Few car fans would argue the point that BMW’s M3 is one of the best-balanced rides on the planet. Even in stock form, it makes decent power, offers up superb handling and has impressive, fade-resistant brakes. While the platform can handle (significantly) more horsepower than the 4.0-liter V-8’s 414 hp output, the car still provides plenty of entertainment value for most drivers.
For the hardcore few, however, there’s no such thing as too much horsepower. That’s where companies like VF Engineering come into the picture, since it’s ready, willing and able to bump up the output considerably on your E92 BMW M3. How much? It’s standard upgrade makes 620 horsepower at the crank, but know the right people and VF will build you an M3 that makes 690 horsepower.
In any car driving just two wheels, that’s a lot of power to get to the ground. As host Matt Farah explains, the latest VF Engineering creation doesn’t even benefit from a wide-body conversion, so those ponies get to the pavement via a pair of 295 mm wide rear tires. In other words, it’s a really, really good idea to leave traction control on for street driving.
While a car like this would be an absolute blast to drive on a track, it very nearly makes too much power for the rest of the setup. We don’t have the attention span necessary to drive something like this on a daily basis, but we’d sure enjoy an afternoon of wearing out tires and brake pads.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
