BMW E93 M3 Performance BMW 13/12/10
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SUPERCHA
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Not many people have supercharged BMW’s latest M3, so we’re delighted to see this convertible model raising the flag for the first time in the UK; it ain’t half bad looking either! Words Louise Woodhams Photos: Chris Brown
HARGED DJ
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hen he’s not helping running the family business, Anastasis Panayi spends his days either in the studio laying down electronic dance beats for his production company Muddyloop.com (having DJ’d since the age of 19) or professionally playing poker. This leaves me wondering how he ever got the time to build this stunning drop-top rocket… the UK’s first supercharged E93 M3 nonetheless! The 36-year-old lives in Whetstone, North London, and as a certified BMW nut, he got his first car, an E30 325i Sport, when he was just 20. He modded it with a Scorpion exhaust and 18” Alpina rims. After this he graduated to a E39 540i with an M5 body kit, custom twin exhaust and 19” Breytons, which he had for ten years before swapping it in for the M3. Taz, as he’s more commonly known, picks up the story: “I bought the M3 just over a year ago from BMW Southport. It was only ten months old with every optional extra apart from electric folding mirrors and EDC. Originally I was going to buy a 335i but when I looked at the finance and what deposit I’d need, I thought sod it, I’ll get an M3 Coupé. I previously said to myself I would never buy a convertible, but when I saw this in my favourite colour and with the folding hardtop I didn’t mind it.” The transformation began almost as soon as he picked it up. Taz ordered a front and rear carbon diffuser from Vorsteiner, and different indicators, which as were gone as soon as they arrived as he hated them so much, swapping them over for LED versions from eBay USA. He had to modify the wiring on these, as the plugs are the other way round in the States, but the ///M3 logo in white, grey and black better matched the car’s colour scheme. The standard chrome window trims were also swapped out for gloss black ones, from MStyle, who also provided carbon kidney grilles. “I’ve never been one to go OTT with styling, and none of my projects have ever been really loud, I like to keep things OEM. The American s produce great cars, when they keep things subtle, anyway,” he laughs. With a V8 under the bonnet, the M3 certainly isn’t lacking in aural exciteme nt, but that’s not say it can’t be improved. Taz went for the Akrapovic Evolution exhaust as it’s probably one of the best systems on the market for this revered model of BMW, if not the most expensive! Made entirely from titanium, it’s 23kg lighter than the stock system and sitting behind Taz on the way to Ace Café, our location for the shoot, it sounded awesome, amplifying the beautiful sound of the stock motor without being over aggressive. To put his own personal touch on it, and taking inspiration from Ericsson’s ‘blue colour’ exhausts, Taz decided to recreate the same oil effect on his tailpipes. Using a section of pipework that’s out of sight, Taz managed to pull off a similar look with a blowtorc h, he picks up the story: “On my first attempt I kept burning them until the colour develope d, but you only need to do it for a few seconds and it develops by itself, although you have to clean them
12 PERFORMANCE BMW
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It’s all in the details; not that the supercharger doesn’t draw its crowds
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BMW Performance wheel, STRi Racing gauges and carbon effect vinyl trim is all that’s required
With plenty of low down
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Thanks to Ace Cafe for use of its premises: 020 8961 1000 www.ace-cafe-london.com
effective mod I think WD40 after a long drive.” It certainly looks cool and is a simple but carbon air box custom its we’ll see more of in the future. At the same time Evolve fitted benchmark useful a provided it 460bhp, at dyno’d nce and remapped the car; with performa bit. a in that on More it. rge supercha to for Taz when he came had to be very For the winter Taz uses matt black VMR 19s, but for show season they lips (which ties red centres, overlay fibre special: three-piece Forged Spec 5s with a carbon taken 13 have may They dish. custom a and covers) Power G in nicely with the ducts and process of taking over the in were ing Distribut Forged (as States the from arrive to weeks are just perfect for 360 Forged) and have apparently divided opinion, but we think they and 285/30 255/30 in wrapped