New Manhart MH3 Touring surpasses 850hp
We always knew the M3's engine responded well to software upgrades - now there's hardware involved as well
PH has already driven a modified M3 Touring, in the form of Litchfield’s 700hp demonstrator, and enjoyed it very much indeed. When a car is so eminently capable of handling such a prodigious amount of horsepower - while retaining all the inherent appeal of the original - it’s hard not to be won over. Especially when it’s on some nice wheels.
Now things get really serious, with Manhart’s latest BMW-based creation. The Black Beast (their name, not ours) is what happens when an M3 Touring gets a familiar ECU tickle for the twin-turbo 3.0-litre six as well as some serious hardware upgrades as well. Because anybody can get to 700hp from an S58, right? Now, thanks to forged pistons, forged conrods, a Wagner Tuning intercooler and a Remus exhaust, Manhart claims this is an 855hp M3. With 804lb ft as well. It’s enough to make a new M5 seem a bit puny, and more than 350hp over the standard version of a very fast car.
Manhart says the gearbox has been upgraded to cope, and is now capable of handling up to 1,300Nm (or a whopping 959lb ft) if required. There’s even mention of additional oomph ‘for whom the power on offer is not yet sufficient’, so it doesn’t seem like Manhart is done yet. Even if 855hp ought to be enough for most.
Additional tweaks for the MH3 800 include a smart carbon strut brace for a rigidity boost (not pictured yet), height-adjustable H&R springs and… well, that’s about it. Told you M3s were good at dealing with this power. The ceramic brakes are untouched, as are the standard dampers. Even big wheels aren’t drastically different to those offered by the factory, at 20-inch front and 21-inch rear. A smattering of carbon and champagne-coloured goodies complete the Manhart transformation. It says that five will be converted, and the car seen here is offered at €200k, or £167,000. Or about £100k more than the most affordable M3 Tourings currently out there. But then they might feel a tad slow by comparison.
They're just making up for the lost time I reckon.
Although I can’t wait for BMW to kick the G series design to the curb.
And of course it's pointless. The standard M3 is pointless. Anything beyond a base spec 320i is pointless. In fact, anything beyond a Dacia Sandero is pointless for post people, but that's not why people like cars, is it?
I think it's a great car. Good on them!
Lotus JPS colours on an M3 estate...... I quite like it!!
As for 850 hp ...... for some people it is just knowing that it can, is why they have it, even if rarely deployed.
If I lived in a city, with a single parking spot, and liked lugging large things around, and occasional blats on track, then this (or a standard M3 Estate) could be the best "do it all car out there"? Mahart just turn it up to 11.
As a side, does anyone know it the M3 estate is large enough to accomodate a set of racing slicks in the back with seats down, so you could drive to track whip off road tyres and chuck on some slicks, and probably be just about the fastest thing on track.... again a nice alternative to separate track toys, with trailers and tow cars!
I think we have spent so long demanding more and more power we have forgotten when to stop, also partly down to having to have the fastest and most powerful but that is just so many degrees of overkill.
I think when younger we just want more and more, as you age you still want plenty but realise you perhaps dont need 850 bhp, my car is light with 300 bhp and it pulls pretty hard, I can get myself in very hot water, very quickly but can give it all it has for a little bit. On the road I bet this would feel like having The Who's (ask you dad) PA system in your bedsit, and not being able to turn it up.
Sometimes less is more and just because you can, doesn't mean you should, still,, wouldn't mind a go in it to test my thinking.
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