Twin-turbo M3 the man

If ever we were giving out a Pimp Coty (Car of the Year) award, the RGM GTR3S would have been a serious contender for 2011.

The BMW M3 here done by Manhart would heavily influence the outcome of a follow-up 2012 award.

My jaw is currently on the floor as I write this piece, imagining how deliciously absurd all this actually sounds. You definitely need a man-heart to be able to live with what this German tuner has done here.

Believe it or not, this company has uprooted the standard V8 4.0-litre M3 motor, one of the finest mills ever built by the German geniuses, and replaced it with another BMW V8, this time the twin-turbo found in the X5 and X6 M models.

Codenaming the MH3 V8 RS Clubsport, Manhart has decided that the 408kW wielded by the X5M was simply not enough.

They have upped the power to an unimaginable 551kW and 910Nm. Heavy modification to the blown V8 includes customising the turbo units, allowing them to scoop air better while spinning faster and then interlinking them to an even larger intercooler.

A titanium full exhaust system is fitted with a pair of racing catalytic converters while pistons and conrods are reinforced. Fascinatingly, the engine is not the only internal transplanted from a big brother. It also gets the six-speed M-Sport automatic gearbox of the X5M while the company also introduces the locking diff from the V10 engined E60 M5 to manage the 20-inch alloys with 255/30ZR20 performance takkies.

This M3 is understood to blink past 100km/h from standstill in 3.2 seconds.

Top speed is unknown , but the car is candidly described as pulling feverishly at the 350km/h mark. This is supercar territory!

Coping with Lamborghini Aventador-type speed is a special, up-graded braking system. The anchors are six-piston fixed calipers with 396x34mm discs upfront while the rears are an equally dinner plate-sized 380x32mm.

The aerodynamic appendages here do more than just tip a hat to a future classic. It needs them for a longer life span. The kind of speeds quoted here require true oxygen manipulating panels and protrusions, and the MH3 V8 receives carbon fibre front lower spoiler, hood, side skirts, wheel arch extensions, luggage lid, adjustable rear wing and rear diffuser.

A roll cage is built in, as are carbon fibre bucket seats and a genuine racing display finish off what must be the scariest car we've shown you so far - early 2012.