The 1M is such a rare car that seeing one really is an event, especially if you are a BMW aficionado, but even if you are not. Most usually come finished in noticeable Valencia Orange and the trained eye immediately spots them.
The same-trained eye would have a hard time telling this former 118d apart from a real 1M. The car you see in these photos, created by TJ Fahrzeugdesign, used to be a diesel, but has seen its engine pulled out and replaced with something far more menacing than the turbo six of the factory 1M: the V10 out of the E60 M5.
The powerplant has not been left stock, and it can now rev to 8,800 rpm and produce 555 horses.
With a 0-100 km/h or 0-62 mph acceleration time of 3.9 – 4.0 seconds, and a top speed of 300 km/h or 186 mph, the car is no slouch, and can, most impressively, reportedly reach 200 km/h or 125 mph in under 12 seconds. The gearbox chosen to send the power to the rear wheels is one of BMW’s own SMG units.
It really looks like any other 1M, not betraying its V10 secret in any way.
Such a conversion is very expensive, because aside from the cosmetic upgrades and engine swap, this particular car has uprated axles, new suspension, wheels and brakes, as well as M3 CSL seats and expensive carbon trinkets on the outside. The final cost of the conversion alone is a reported €85,000 or $117,240.
By Andrei Nedelea
Photos via TJ Fahrzeugdesign, Story References: BimmerToday
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