embraced with open arms by automotive manufacturers, but cruising and tuning culture within the ’90s and 2000s modified the general public’s perception of the modified scene.
Add to that the mixing of the best-regarded tuning houses into the OEMs themselves, stricter laws and emissions regulations, and the divide between the brand new automotive market and the aftermarket industry was certain to extend.
BMW Park Lane stands out within the UK by being the one non-franchised dealership, and it has been doing things otherwise because the BMW UK flagship store for the reason that Eighties.
It’s only right then that if any dealership were to permit a celebration of the elite BMW aftermarket industry, it could be Park Lane in London.
This weekend’s event wasn’t Evolve’s first ‘Showroom Takeover’ at BMW Park Lane, and it actually wasn’t your typical automotive meet either. For the third time, it was a likelihood for BMW to welcome its enthusiast fan base into the space with open arms.
There aren’t themes to the Evolve takeovers, not intentionally at the least. But 2024 have to be the yr of the unicorn. As a die-hard lover of cars with blue and white roundels, I can assure you, there was a dream selection on show.
What is sort of possibly essentially the most desirable BMW to never exist until recently is the M3 Touring. A capable chassis, responsive engine and space for all of the family and their luggage? Appears like the proper recipe.
Within the case of this instance, that perfect recipe has been spiced up a little bit because of the parents over at Pit+Paddock, Precision Sports Industries and Turn14 Distribution within the USA.
Some may remember I wrote about this E91 ‘M3′ GTS Touring and the team behind it back in February, but I didn’t think I’d ever see it in person.
The GTS Touring had touched down on from the USA earlier this week as a part of the CSF x Pit+Paddock European Tour, and Park Lane was its first stop. It’ll be at a whole lot of big shows over the subsequent six weeks, so keep your eyes peeled. It’s not come over alone though, and the incredible CSF Porsche 911 might be joining it at a few of these events too.
This Fire Orange machine is stunning, and after spending a while inside and around it taking all of it in, I couldn’t discover a single flaw. I urge you to read the feature in case you haven’t done so already to essentially appreciate the small print.
Parked next to the M3 Touring was one in every of the rarest E9x M3s ever produced – the one-of-67 M3 ‘Carbon Racing Technology’ – or CRT for brief. Under the skin, this is basically an M3 GTS with a 4.4L S65 V8 engine paired with BMW’s DCT gearbox in an aggressive state of tune.
Where the GTS is a hardcore, stripped-out and caged track animal, the CRT is rather more road-oriented. It retains a full interior, with bespoke front and rear bucket seats trimmed in two-tone red and black to tie in with the red accents dotted around the outside. It might not have the GTS’s carbon fibre roof, however it does have a bespoke carbon bonnet.
Speaking of GTS models, the ‘BMW M’ room across the hall from Park Lane’s entrance was home to 2 more examples wearing the orange accents related to those letters – an M4 GTS and Evolve’s own tackle an M2 GTS.
The M4 took BMW’s GTS formula and turned up the intensity. Imran Arshad, co-founder of Evolve, desired to push the formula even further and apply it to the little gem of BMW’s M range – the M2.
Affectionately generally known as Starla, Imran maintains that is his favourite Evolve construct thus far.
Before GTS, nonetheless, got here CSL – an abbreviation legendary to BMW M enthusiasts.
While its roots could be traced back to the Seventies and Group 2 touring automotive homologation, the words ‘Coupé, Sport, Lightweight’ are most fondly related to the limited-run E46 M3 CSL of the early 2000s.
For the G82 M4 coupé, the GTS formula made way for the CSL badge to come back back, this time evolved into ‘Competition, Sport, Lightweight.’
Imran and the team at Evolve saw the M4-only special edition model as a chance to construct their very own tackle an M3 CSL Touring; BMW M owners who need more practicality than a coupé can offer don’t need to miss out on all of the fun. Eventuri intakes, a Remus titanium exhaust and CSF cooling are only among the aftermarket upgrades that complement the OEM CSL retrofits on this wagon.
Let me check my list of BMW acronyms… we’re attending to the underside here.
The centre of the Park Lane exhibition was home to 2 British racing green coupés. A historic example in the shape of an E36 M3 GT, and its spiritual successor in the shape of a BMW M2 ‘GT’ – taking one of the best of the available aftermarket to create a contemporary rendition of the fabled M3 GT.
The M3 GT is an ode to classic tuning, with intake manifold and camshaft tweaks extracting nine horsepower over an ordinary M3. Under the M2 GT’s bonnet lives 800hp because of turbo upgrades, Eventuri intakes and CSF cooling modifications amongst others.
Just have a look at the wheels, bodykit accessories and GT-inspired wing. The M2 GT actually is a contemporary tackle old-school tuning.
To top off the incredible selection? Essentially the most recent addition to the Evolve fleet – a BMW 1M Coupé construct powered by an E9x M3 V8. Painted in BMW Individual Java Green, this pocket rocket arguably has essentially the most attitude out of all of the display cars.
It also has a special place in my heart, because it lived fairly local to me in London for a very long time before finding its technique to Imran previously few weeks. I used to see (and listen to) it driving around, and it at all times made me smile.
That’s why BMW’s recognition of the aftermarket industry is so special.
People don’t just buy a BMW to have any old automotive; they buy a BMW due to its sporting heritage and the aspirational value of the brand. They’re tweaked, fettled and modified across all corners of the globe and by owners of each generation of the marque.
It was refreshing to listen to conversations erupting at Park Lane throughout the event. Owners of brand name recent BMW i models learning from modified and classic enthusiasts as to why the M3 GT’s green interior is so special, or why the modified 4.6-litre engine within the orange M3 Touring is notable in comparison with the 4.0-litre it left the factory with.
But I also overheard owners of older cars listening intently because the owners of the most recent BMWs described how their latest purchase – whether an M8 Competition or an i5 – is to drive. Lots of these owners have had BMWs for many of their lives, with various degrees of modification.
What does that indicate? A shared connection, emotion and love for the BMW brand.
I’m an actual BMW enthusiast, and I even have been since my mother picked me up from school in a new-to-her BMW 840ci Sport – with the headlights popped up in fact. Since then she’s had BMWs from the M, X, Z and even the MINI ranges. It didn’t take me long to get right into a BMW of my very own.
My mum still has her 840ci, now with an aftermarket exhaust system, and I still have the 740i Sport I purchased at 19.
To see owners, fans, purists and modifiers of BMWs being recognised by the brand itself is incredible. Long may it proceed.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn
mariochristou.world
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
