Pushing the Envelope is something that Wheel Power has grown accustomed to. So when presented with a stock plain as Jane 1999 BMW 328i Wheel Power knew it was going to be a big (or wide) job.
At 190 horsepower it was painfully clear that this E46 Saloon wasn’t anywhere near the performance level of the E46 M3. Rather than trying to get more power from this machine Wheel Power chose instead to install the Hamann 3.2L engine conversion kit. Utilizing his 20+ years of DTM and Touring Car racing Richard Hamann engineered the HM32, 3.2L conversion. The 328’s engine capacity is increased to 3.2 liters which results in a horsepower rating of 265 and a torque figure of 195 kW @ 4000 RPM. A Hamann Dual Exhaust system with 2 x 90mm tips was installed to allow for the engine to vent its fumes.
Upon completion of the Hamann Power Kit, Wheel Power immediately began the painstaking installation process of the Hamann Competition Widebody. The Hamann Competition Widebody is a 12 piece full Widebody conversion. This includes the Hamann Competition Front Bumper with the additional spoiler, Competition Side Skirts and Rear Bumper. For added down force Wheel Power added the Hamann Roof Spoiler and the DTM Rear Wing.
“It was the most nerve-racking install I have ever done” says Wayne, the Wheel Power Chief Technician. For proper installation of the Hamann Widebody the OEM Fenders and quarter panels must be cut; cut all the way through the wheel well. “I couldn’t help but smile and laugh to myself when I was installing this kit; I mean hey how often does someone get the chance to cut the hell out of a brand new BMW with less than 100 miles on it.”
The Radenergie R10 3pc forged wheel was chosen in a 19×8.5 and a 19×10. The Radenergie wheels feature a 3-piece construction which employs an 8000 ton forged center and outer. Since this E46 had been through the Widebody transformation it would no longer accept the standard High Offset wheels which BMW E46s normally take. Wheel Power had to use the low offset application which also allowed for a deeper lip. The Nitto NT555 was used because of the aggressive tread pattern in a 245/35/19 and a 275/30/19.
Adorning the interior of this machine is a luxuriously hand crafted tri-tone red on silver on black leather interior. Sitting in Los Angeles traffic has also been made more pleasurable by the installation of the Pioneer AVIC-N1 in car entertainment system. Two 12 inch TS W2RS Pioneer Premier Subwoofers have also been custom worked into the trunk.
For a lot of people, the BMW marks the arrival of the ultimate driving machine, but for the people that have been bitten by the modifying bug, BMW only marks the arrival of the Ultimate Blank Canvas.
GalleryPhotos by Jason Siu
