When the new BMW M3 and M4 models were launched, thousands of people complained that the main issue with them was the sound they made. While they probably didn’t get to wrap their heads around the fact that this was an inline 6 cylinder engine and not a V8, some valid points were raised.
To us, the M3 and M4 sound brilliant for their straight six configurations and they are also as loud as you’d ever need them to be. However, the V8 is the king of all engine sounds and whenever the Vee makes an appearance, people notice it.
The problem with the S65 unit on the old M3 wasn’t that it sounded bad (that’s far from it) but that it lacked the punch the new S55 has, and we’re referring to the dyno figures to be more precise. Rated at 420 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque, the 4-liter mill was good enough back in 2007, but today it can’t keep up with the new contenders.
So what if you want a V8 sound but more power under the hood as well? Well, a supercharger kit might be the one for you. With prices of the E9x M3 models going down, for the money you’d be spending on a new M4, you could get a second-hand E92 M3 and a supercharger.
The car in the video below is one such example, using an ESS VT2-625 kit that took the figures from 350 HP and 267 lb-ft (362 Nm) at the wheels to no less than 530 HP and 352 lb-ft (477 Nm). That’s a 50 percent improvement and definitely a step up in terms of performance.
To make sure everything is right, the exhaust also had to be changed to handle the extra fumes. Therefore, an ESS crosspipe was added to the mix, as well as a complete Meisterschaft exhaust. You can definitely hear it too!
Google News