BMW owners have it good. If they want to modify their ride, there are hundreds of components from plenty of top-class tuners from which they can select. Hamann, AC Schnitzer, Vorsteiner, Lumma, Breyton and Hiop are some of the more popular names available here.
Even BMW produces mod goodies under their BMW Original Accessories. The BMW Performance range includes wheels, aero body parts, brake systems, exhaust kits, sports seats and suspension components.
Any given tuner will have comprehensive packages to cover every aspect of the given model, from spoilers to gear knobs. So, the easiest way to “pimp up” one’s BMW is to select a brand and do it up as prescribed.
But the problem with downloading the entire package, as on the tuner’s catalogue, is there will be many other BMWs that are personalised like yours, which really defeats the idea of creating an original item in the first place.
Mixing and matching components from the various brands will solve this problem, but it is also fraught with minefields and booby-traps because your car may end up looking like the Batmobile (not in a good way). Worse still, it may drive like a dump truck and have the performance of one.
Get the equations and formulas right and your Bimmer will not only look great but be a hoot to drive – like Kenneth’s 335i Coupe you see here.
Sheathed in graphite grey, with hints of carbon fibre, it looks every bit the sleek and sexy road rocket that Kenneth wants it to be.
There’s a mixture of M-Aero, Hamann and BMW M3 bits, complemented by the saliva-inducing Vorsteiner carbon-fibre bonnet and bootlid.
Throw in the piece de resistance – customised 19-inch forged alloy wheels, complete with deep, shiny barrel lips and painted centres – and fine details like Shadow headlights and fog lamps, as well as the PIAA angel eyes, and this 335i looks like no other.
As if the award-winning 3-litre twin-turbo engine’s 306bhp and 400Nm of torque were not enough, this 335i went on to take up a Juice Box JB3 with variable torque maps to manage the fuelling, ignition and boost, while the Gruppe M air intake, with its carbon fibre construction, not only aids air flow but also keeps its temperature down.
A Stett intercooler cools the compressed air, while the Ultimate Racing high-flow downpipes and Supersprint exhaust finishes up the mod in style.
Constantly monitoring all engine parameters are Defi Racer gauges and a BMW Performance steering wheel equipped with an integrated electronic read-out.
In stark contrast with the predominantly dark exterior, the cabin is visibly brightened with red leather seats. Adding to the ambience are the carbon fibre-laminated panels, customised black floor mats, Hamann carbon fibre handbrake and Ultimate alloy pedals and footrest.
With outputs this prodigious, this 335i Coupe had to be beefed up in the handling and braking department, to make sure that it does not pay an unwelcomed visit to the drains lining the roads whenever Kenneth puts pedal to the metal.
Key to this is the Quaife LSD, which also enables the power to be put down onto the tarmac as efficiently as possible, and the combo of the Cross coilovers and H&R sway bars, which keep body roll in check while ensuring stability during hard cornering.
Stopping duties are taken care of by the Brembo Gran Turismo Big Brake Kit, with its six-pot front and four-pot rear red calipers, mated to 355mm and 345mm disc rotors.
Kenneth estimates that he has spent in excess of $50,000 (including the trial-and-error mods) to dress up his 335i Coupe into what you see now.
And after driving it, and feasting my eyes on it, I can say with a great degree of conviction that the construction is worth every dollar.
This BMW 335i Coupe is really a potent combo of stylish looks and awe-inspiring performance.
+ ENGINE/ELECTRONICS
JUICE Box JB3 with variable torque maps
Gruppe M air intake system
VK Motorwerks oil cooler
Ultimate Racing high-flow downpipes
AR Design 2.5-inch downpipe gaskets
STETT front-mount intercooler
Supersprint quad exhaust system
Riss Racing’s oil catch can
+ UNDERCARRIAGE
Quaife automatic torque-biasing helical LSD
Cross competition coilovers
H&R sway bars
+ WHEELS/BRAKES
DPE Signature Series SL5 Matt Liquid Cinder 19-inch alloy wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tyres 245/35 R19 (front), 275/30 R19 (rear)
Brembo Gran Turismo Big Brake kit
+ INTERIOR
BMW Performance steering wheel
BMW M3 paddle-shifters
BMW M5 SMG gear knob
Ultimate pedals & footrest
Hamann carbon fibre handbrake lever & door pins
ATI ePod Gauge HolderLiquid Cinder 19-inch alloy wheels
Defi Racer boost gauge & oil pressure gauge
Linear Logic ScanGauge II
Carbon fibre-laminated panels
+ EXTERIOR
M-Aero front lip
Hamann side skirts & rear diffuser
Vorsteiner V35 vented carbon fibre bonnet
VRS Aero carbon fibre boot lid
BMW M3 mirrors with carbon fibre lamination
Shadow black headlights, foglamps & side indicators
PIAA H499 LED angel eyes
Carbon fibre roof spoiler
