Once the precious panels were fitted, Bob selected this unique paint called Image Of Nrburgring. It's a color he saw on a BMW M3 GT-R during his visit to Germany. He's used it to create amazing impact wherever the car appears, and it contrasts nicely with the black wheels and graphics.
The wheels in question are 18x9.5" with a 23mm offset. From 3D Design, they are forged Type-2 wheels; the tires are obviously 245/35-18 Yokohama S.drive.
The suspension uses Bilstein coilovers with anti-roll bars and a strut brace from Arc. The brakes are 355mm drilled, two-piece front rotors from Brembo, along with Ferrari F50 four-piston calipers. The rear brakes use equally meaty 345mm Brembo rotors and Ferrari 360 four-piston calipers.
The free-revving 3.0 motor that made our track day so enjoyable had benefited from a Gruppe M Carbon Ram Charger intake with a K&N filter element. There was also center and rear exhaust mufflers from Japanese company Arqray.
The motor also had Plasma Direct from Okada Project, a product that provides the ignition coil with an amplifier said to produce four times more spark energy than stock, and generate a multi-spark discharge of 10 sparks at the highest rpm. The spark amperage is also doubled, allowing it to accelerate the combustion process. Overall, it's said to increase power, torque and fuel efficiency.
Furthermore, Studie had installed a Hyper Sprint Booster, which works on the drive-by-wire throttle. This device opens the throttle valve quicker than stock by making the ECU believe the car is at full throttle. Therefore, the motor responds quicker to throttle inputs and the car feels like it's faster off the line. However, it doesn't increase power, and wasn't noticeable at the track where the throttle was either fully open or closed.
This combination of parts, along with the lightweight body panels certainly made the car feel very responsive. It would have been interesting to compare it to a stock 130i to see exactly where the gains were.
Inside the car was a pair of Recaro TS-G seats that may only be available in Japan. They were trimmed in Connolly leather to match the stock interior. The 130i also boasted a Rogue Engineering short shift, which certainly helped on the track.
While Bob has built an incredible 1-Series, he's not finished yet. He also plans a similar transformation for his new Z4 M Coupe. It will get the BMW Motorsport carbon widebody conversion, only this time it'll be painted a bright green. You can see photos of the work in progress In The Garage on p24 where you'll notice he's taking no half measures. We'll have more photos of this incredible car once it's completed.
Tech Spec
2006 BMW 130i
Owner: Yasuaki Suzuki
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Occupation: CEO, Studie
Engine: three liter six cylinder 24v with Gruppe M Carbon Ram Charger intake and K&N filter, Arqray center and rear exhaust mufflers, Okada Project Plasma Direct, Hyper Sprint Booster
Drivetrain: six-speed manual with Rogue Engineering short shift
Suspension: Bilstein coilovers, Arc anti-roll bars and strut brace
Brakes: 355mm drilled, two-piece Brembo front rotors, 345mm rear rotors, four-piston calipers all round
Wheels & Tires: 18x9.5" 3D Design Type-2 forged wheels ET23, 245/35-18 Yokohama S.drive tires
Exterior: Dry carbon BMW Motorsport front and rear bumpers plus four fenders, painted Image Of Nrburgring blue, PIAA 6000k low beam, LED angel eyes and Super 6000k HIDs
Interior: Recaro TS-G seats trimmed in Connolly leather, stock aluminum pedals
Contact: Studie (www.studie.jp)