Supercharged N52

[Z4MCSL]

Ive seen maybe one post/thread about this...anyone have any experience?

I appreciate it makes no sense in the grand scheme of things but I am looking at the possibility of supercharging my 3.0si coupe, have been thinking about it for a while but this year it could be a reality.

Any info, experience, opinions would be awesome

thanks

[aka_kerrly]

There are companies ( ESS are a well established BMW tuners) offering off the shelf supercharger kits that utilise either VF Vortech or Rotrex superchargers.

There are plenty of E9X Z4 based conversions already out there with the ESS Vortex VT3 kit which aims to give around 80-100hp but can be somewhat higher depending on other modifications .

[aquarianone]

I'd thought about it too ..and then checked the cost...

It's like 5K+ or something...which is a bit rich for my blood.

I think there's a few.on the forum that have had it done and seem quite happy

[Z4MCSL]

but for 5k it means alternatives would be circa £13/14k car and it actually stacks up quite nicely against some of the options at that price

Plus it would be so unique etc

[ZX10R NIN]

AC Schnitzer actually did this as an actual model.

https://youtu.be/yINp7dxlFWo

[Mr Tidy]

I can see what you are getting at - £5K for a supercharger is probably similar to what you would have to spend to get an M, although an M also gives you HPAS and an LSD!

Maybe this might be useful:-
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t...

[Z4MCSL]

Ive got an M as well but planning to sell it soon. I love it but I am not sure how good it would be as a daily driver....the 3.0si I find much more refined, the impression I get is this wont change with a supercharger?

[StuB]

Have an ESS V2 (old centrifugal supercharger) kit on an M52 engined Z3 2.8 since 2000 (car was bouhgt new in 99) and it's fab, great Q car.

Torque curve/smoothness has never changed, it just has more of everything, everywhere. Car has been run low boost (0.5 bar) and has been totally reliable. Not sure on the later engine series being as bullet proof though. On the later engines, I presume you'd have to look at some kind on intercooling also?

I also upgraded many other components on the car, especiialy the brakes, with AP Racing 320mm discs with 4 pot calipers up front.

[IAche]

Bit of a thread revival but did you ever do this?

Having bad thoughts about my E82 125i.

[Andy70]

I bought a 335i for £4900 a few years ago, gradually modified it, charge pipe, intercooler etc, I have a JB4 box that came on the car so set on an auto tune setting it remaps as i go, I'm putting out close to 400bhp and by the time the down pipes are fitted, it should push well over 400bhp, all for less than 7 grand, and that will include ditching the tuning box in favour of a custom map, so will get 200 quid back, so thinking about it 5k for a supercharger doesn't seem such great value for 80bhp, when a 335i n54 has 306 standard and they can be picked up quite cheap these days. This is just an opinion I know people love their cars and want to improve them. The point is, a 335i is a better base to start from I've owned a 330i and it is comparatively fragile, light weight engine compared to an N54... I'm just giving you pound for pound options if you are shrewd. so 80bhp on an engine that around 250 to begin with.... hmmmm, when you can buy a whole car with a similar output for around the same, sell yours and you pay for the mods to take it to something even better. I've probably stirred up a hornets nest with this, but there is value for money logic there