Chester Vincentz may never get a chance to kick Mario Andretti’s ass all over Laguna Seca, nor have a chance to pin the Rock’s or Stone Cold Steve Austin’s candy ass for the WWF championship. However, he can sure as hell rub the honor that we are bestowing on him in their collective face. That honor is the noble distinction of owning the first 5-Series ever to grace the feature pages of MAX Power.
Chet, as his friends call him, picked up his E-39 when it was first released stateside so that Racing Dynamics could prototype parts for the new car. Of course, all of those parts were put into production and now adorn his 5. There is a price to pay, however. Though Chet may get the itch to drive his 5, sometimes he has to forego that luxury, as the car is also Racing Dynamics’ rolling display.
Just as the factory setup was engineered so that all pieces worked harmoniously, so was Racing Dynamics’ intention. To begin, the matched springs and dampers, pair of sway bars, and front strut tower brace don’t just give the car an amazing ability to remain completely flat throughout any turns that are thrown at it, but they also give the car an awesome stance when coupled with its rolling gear. That rolling gear is comprised of 20x9-inch RGS wheels coupled with 245/35-20 Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico tires. During Racing Dynamics’ production of its new 5-Series product line, there were almost no tire options available that would allow for proper fitment of 20-inch wheels on the car. Pirelli, however, already had something in the works, and when it came time to put the wheels on the car, the Pirelli tires were ready and waiting. Behind those gargantuan wheels sits something just as impressive.
Racing Dynamics wasn’t going to let all the space between the wheels and brakes remain, so the engineers put a set of brakes sized 14.2 inches behind the front wheels to make things look a little better. Obviously, the size of the rotors doesn’t only improve aesthetics, as it also improves stopping power. Coupled with four-piston calipers and braided stainless steel brake lines, the braking performance is phenomenal.
With handling and braking all taken care of, it was time to flip to the other side of the performance coin—engine performance. It makes sense to start engine modifications at each end and then work your way towards the engine itself, if you want to make some power.
Racing Dynamics didn’t want to tempt fate by developing a different approach, so the company began with the exhaust and intake. A stainless steel exhaust replaces the original one, while an open-element filter and custom-mounting setup take care of things on the induction side. To help with exhaust evacuation, equal-length headers help scavenge spent air/fuel mixture. Adding even more power are a set of camshafts and a performance chip that have been tuned to maximize the benefits of the hard parts that Racing Dynamics developed.
While the auditory assault provided by the engine mods is the only thing that you notice from the outside, besides the exhaust tips, once you pop the hood, a couple of things fight for your attention. The intake filter sticks out the most to the untrained eye, but to the enthusiast, other details grab your attention. The carbon-fiber engine cover is a pretty piece—as is anything done in properly woven carbon fiber—but the oil cap is a work of art. Though it may not be Michelangelo’s David, Chet’s oil cap is a one-off piece that adds just enough flair to the engine bay.
Speaking of flair, the body is rife with it. Though Racing Dynamics puts loads of time and effort into the development of all of its products, it is obvious that a great deal of time was spent getting the exterior styling just right. Racing Dynamics’ R48 front bumper with integral fog lights, side skirts, rear valance, roof wing, and decklid spoiler complement the body lines with extreme subtlety but definitely let you know that there is something special about this car. Then it was time to move inside the car. Keeping things simple, the stock pedals were covered with Racing Dynamics’ own pedal set, including dead pedal, which not only provides better grip than golf cleats on wood but also adds a nice bit of class.
Expanding upon the minimalistic approach, a set of floor mats replete with the Racing Dynamics crest reside beneath the pedals. The last piece of memorabilia applied to the interior is a simple badge that sums up the entire buildup: “Powered by Racing Dynamics.”
Besides being the first 5-Series in MAX Power and a completely tuned Racing Dynamics BMW, there is one more great thing about Chet V’s car. You, too, can get every part listed in our Tech Spec box for your own E-39. Well, everything except for that oil cap. Maybe Chet will sell you his for the right price. Maybe you’ll be standing on the top podium spot at the next CART race. Maybe Stone Cold will toss you a beer to congratulate you on schooling his Texan ass. Yeah, that would be swell.