Manhart Racing BMW M3 E91 5.0 V10 SMG - The Family Racer

Manhart Racing BMW M3 E91 5.0 V10 SMG

Attention all sporty, family men! The new BMW M3 is also available as a four-door saloon. That means it's very easy to justify buying a new plaything to your sceptical wife (or, in fact, to your own conscience). It's just a shame that the Bavarian company hasn't yet been able to bring itself to make an M3 estate.

The tuners at Geilenkirchen-based Manhart Racing probably thought the same thing when they built the car that BMW didn't want to build; an M3 touring. To produce it, the team centred around legendary mechanic Günther Manhart, furnished the E91 bodywork with the front apron, front side panels, side skirts and of course, the characteristic powerdome bonnet from the M3 saloon, designed their own M3-style rear apron and widened the rear wheel-arches to give them that M3 look. The aerodynamic rear-view mirrors really topped it all off. However, Günther Manhart knows that you obviously can't just make a car look good; it has to have something under the bonnet too. The axles, the tank, the complete steering system and a range of other hidden but otherwise essential parts have all come from the M3.

V10 power in the E91

So it only remains to talk about what really makes the M3: The 4.2-litre V8 engine. But wait! At this point it should be mentioned that Manhart Racing specialises in fitting various BMW models with the formidable 5.0-litre engine from the M5 E60. And so the V10 engine found itself used in another BMW model, the E91. After optimising the electronics and incorporating HJS's stainless-steel four-pipe exhaust system with two 200-cell racing catalytic convertors, the heavy-duty unit manages an extremely impressive 550 PS, which is kept on a tight leash by the 7-speed SMG gearbox, also taken from the M5 and by the corresponding 100% limited slip differential

BMW 5.0 litre V10 Engine

With the vehicle possessing such an armoury, it can catapult itself from 0 to 100km/h in only 4.3 seconds and on the motorway it easily cruises past most other performance saloons and estates (including the ‘true' M3 and M5 models) with its top speed of 324km/h.

It's a good thing then, that Manhart Racing has equipped the car with tunable Bilstein PSS10 coilover suspension and an extremely stable Stoptech Sport Trophy Kit braking system with a six-piston calliper with grooved 380mm brake discs at the front and a four-piston calliper with 355mm brake discs on the drive shaft.

The RÄD Monza three-part forged wheels with black rims fit perfectly with the character of this vehicle, and they are available in 9.5" and 10.5" x 20" sizes. Flat, size 255/30ZR20 and 295/25ZR20 Hankook S1 Evo tyres aim to provide higher levels of longitudinal and lateral acceleration.

Performance interior

A detailed look at the interior is also very much worth your. Driver and passenger both sit in outstanding BMW sports seats, and the back seats can be upholstered with leather or Alcantara to match those in the front. Likewise, the leather interior with Alcantara roof and door linings as well as the carbon fittings and the BMW performance steering wheel with illuminating indicator switches really give the car that racing look.

Manhart Racing has set the purchase price for the complete car package at around €120,000. If desired, your current basis car can be upgraded.

Technical facts

Vehicle: BMW M3 E91 5.0 V10 SMG

Bodywork: M3 E90 front apron, M3 E90 front fenders, M3 E90 bonnet, M3 E90 side skirts, M3 E90 wing mirrors, Manhart Racing-designed, M3-style, rear apron, widened rear wheel arches in the style of the M3.

Engine: 5.0-litre V10 from the M5 E60, modified engine electronics, lifting of the Vmax limiter, complete stainless steel exhaust system with 2 x 200-cell HJS catalytic converters and 4 x 86mm exhaust pipes, tank from the M3 E90, 550 PS.

Transmission: 7-speed SMG from the M5 E60, 100% limited slip differential from the M5 E60, front and rear axel from the M3 E90.

Chassis: Bilstein PSS10 coilover suspension, steering system from the M3 E90.

Brakes: Stoptech Sport Trophy Kit front and back, 6-piston callipers and 380mm slats in the front, and 4-piston callipers and 355mm slats at the rear.

Wheel/Tyres: three-part RÄD Monza aluminium rims in 9.5" x 20" ET20 and 10.5" x 20" ET20, Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Tyres in sizes 255/30ZR20 and 295/25ZR20

Interior: heated BMW performance sports seats, leather-covered back seats in the style of the front seats, full leather interior with Alcantara roof and door lining, BMW performance steering wheel with illuminating indicator switches, acceleration and ¼ mile time displays.

Images : Manhart Racing BMW M3 E91 5.0 V10 SMG

[Source : MANHART RACING]

Manhart Racing BMW Z4 V10 - Heart Transplant - 550 HP in Z4

Manhart Racing BMW Z4 V10

The M version of the BMW Z4 is famously known by nature for being anything but underpowered, since the chassis of the sports convertible already has a heck of a lot of work with the 343 HP and the forward thrust in the lower gears could last forever.


As is generally known however, the sport oriented motorist can never have enough power at his command. Sufficient cause for Günther Manhart, who by now has over 25 years experience in rebuilding BMW engines - a first for Europe - to transplant a brand new, much stronger heart into the Z4. The transplantation of the ten cylinder engine from the current M5 generation into the narrow engine bay of the roadster was anything but a walk in the park and it earned the Manhart Racing engineers quite a few grey hairs. Nevertheless: everything fitted in the end and now the fire of a 5.0 litre V10 engine with an impressive output of 550 HP blazes above the front axle of the Z4. A catalytic converter, a modified DME electronic control unit and the removal of the factory-set V-Max restriction up to 250 km/h are part of the rebuild. Consistent to the M5 V10 engine Manhart Racing has treated the Z4 to an original M5 E60 6 gear manual transmission which includes a Fichtel & Sachs clutch and a M5 E60 differential. An AC Schnitzer stainless steel exhaust system with four muffler tips which was fitted with HJS racing catalytic converters caters for a perfect V10 sound at the rear.

The Manhart Z4 M V10 goes like hell and thanks to the perfectly tuned Bilstein B16 PSS10 coilovers, the virtually unrestrained power of 550 HP can be brought under control to the tarmac. Black BBS Challenge wheels rotate in the wheel arches of the Manhart Z4 M V10 with 8.5Jx19 ET35 235/35ZR19 front tyres and 10Jx19 ET20 285/30ZR19 back tyres.

Conclusion: 550 HP ten cylinders, an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, kerb weight 1450kg, 2.6kg per HP... who could guess that these impressive figures belong to a Z4? Hardly anyone, however Manhart Racing turns dreams into reality and does this with 25 years experience.

Images : 2010 Manhart Racing BMW Z4 V10

[Source : Manhart Racing]