BMW Z4 – with 550bhp V10!

BMW’s Z4 is a huge improvement on the ‘Hairdressers’ retro lump that was the Z3. It handles well and is a good car, even if it is a bit ‘Marmite’ – you either love it or hate it.

BMW reckons that there is no need for a Z4M, so the best Bavaria offers off the shelf is just over 300bhp. But one man has other ideas – Günther Manhart of Manhart Racing. He decided that what was really needed in the Z4 was that nice V10 from the M5. So with 25 years experience of making BMWs do something special he set about shoehorning the V10 in to the Z4, and just because he could he fiddled with the ECU to give the V10 Z4 a rather more than adequate 550bhp.

The result is a Z4 that can sprint to 60mph in around 3.7 seconds and on to.. Actually, we don’t know, but the limiter has been removed, so your guess is as good as ours. Manhart also adds a stainless steel exhaust system, an M5 six-speed manual and diff and a set of 285/30ZR19 rubber at the back to keep those 550 horses glued to the road.

Manhart Racing hasn’t given us prices for the conversion, but this is a bit more than  a £1k ECU fiddle around.