Wedging BMW's V10 into an M3 is nothing new, but what if you want the convenience of a wagon? Manhart Racing has the answer. The German tuner has converted an E91 to look like the M3, then stuffed M5's V10 into the engine bay complete with its seven-speed SMG. To quote Manhart Racing..."Attention all sporty, family men!"
The transformation from a standard E91 3-Series Estate to super wagon begins with the exterior, where the car gets the front fascia, front fenders, side skirts, and the powerdome hood from the M3. Manhart Racing then adds their own rear wheel arches and rear fascia that makes room for a stainless steel exhaust system sporting quad exhaust tips. Next, the 5.0-liter V10 gets stuffed into the engine bay along with the the gearbox, and a limited slip differential is mounted out back.
Manhart claims a 0-100 kmh time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of just over 200 mph. You can buy your own turnkey version for a mere €120,000 or Manhart will gladly upgrade your current E91.
The first snow? A pastel sunset? Come on, we're car guys and there are few things we love more than a big engine in a small roadster. It's the formula that put Carroll Shelby on the map, and it's very much alive today thanks to a small cadre of niche manufacturers and aftermarket tuners, a disproportionate share of them residing in Germany.
Just a few days ago we brought you news of the Wiesmann MF5 Roadster, set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt show with a BMW M5 ten-cylinder engine packed into a little retro roadster. But if your taste veers more towards the modern than the throwback, Manhart Racing may have just the thing for you. The German tuning firm has shoehorned that same 500-hp, 5.0-liter DOHC 40-valve V10 – known in Bavaria as the SB85B50 – into the BMW Z4.
