TJ Vehicle Designs specializes in transplanting BMW’s M-division’s biggest engines into small BMWs, creating absolute monsters – VIDEO
The BMW S85 V10 engine powering the BMW E60 M5 and E63/64 M6 is a very capable engine producing 507 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. With this engine in a BMW 5 and 6 series body already providing amazing performance, just what would happen if you were to put this motor in a smaller BMW engine, like say a BMW E46 M3? Well, we already know the answer to that question but what would it be like to drive a BMW 1-series with an S85 engine.
BMW 1M
When the BMW 1M came out, it was instant sensation as an amazing performance car. It was created by BMW’s famed M-division but it did not actually have a BMW M-engine. It had a retuned N54 biturbo inline-6 engine producing 335 horsepower and 378 pound-feet of torque.
The N54 engine within a vehicle the size of the 1-series are all the ingredients you need for a serious performance car. The BMW 1M rocketed from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds accelerating to an electronically limited 155 miles per hour. The 1M can do the quarter mile in 13 seconds at 109 miles per hour. This is very good performance. But again, the N54 is not an M-division motor.
BMW 1-Series with an S85 engine, a real BMW 1M
Tim Prochnow and his team of wizards specialize in installing high performance M-engines into small BMW cars, specifically the 1 series and 3 series. They have done so many conversions that they have a kit to swap in an S85 engine into your BMW 1-series or 3-series.
Tim’s conversion starts with a donor S85. Additional M5/M6 donor parts include an SMG transmission, oil pan, fuel pump and other parts. The driveshaft from the M5 / M6 is shortened to fit within the 1-series.
The front axle and rear brakes are from the BMW 1M. With a focus on weight and power, the front brakes come from the current generation F10 M5. However, they are modified to work on the BMW 1M.
Tim’s magic does not stop there. The team at TJ Vehicle Design will also remap the ECU, increasing output from 507 horsepower to 550 horsepower. In the process, they increase the redline from 7,750 rpm to 8,600 rpm.
Additional modifications
With such a big increase in power, comes the need to upgrade other vehicle systems to withstand the additional output of the engine. The exhaust system is made of stainless steel and modified to work with the S85 engine and 1-series chassis. The steering wheel, including the paddle-shifters are also borrowed from the M3.
The suspension system is not left untouched. A Clubsport suspension from KW is added with power going to the pavement through BMW M –Double spoke wheels sized 10×20 in back and 8.5×10 in front. Tires are sized 295/25/20 in back and 245/30/20 in front.
What are the results already?
The end result is a very fast BMW 1-series with sprints from 0 to 62 miles an hour in just 4.0 second and 0 to 124 miles per hour in just 11.9 seconds. The maximum speed is over 205 miles per hour. Additional benefits are an incredible cool sounding and very unique vehicle.
Source: TJ Vehicle Designs