2004 BMW M3

2004 BMW M3
Fast is the new 450hp Nissan GT-R. Fast is the twin-turbo 530hp Porsche GT2. Fast is the 631hp Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 V12. But if you thought these cars were fast, then you haven't witnessed the phenomenon bursting out of Portland, OR. HorsepowerFreaks (HPF) is building turbocharged E46 M3s to redefine the meaning of fast. With stage one M3s averaging 450whp and stage two 595whp, they're becoming the most feared streetcars around.

And this stage two Laguna Seca blue '04 M3 is no exception. It's been dyno-tested to 667whp with an estimated 813hp at the crank (factoring in 18% drivetrain loss). It's a menace to society, a super-villain of sports cars, a freak of nature.

It takes big balls to create and drive a monster like this. But Alvin De Rego of Allen, WA had the passion and courage to do so. Perhaps his experience has helped him as a manager in the US Navy. For 15 years he's worked on submarines in Hawaii but now spends his days on aircraft carriers in Washington.

While serving his country is important to Alvin, he also enjoys spending time with family as well as toying with modified cars. And to our surprise, this is his first Euro.

"I've always had hot rods. I was looking for a sporty car and wanted to keep up with my kids. My oldest has a Nissan 240SX and is into drifting. My youngest has an Evo. So I tried a 350Z, RX-8 and then jumped into the M3. I was sold right away. The best thing was the sequential gearbox. I liked not having to use a clutch all the time but still drive it as a manual when not in traffic," he explained.

The SMG tranny would prove to be a challenge when Alvin contacted HPF because they'd never built a turbo kit for the sequential transmission. "I was their third BMW customer and they used my car for development," he told us.

HPF started by mocking up the stage one kit. This included the huge intake plenum optimized for mid- and top-end power. It also housed one of two HKS blow-off valves. The intake was increased to a 4.5" carbon pipe bolted to a Precision T67 turbo. The turbo was then connected to a two-piece short-runner exhaust manifold for quicker spooling and individual flow paths. A 3" downpipe in turn attached to an Agency Power exhaust that Alvin opted for.

To keep the intake temperature cool, a front-mount intercooler sat behind the bumper, with another blow-off valve.

For fueling, the enormous increase in airflow warranted 750cc injectors and an extra Walbro 255 lph fuel pump.

To put the power to the wheels, HPF upgraded the clutch to its stage two Feramic disc but retained the factory flywheel.

Once the hardware was in place, HPF connected its engine management system, including a AEM manifold air pressure sensor, eliminating the need for a MAF. The software maps were then fine-tuned and account for a multitude of parameters including altitude, gear selection, boost, temperature and more. This ensured the motor drove flawlessly in any condition, whether in the chilled mountains or blistering desert.

After stage one was complete, the boosted 3.2 liter was averaging 450whp and 330 lb-ft of torque at 6psi. Both Alvin and HPF thirsted for more so they continued with stage two, adding methanol injection installed inside the front bumper and controlled by the engine management. The system was configured to be fully automatic since boost, timing and fueling corrects itself when methanol is detected. Alvin remarked, "I can't run race gas all the time!"

With stage two complete, the car put down 667whp and 551 lb-ft on the dyno.

This extreme level of power was outright frightening. If you didn't know what you were doing, the car could easily spin out of control on the track or public roads. So making the car safer and increasing grip was a priority. "I needed bigger wheels in the back," Alvin told us. This led to the widebody with the help of Benchmark Motoring and Showcase Auto Rebuild."