Jonathan Sibal spends much of his waking hours inking in illustration after illustration at his art studio, Top Cow Productions. He gives life to some of the most sexy action heroines ever found between the comic book pages of Tomb Raider, Fathom, and GEN 13. Even though that seems to be a dream job, the late-night ink sessions took their toll on Jonathan. Over time, he developed a serious need for escape. Like many car fanatics (Us included.--MAX), that escape was found behind-the-wheel of yet another art form--the automobile. Jonathan began customizing cars years back with the build-up of an incredible 3-Series coupe. He attended many of the West Coast's most coveted show-and-go gatherings, and over the years he has become a top contender.
The build-up of his 3-Series from basic B-ride to a show-stopping Bavarian bomber has been well documented here in MAX Power. But as competition became fiercer, Jonathan decided to get more serious with his Bimmer. To do so, he decided to pick up another car to drive daily so the B-ride could get worked on with no hassles. Already a loyal BMW owner, it was only natural that he purchase a 2000 M roadster. But there was one problem--he couldn't leave it stock. To get his ride looking right, he contacted the experts at Wheel Power Inc. located in Huntington Beach, California. Jonathan was already a valued customer, having previously purchased all the exclusive Hamann products for his 3-Series build-up from Wheel Power. Now, he was ready to create another noble work of Hamann originality.
To start things off, a full Hamann aerodynamic package was imported from Germany to modify the overall image of the cute convertible, transforming it into a mean monster roadster. Wayne at A1 Autobody in Huntington Beach, California, was given the duties of color-match painting the kit to the factory BMW Titanium Silver hue, as well as performing the installation of the kit onto the car. Special Hamann lighting options were painted and installed by Body Pros of Garden Grove, California, which include front fog lights and circular sport taillights for that oh-so-important and distinctive appeal.
To aid in the handling department, Wheel Power suggested the use of an H&R suspension for all four corners. The suspension exchange netted in a 1.25-inch reduction in ride height as well as a decrease in the car’s center of gravity for tight-turn driving when called upon. To take full advantage of the handling upgrade, Wheel Power decided to switch the stock wheel and tire package out for a very massive set of 19-inch Hamann rollers dressed in Pirelli P7000 rubber. The front now features 19x8.5-inch Hamann PG2 wheels wearing Pirelli 235/35-19 tires, while the rear sports 19x10-inch wheels with ultra-wide 265/35-19 tires. These listed upgrades enable Jonathan to have more spirited drives to and from work.
The M roadster's interior features an impressive factory-ordered two-tone combination of Imola Red and Basic Black from M Tecknik. An aluminum Hamann shift knob and matching race pedals round out the interior upgrades on this comic book hero's convertible. As with the interior, performance on the M roadster remains relatively stock. Coming from M Technik, the drop top boasts an exciting 240 hp. Added to the M-package is a Hamann after-cat sport exhaust system that ups the performance to 252 hp.
Now that Jonathan has his daily driver (Life must be rough.--MAX), he can focus even more creative attention toward his award-winning 3-Series. As for his "daily driver," we believe his artistic skills, combined with the automotive prowess of Wheel Power and the assistance of the rest of his buddies, has produced a means of transportation that is seemingly surreal.