E46 M3 GT Part 4
I think I may have fallen off the GT wagon with the latest modification to my E46 M3. The last time we spoke, I installed a TC Kline Racing suspension. Next up, the exhaust.
And it's not a mild upgrade-- instead we went full zoot race car grade. Bimmerworld, one of our trusted BMW go fast suppliers, came up with a super high flow, lightweight exhaust that was simply too tempting to pass up. The system is a full 62 lbs lighter and reportedly adds 10 hp and 12 ft-lbs torque to the bottom line. What intrigued me most was its simple, elegant design and high quality execution.
So, off with the old.
Here is the rather startling side by side comparison between the stock exhaust and the new Bimmerworld race exhaust. The cross sectional area of the one large pipe of the Bimmerworld exhaust is about the same as the section area of the two smaller stock pipes. But the biggest difference is the flow path-- almost straight on the Bimmerworld unit.
As always, the installation required a fair amount of tweaking, or "clearancing" as the included instructions said-- I would not want to do this without a professional car lift.
The end result is pretty awesome-- and loud, even with the optional resonator.
100% 304 stainless steel, sturdy v-band clamps, quality welds and good (but tight) fit. While it's too loud for everyday use, it performs as advertised. I love playing with the decibel level by shifting through the gears and listening to the change in pitch. My exhaust is now a musical instrument...
Yes, you lose the classic 4 pipe exhaust of your typical M car, but frankly we think it looks that much more serious.