back, out 10x20” and this car. Measuring 9x20” up front so far it’s not but arch the of inside the touch rears the ely, respectiv Neros Pirelli P Zero provided although which ly, caused a problem – unlike the 25-profile tyres he had previous snug fit that And ride. hard very a gave and a little more room to play with were anorexic this, but to d compare boat a like was E39 “The : coilovers PSS10 comes courtesy of Bilstein but softer little a is saying that, the M3 wasn’t great. With the new suspension, the ride lower,” he grins. much better than standard. Handling is improved no end and it’s much wheel which, steering its for opting e catalogu nce Performa Inside, Taz dipped into BMW’s The car then remained vinyl. effect carbon matt Di-noc in wrapped is trim, the with together to flog G Power’s SK11 in this guise for five months, during which time Evolve tried its best for Taz to justify... money much too just was it , Clubsport supercharger to him. However said Evolve had who cs mechani its of one from call a got “I anyway. day until one fateful I like to testwould and kit just got a car in for a service to which it had fitted this same s. confesse he then,” and there drive it? I did and, afterwards, I ordered one , and a good job As usual Taz did his research online before giving Evolve the go-ahead effective if the ducting more it’s that kit same the had who someone from out found he too; the radiator. “It is in front of the intercooler rather than behind it, which involves lowering torque and down low of plenty with factory, the from done felt like the car should have ft of torque 440lb and 603.8bhp with And grins. he ,” supercar a like feels it instant power; too different isn’t tion consump fuel he’s not far wrong; astonishingly if he drives it normally with an came also kit “The story! different a it’s from standard. If he goes hard, though, and a K&N air one, Evolve’s replaced which – airbox carbon a need, didn’t I exhaust, which use that.” filter – but where it’s positioned it actually blocks the air flow, so I didn’t is a temporary this although pads, uff YellowSt Stopping power comes courtesy of EBC In fact, that Racing. AP or TarOx either from kit brake big a for go measure as he wants to show off whatever could he so spokes, five chose he why reasons main the of one was and a respray – wares he gets. He’s also planning on getting an Ericsson front bumper to get up on his struggles cat fat local a where from k there are scratches on the bodywor
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DATA FILE ENGINE: 4.0-litre V8 S65 with G Power’s SK11 Clubsport supercharger, Akrapovic Evolution exhaust system with custom blue tail pipes, G Power carbon box, red painted G Power covers
Impressive as they are on their own, Taz has also customised the exhaust and rims car to sleep on. One thing’s for sure he’s not looking to move on anytime soon, well not if his fiancée has anything to do with it. “Before the ’charger someone asked if I’d sell it and he was willing to match what I paid for the car and mods. I was all set to get a GT-R but the missus wouldn’t let me,” he chuckled. Taz is a man who likes to keep his cars for a long time, so it looks like his wife to be has firmly cemented that relations hip. And we can’t blame her; at Santa Pod’s Ultimate BMW show last year, the car’s first unveiling, it received a lot of positive comments and Taz backed it up with an impressi ve quarter-mile time of 12.6 seconds at 120mph without launch control and into a heavy wind. Those that say it’s the best-looking E93 M3 in the country are not far wrong, and with power and torque increased by over 40% we can’t see Taz swapping it in anytime soon! ●
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CHASSIS: 9x20” (front) with 3” custom dish and 10x20” (rear) with 4” custom dish three-piece 360 Forged Spec 5 wheels with a carbon fibre overlay on centre disc and inner barrel and red lips shod in 255/30 and 285/30 Pirelli P Zero Neros respectively. Bilstein PSS10 coilovers. YellowStuff brake pads EXTERIOR: Vorsteiner front and rear carbon diffuser, LED indicators with white, grey and black ///M3 logo, gloss black window trims, MStyle carbon kidney grilles and roundels, colour-coded boot lip spoiler, JS Levi rear M3 badge, red painted brake ducts, Craigs Plates pressed plates, PIA headlights INTERIOR: BMW Performance steering wheel, matt carbon effect Di-noc vinyl wrapped trim, STRi Racing gauges for boost fuel and oil pressure ICE: Alpine SWS 10” subwoofer and Alpine PDX Amp THANKS: Imran, Sal and Riz at Evolve, Raj Mak formely from MStyle, Ton at Stri-Racing, Stuart at Creative Car Sounds, www.m3cutters.co.uk, Alain at Forged Distributing