Milltek reveals all-new E92 M3 valved exhaust
The V8 M3 is one of the best sounding BMW M cars in history - Milltek can make it more so
It’s hard to imagine now, more than 18 years later and with values soaring, but the V8-powered M3 wasn’t all that loved at launch. The usual gripes really: too heavy, too complicated, not M enough - they come around every few years, with the launch of a new generation. Take a look at the PH review from 2007 for proof: ‘instead of relinquishing the keys with that gripping, longing, sadness in my gut that you’d assume would be there having driven the new M3, I find myself oddly detached from it.’ Feels like it could have come straight from a story about the current car, doesn’t it?
But with engines like the 8,400rpm S65 V8 now a distant memory, BMW’s design having veered off in a bold new direction and modifications finding the best from the E9x platform, the 2007-13 M3 is now an in-demand modern classic. £12,495 during Covid was the lowest we saw a manual Coupe; now a similar car is £16,000, cars with less than 100,000 miles are at least £20,000, and up to £50,000 is being asked for the latest, lowest mileage examples. Interest is at a level, arguably, that it hasn't been for a while; perfect time, then, for Milltek to launch a new exhaust range for the V8 M3.
Having offered exhausts on these cars for a while, it’s the Derby-based company’s first valved system for this M3 vintage, it’s available for all bodystyles, and fits from the cat back. Milltek says the setup ‘represents a step-change from the original factory exhaust’, a package of pipes that offers ‘both refinement and a spine-tingling soundtrack at the press of a button’. We’ll let you be the judge of that from the video; though it must be impossible, really, to make a V8 M3 sound bad, this does seem especially good.
The new T304L stainless steel exhaust is said to be freer breathing than standard, though no additional power is claimed. That would be a lot to expect from just a cat-back on a naturally aspirated car. Instead, it’s the sound (and the look of the new 80mm tailpipes) that’s the big appeal, with even the Quiet mode a fair bit naughtier than stock. Loud opens the new valves to bypass the silencers for ‘a raw, authentic V8 soundtrack that any petrolhead will appreciate.’ With even the youngest E9x M3s now 12 years old (yes, really), there must be plenty out there that would benefit from a new exhaust, so it would only make sense to upgrade in the process. And if you meet any resistance to that, just suggest it makes the car more desirable to future buyers. If you ever sell.
Kev Hall, Technical Operations Manager at Milltek Sport, said (if any further persuading was required): “The valves give you the choice: with them closed, it’s refined and composed, but hit the switch, floor the throttle and the valves open - suddenly you’re greeted with the most raucous, spine-tingling V8 note. It’s the sound of a performance car at its absolute best.”
Just bear in mind that, as with pretty much anything on this M3 generation, a lovely new exhaust won’t come cheap: with polished tips, the Milltek V2 valved system is £2,865.60 inc VAT, or with the Cerakote Black finishers seen here, it’s £3,009.60. Best hope values keep rising…
I looked around one of these at a show recently, and I thought how old fashioned they look now. But I did like the way mine looked back in 2013 when I had it though.
and Lee, missing the M3 a bit? although they stay heavy and so the fun only begins at high rpm I guess.
Bits like exhausts wear out anyway so replacements will be needed.
I can see things becoming almost Cuba like, with plenty of old interesting cars burbling about for decades.
As long as the government doesn't ruin it by hiking fuel duty of course.
Ha, Miltek actually does or did a speaker for teslas...
Bits like exhausts wear out anyway so replacements will be needed.
I can see things becoming almost Cuba like, with plenty of old interesting cars burbling about for decades.
As long as the government doesn't ruin it by hiking fuel duty of course.
when my present car is sold some day, I already have a bunch of classics cars in sight collected on my desktop
for example a (TVR) Griffith 400 LHD or a AC Aceca V8 LHD or a Porsche F-G model ala 930 Turbo as base for something more special, and so on.
great cars! As for the exhaust in the article, seems like a nice bit of kit and it would be nice to tone it down a bit on cold start if I'm going out early in it, but that's a lot of cash for an exhaust for an old 3 series. Think I paid 1600 for my Remus one, but obviously that isn't valved. It is loud on cold start though, it recently shook the garage so hard on start up that it knocked something off the shelf above the car and onto the bootlid! I've still got the primary cats in too, if I ever gutted them I think I'd have to have the cold start mapped out.
As for the exhaust in the article, seems like a nice bit of kit and it would be nice to tone it down a bit on cold start if I'm going out early in it, but that's a lot of cash for an exhaust for an old 3 series. Think I paid 1600 for my Remus one, but obviously that isn't valved. It is loud on cold start though, it recently shook the garage so hard on start up that it knocked something off the shelf above the car and onto the bootlid! I've still got the primary cats in too, if I ever gutted them I think I'd have to have the cold start mapped out.
As for the exhaust in the article, seems like a nice bit of kit and it would be nice to tone it down a bit on cold start if I'm going out early in it, but that's a lot of cash for an exhaust for an old 3 series. Think I paid 1600 for my Remus one, but obviously that isn't valved. It is loud on cold start though, it recently shook the garage so hard on start up that it knocked something off the shelf above the car and onto the bootlid! I've still got the primary cats in too, if I ever gutted them I think I'd have to have the cold start mapped out.
They're getting to the point where provenance and maintenance history are coming in to play. Corners have been cut on many when it comes to servicing (when and by whom) and maintenance (routine and pro-active).
Also cars without recent rod bearings and throttle actuators will be worth notably less.
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