If it weren't for tough decisions, life would be a boring wasteland of non-controversial monotony. Everyone would drive a Honda Accord, work would start at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. and there'd be only one choice on the McDonald's menu. But because the world is a little more complicated than that, we all have to decide if our Number Three combo meal should be Supersized and how to sneak out of work at 4 p.m. without getting fired. Some people, however, have tougher choices. Pro drag-racer Adam Saruwatari, for example, is faced with the daily dilemma of whether he should drive his convertible E46 M3 SMG or his 996 Porsche Turbo - sometimes, life sucks.
Saruwatari's decision is made even more complex when you factor in that he's known throughout the import drag racing world as a Honda/Acura guy. Case in point: the Acura NSX he trailers from race to race. Even if you nitpick Saruwatari's racing history, you'll find an RX-7 and a Civic, but no VWs, BMWs or Porsches. So what gives?
Apparently, Saruwatari has always had a place in his heart for European performance, but because of his sponsorships and close ties to the Japanese side of drag racing, he's kept his fleet of Euros on the down-low. Since Saruwatari is nearing the end of his racing contracts, and some say he may give up racing altogether once they expire, he has become a lot more open on the topic of where his personal automotive priorities sit. From what we could find, Saruwatari not only loves European cars, but he's into the high-end, cutting-edge technologies that German cars offer.
What kind of technology could possibly lure someone away from the likes of an NSX? After all, the NSX is comprised of an incredibly complex aluminum 3.2L V-6 and an equally complex aluminum chassis - and when the two work together, the result is an awe-inspiring culmination of engineering genius. The answer is BMW's equally amazing SMG automatic tranny mated to its infamously high-revving 3.2L S54 motor.
For those of you scoffing at the idea of an automatic transmission, regardless of how cool the acronym is, consider this: Not only does the SMG transmission still house a clutch and flywheel (identical to the manual version), but in its most aggressive setting, the SMG tranny will click from gear to gear in 80 milliseconds. In fact, even at the car's most lackadaisical shift setting, the tranny still flies through the gates in 0.32 second. Considering that with the SMG tranny you'll never miss a shift, all of a sudden, BMW seems to be onto something, and Saruwatari seems to appreciate it.
To make his M3 better, with the assistance of SP Engineering, Saruwatari increased the Bimmer's output through carefully choosing and installing a GruppeM carbon-fiber intake and an AC Schnitzer V2A exhaust. To dress up the car, a Radenergie carbon-fiber valve cover was added, carbon-fiber Schnitzer exterior goodies were bolted to the bodywork and a Fiber Images carbon-fiber hood was painted to match the exterior. Radenergie gills, Hamann headlight covers and Intense Graphics vinyl finished off the exterior. Inside are the lusted-after Sparco Milano seats, more goodies from Schnitzer and carbon-fiber dash treatments from SP Engineering.
Since the tranny couldn't be improved upon, Saruwatari upgraded everything else to increase the car's performance. Included in the list are A&L Racing wheels, Nitto NT-555 tires, a Schnitzer exhaust, Brembo four-pot calipers, both front and rear, and Eibach coilovers. Tightening up the suspension even more are Eibach sway bars and a front Schnitzer strut brace.
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