2004 BMW M3 - Hard Correa

There are few people who would argue the original E30 M3 remains the iconic superstar among BMW's road racing history. Each successive M3 model has added to the heritage but sacrificed some of the original genetic makeup, becoming less focused and more mainstream. So when 37 year-old Michael Correa from Annapolis, MD decided to begin his second E46 M3 project, he looked to the past for inspiration.

"At the time we built this car, nobody had done anything like this," Michael said. "There was the Esquis' Auto kit for the E36 models that mimicked the E30-style fenders but it hadn't been done for the E46, although people were always calling out for it. So we decided to give it a go."

As if designing a custom widebody wasn't difficult enough, Michael decided to make his life even more complicated by having it built on the other side of the country. "I had a modified Porsche 996 Turbo but missed my previous M3. So I advertised the car online and looked for another BMW. I was contacted by Vince Wong at iForged Wheels. He had an M3 to sell and was looking for a Porsche, so we agreed on a deal. We would swap cars but he would contribute to the cost of the modifications. We talked about several ideas when he came up with the concept of this widebody based on a rendering somebody had posted online when the E46 M3 was first released."

Vince took the car to DTM Autobody in El Monte, CA in June '07 where the four-month build process began. "I first outlined the plan to the bodyshop over the phone. They would then go away and start work, emailing me photos of each stage for approval," Michael explained.

To achieve the widebody rear fenders, new rear quarter panels were purchased. They were then spaced from the body and taped into place to achieve the stepped fender they had discussed. Once it was approved, the original fenders were cut away and the new quarter panels were curved to create the new lines. It was then welded by the door and tail lights. This left a gap between the body and the new quarter panel, which was filled to create the distinctive E30 M3-style stepped fender flare.

In order to make the new panels look factory, the stock bumpers were heated and stretched to meet the new fenders, which were now 1.75" wider than before. Some filler was then used to get the final shape.

The stock side skirts were molded to the body from front to rear. This gave a smooth transition from into the wider rear fender, keeping it as subtle as possible.

Up front, a carbon fiber Strassentech lip was molded to the original bumper and the side markers were shaved. However, this has since been swapped for a carbon Vorsteiner bumper to match the Vorsteiner hood and CSL-style trunk lid. You'll also find carbon grilles and mirrors, which were purchased online from Korea but the owner reports they're good quality.

With the car painted its original Silver grey, and the roof (with its Strassentech spoiler) painted black, it was time to exploit those extra inches. While the front wheels are a relatively modest 19x9", the rears are a fender stretching 19x12" with 315/25 Falken tires. When viewed from the rear, they almost seem to touch in the middle!

However, all that rubber would amount to nothing more than a good ribbing if the M3 wasn't able to stand up for itself. So Michael struck a deal with VF-Engineering and the car was shipped to its California workshops for a stage 1 supercharger installation. The kit comprised a Vortech blower pushing 5.5psi through a watercooled plenum chamber. With new software and bigger injectors, the M3 was making 398whp.

"The car has about the same power as the 996 Turbo," Michael explained, "but where the Porsche's power delivery was aggressive and nasty, the M3 is very linear. The only time you know you're going fast is when you look down at the speedo!"