Every Euro enthusiast must have a BMW in their past or future to really understand the European phenomenon.
I've owned a slew of VWs but have been able to punctuate them with a handful of BMWs and a single Audi.
The most remarkable thing about BMWs for a VW owner is that they have the same daily dependability and the same passion for performance. But wrapping them in a RWD chassis makes the experience highly memorable.
Regular readers will know we're often accused of not featuring enough Minis, Mercs, Volvos, Saabs, Alfas, etc, but the accusation that really hits home is when it's suggested we neglect BMW owners.
Admittedly, our readership (and hence our coverage) is predominantly VW, but we aim to always include at least one BMW and an Audi per issue.
To be frank, good Audis are thin on the ground at present, but there are tons of good BMWs around. So to restore the balance, we decided to devote this entire issue to BMW owners and events. Hopefully, fans of the other European marques will forgive us this indulgence and enjoy the mouthwatering Bavarian machinery we've gathered.
Of special note is the GSR 335i drift racer. We felt this deserved the cover position because they're taking on the Japanese imports at their own game, and are starting to see some success. But also because they decided to use the M5's monstrous V10 to get the rear wheels spinning. The easy route would've been to transplant a Japanese motor into the E92, but GSR want to win with M power, and for that we salute them.
We're also fans of Studie's 335i endurance racer. It's the first time we've ever seen this competition widebody used on a road car, and it looks awesome, especially coming from a Japanese tuner that adheres so closely to Euro tastes and traditions.
Project M3
There can't be any of us who hasn't dreamed of owning an M3 at some stage - if you haven't you're either lying or crazy!
The closest I got was building an E30 M3 replica many years ago. It was pretty convincing, and even had the raised trunklid. But in my heart I knew it wasn't the
genuine article.
Since then, there have been opportunities to buy an M3 as secondhand prices dropped. But each time I could afford an old one, a new M3 would be released and make it look like a bit of a lemon.
The opportunity to own a new M3 isn't realistic while I'm paid these wages, but we've been extremely fortunate to discover another route to M3 motoring.
Through some inexplicable act of pity, BMW North America has loaned us a brand new M3 for 12 months!
We had the choice of doors and gears, so opted for a manual sedan. It's one of the first with the optional Competition Package, which includes 10mm lower ride height and bigger offset "CSL" wheels to give the M3 more stability through a wider track.
It's stock for the moment, and we're enjoying every moment of it. But there are a host of mods in its future - wheels, brakes, suspension, software, exhaust, intake, interior trim, carbon spoilers, etc. We're limited in how extreme we can go, but we've asked if a supercharger would be allowed. We'll let you know the outcome when we introduce it properly. Look out for updates online at eurotuner.com
Coffee
A quick glance at the Cast questions (p12) this month reveals our new intern, Zack Williams. He's work-shy and delicate like a flower but has written a feature and several departments in this issue. He also has a weekly blog and has been editing our video since he's a TV student (aren't we all?). So check out
eurotuner.com
or
youtube.com/eurotuner
for his work.
Also check out the Next Month listing on p85 to see we're back to normal in the 9/10 issue with and extraordinary Mk4 from Belgium, a shaved Mk3 Jetta and even a Mk1 racer. That should restore the balance...
Greg Emmerson, Editor
eurotuner@sorc.com