Few performance cars are as revered as the original BMW M3. The E30, built in the 1980s with understated styling and an S14 four-pot screaming away under the hood. It’s a formula you don’t mess with, and yet here we have an E30 M3 packing power from… Toyota? Perhaps now BMW fans understand how Supra fans feel.
The engine in this race-ready BMW is a 2JZ, so it’s not lacking in power. In fact, it doesn’t hurt because this iconic inline-six isn’t even close to stock. We don’t have access to a list of engine modifications, nor do we know of any other modifications on this BMW. According to the video, the list of mods alone would probably necessitate a 10-minute feature, but here are some key points. It’s a dry-sump setup with an E90 race fuel fuel cell. The car has been gutted and caged, and power is routed to the rear wheels via a sequential transmission. How much power is there? A total of 1,300 horsepower is delivered to the wheels. Yes, this E30 moves.
That fact becomes abundantly clear as soon as you enter the Nürburgring. The car accelerates from 30 to 130 mph in about 10 seconds, and it wasn’t a full-throttle blast, as the driver’s right foot is seen floating on the pedal throughout the pull. Fortunately, traffic on the Nordschleife is light, so we get to see more of the E30 clipping apexes and accelerating out with impressive speed. The car hits 163 mph early on at Kottenborn and nearly matches it on the way up the hill at Kesselchen, reaching 159 mph. And, to be honest, the speed appears conservative in this context.
We’d love to tell you about this Toyota-powered BMW’s incredible bridge-to-gantry time, but race car gremlins cut the lap short. The driver slows significantly near Brünnchen on the back half of the track. The video then cuts to the pits after some discussion between the driver and co-driver. The M3 apparently sheered two lug studs on the left rear wheel, and there may have also been some driveshaft issues. Such is life in a 1,300-horsepower race car.
We’d love to tell you about this Toyota-powered BMW’s incredible bridge-to-gantry time, but race car gremlins cut the lap short. The driver slows significantly near Brünnchen on the back half of the track. The video then cuts to the pits after some discussion between the driver and co-driver. The M3 apparently sheered two lug studs on the left rear wheel, and there may have also been some driveshaft issues. Such is life in a 1,300-horsepower race car.
So there’s some irony in a classic BMW M3 tearing up a racetrack with a Toyota engine. But there’s no denying that this old E30 is lightning fast.
