BMW 135I Project
You may recall last month that Turner Motorsport (www.turnermotorsport.com) sent us the first pair of H&R sway bars in the country for our E82 135i project. Unfortunately, we hadn't anticipated the need to drop the rear subframe in order to fit them (et 7/08). So we visited the experts at BMS in Santa Ana, CA (www.bmsracecars.com) where owner Chris Welch handed us off to Chris "Junior" Chapman, who'd be doing the wrenching on our car. Although they estimated five hours for the job, he was confident of doing it in less if we weren't slowing him down for photos.

While attending last year's Essen Motor Show (et 3/08), we didn't want to waste our limited time in Europe drinking pils and stuffing ourselves with schnitzel (that's not entirely true -Ed), so we coordinated an exclusive tour to go behind the scenes of the H&R Springs manufacturing facility. The plant sits 150km (90 miles) northwest of Frankfurt and employs more than 100 people, from engineers and factory workers to customer service representatives.

Tire companies the world over are very sensitive about their test tracks. They guard their like a fat kid hides cakes. The friction coefficient () of their tracks is apparently a key ingredient in what makes their tires work and they imagine everybody else wants to copy their . Therefore, it's unusual for blabbermouth writers such as ourselves to be invited to a tire company's test facilities in case we measure the .

It seems like every second month we're reporting on a new Goodyear Eagle tire, and here's news of another: the Eagle GT. It's a performance tire with broad appeal, so isn't as focused as the Eagle F1 range, yet offers all-around performance and will be priced to give you a premium alternative to some of the lesser brands in the market.

In the et 8/08 issue, we introduced Evolution Racewerks (www.evolutionracewerks.com) newest BMW 135i project car. Since the tuner fabricated its own front-mount intercooler, downpipe and exhaust, the car's been upgraded further with widened front fenders, 18x10" Forgeline wheels, KW Clubsport suspension, Injen intake and Snow Performance water methanol injection. More parts are said to come before its next race at Super Lap Battle this coming November in Buttonwillow, CA, but we heard ER got their hands on the first set of Brembo big brakes for the 1-Series. So we infiltrated their facility in Southern California to document the install.

July brings the warmest temperatures and most sunshine to North America than any other month. Isn't summer great? As you can tell from our events calendar elsewhere in the issue, most car shows and races happening at this time of year and our cars are begging to be driven. With this in mind, it's good to have a grippy set of tires to maximize the fun.

Turner Motorsport (www.turnermotorsport.com) recently sent us the first pair of H&R sway bars in the country for our 135i project. Unfortunately, we hadn't anticipated the need to drop the rear subframe in order to fit them. So we retreated and regrouped for a second attempt (see Blogs at www.eurotuner.com for our first attempt, as well as the July 2008 issue of eurotuner magazine).

It was the weekend before SEMA '07 and snow lay all around. We found ourselves in Las Vegas but our early arrival didn't require marathon laps around the show halls. Instead, we got a sneak preview of two new Dunlop tire lines before their official unveiling at SEMA: the Direzza Sport Z1 and the SP Sport Maxx GT. Both are geared toward the tuner market, so we were excited to have the Las Vegas Speedway at our disposal.

If it were easy, everybody would do it. Let's face it: one of the most frustrating things for Euro enthusiasts is having the same mods as their buddy or anybody else in the scene, for that matter. Nobody likes a copycat, particularly when it comes to wheels.

The call rang out for the Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge like the start of a street brawl on the streets of LA. First there was whispering from spectators about whom the bout would be between, then the gorilla-like chest pounding from the participants who were cocksure of themselves in an attempt to torment the underdogs.

If it hasn't happened to you already, you probably know somebody who's experienced an alternator break down. This occurred recently to our Project M3, which had covered around 130k miles, and it certainly isn't an uncommon problem.

In 2006, volkswagen replaced its base 2.0 liter 8v (aka 2.slow) four cylinder engine with a 2.5 liter 20v five cylinder that went into its normally aspirated rabbits and Jettas. In doing so, power rose from 115hp to a more respectable 150hp - a generous 30% gain. Torque rose by 39% to 170 lb-ft, peaking at 3750rpm. Reportedly the engine twists 90% of it from 1750 to 5125rpm - making it considerably more flexible than its predecssor.

As you leave the shop, the extra 50 lb-ft or so you got from the software upgrade has you laughing hysterically. the increased boost makes your 2.0t Fsi turbo engine feeling like it's on steroids. until suddenly, the fun stops. You push the throttle and a premature "pssh" of pre-released compressed air catches your attention, followed by a nauseating check engine light. You slip it back in neutral and lightly rev the engine. it sounds fine. Back to the throttle, the car feels like a dog. the torque is gone. The power delivery feels lethargic, as if it's naturally aspirated. Chances are, you've just experienced the failure of your factory diverter valve.

After giving our E36 M3 more power and a cosmetic overhaul, it's time to make the cabin more comfy.

It's been a long time since we had a competition involving our family of magazines. As you may know, Eurotuner is part of a larger group of publications that focus on import and domestic cars. For '08, we're proud to be part of the Castrol Top Shop Challenge, a new contest involving seven magazines from our group to prove which tuners can build the best engine.

With all the excitement surrounding the arrival of the BMW 135i Coupe in North America, Eurotuner Magazine was fortunate to have a car ahead of its official launch date. Having spent a few weeks getting used to the 300hp twin-turbo RWD pocket-rocket, we decided it was time to see if we could make any improvements with a few well chosen modifications.

We've had the luxury of using the stock clutch in Project Silverstone for over 115000 miles! Amazingly, it's held strong even with software, exhaust, downpipe, intake, turbo inlet pipe, pulleys and more. Whoever was driving it must be a genius! (or a pussy - Ed)

We've Given Our Project Car A Complete Facelift With New Lights, Black Grilles And A Splitter.

There are a plethora of navigation products on the market - and we're not even talking about all the portable units here. If you're looking for a quick, cost-effective option, you can certainly buy a PND (personal navigation device), but there's a reason why you pay a few hundred dollars for something you stick to your windshield.

Until recently, diesel was for trucks and tractors. There'd be more chance of Malibu Beach freezing over than spying an oil-burner on these pages. However, times are changing.

While most would consider the VR6, 1.8T or 2.0T the go-fast engine of choice for their Volkswagen, an army of Dubheads in Europe (and even some here) march to a different beat; a sooty "clattery-clack" beat.

In et 9/06 we introduced our '97 E36 M3 Sedan project car and looked at the impact on horsepower and acceleration caused by fitting lightweight wheels. This month, we start to seek more power from its 3.2 liter S52 motor with a popular intake manifold swap.

Take a look through Readers' Rides (p94) and almost every car has an exhaust, intake and software. Each modification provides a certain amount of power over stock, but ultimately they all reach their limit.

If the release of the 1.8T engine made some noise in the aftermarket, the arrival of the 2.0T FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection) motor in '05 was a seismic shockwave. Starting life with a hefty 200hp, the turbocharged two liter four cylinder can be found in the Audi A3, A4 and Volkswagen's Passat, Eos, Jetta and GTI. This month we're focusing on the GTI and GLI applications, but most parts listed here are also available for the other models.

'll never forget watching an episode of MTV Cribs, when a rap star pointed to the pimped-out chrome wheels on his SUV and enlightened the viewers with "they added these 24s for performance." I spilled Apple Jacks all over myself.