Smit’s Gorgeous Oletha Coupe Is Now Offered With The E46 M3 Engine

Smith Vehicle Engineering’s gorgeous Oletha Coupe from last year can now be ordered with a bespoke version of BMW’s beloved S54 six-cylinder engine.

So far, the Oletha Coupe has been available solely with a modified S65 4.4-liter naturally-aspirated V8. This engine is derived from the one of the E92 M3 GTS and pumps out in excess of 450 hp. The Oletha Coupe will be showcased with the newly-available S54 engine at the Audrain Newport Concours and Motor Week.

Read More: Oletha Coupe Is A BMW Z4 That Looks Like A Z8 With An M3 Engine And An Exuberant Price Tag

Not much is known about what modifications Smit has made to the S54, other than the obvious fact that it no longer displaces 3.2 liters and is instead a 3.4-liter mill. We also know that the engine has been equipped with a carbon fiber intake and that the engine is good for 400 hp, a cool 60 hp more than the original car. It will rev through to 8,000 rpm just like the original and is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Smit says the resulting car weighs under 3,000 lbs (1,360 kg) dry, approximately 100 lbs (45 kg) less than the V8-powered Oletha. The only visual difference between the S54 car and the S65 V8 is the lack of a pronounced hood bulge on the former.

The Oletha Coupe could be considered as the Z8 Coupe that BMW never built. It is thought to be based on an E86-generation Z4 Coupe but has been radically overhauled, featuring distinctive carbon fiber bodywork that gives it a truly timeless design.

A plethora of other components, other than the engine, make the Oletha Coupe special. For example, it sports KW two-way adjustable suspension and AP Racing brakes with forged Radi-CAL calipers. It also sits on forged and machined monoblock wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.