Hoonigan fans will no doubt know Larry Chen as a brilliant automotive photographer. Along with capturing stunning shots of cars, Chen is a full blown petrolhead like the rest of us. In the latest installment of the Hoonigan AutoFocus YouTube series, Chen showcases one of the most interesting Frankenstein BMW 1M’s we’ve ever seen.
Esteban Larrañaga and Masterclass Automotive teamed up to create this franken-bimmer. On the surface, it may look like any normal 1M but a quick peek under the skin will quickly disprove that. The car is an amalgamation of an E92 M3, a 135i, and a 1M race car.
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Masterclass began the project by merging the wider body panels from the 1M race car to the 135i chassis. According to Larrañaga, all of the body welds are in the factory locations prescribed by BMW. With the exclusion of the sunroof and the non-factory paint color, the car looks like a factory 1M. With the majority of the parts being sourced from BMW, could this be labelled as a pseudo-factory vehicle? Masterclass went as far as custom-molding various plastic pieces to ensure an OEM look.
We’re not sure what label to put on this car, but once you turn the key, the roar of the S65 V8 from the E92 M3 is sure to blow its sleeper cover. The S65 is a prime example of one of the best engines that the Bavarian outfit has ever made. Not only does it produce the better part of 414 naturally aspirated horsepower (309 kilowatts), but it also revs up to around 8,500 rpm before redline.
While the stock exhaust that comes with the S65 produces a fantastic noise, the Akrapovic system fitted to the Masterclass 1M adds to the existing V8 theater. Compared to the stock exhaust note, the new system takes the sound from angry to furious. All the while, the exhaust doesn’t produce any noticeable drone from the interior.
This greatest hits combination means that this BMW looks as good as it drives, and sounds as good as it looks. What do you think of this OEM match made in heaven?
Source: Hoonigan AutoFocus