cars news 10: AC Schnitzer Treatment Arrives for BMW M3, M4

Don’t act surprised—we both knew AC Schnitzer wasn’t just going to sit on its hands and let the BMW M3 and M4 go un-tuned. With the BMW M3 and M4 by AC Schnitzer, the familiar tuner recipe is every bit as alluring as the German outfit’s past undertakings.

At the heart of the AC Schnitzer M3 and M4 is an upgraded powerplant, courtesy of a tweaked ECU. Electronic fiddling with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six bumps output up from the standard 425 hp and 406 lb-ft to a much more hefty 503 hp and 476 lb-ft. Those power and torque figures even best those of the 2016 BMW M4 GTS, which tops out at 493 hp and 442 lb-ft. Yikes.

To make sure the world knows damn well about your added muscle, AC Schnitzer prepped its M3 and M4 with its own special exhaust kit, featuring Sport or Sport Black tailpipes, as well as available flap control, exhaust traps, and sound pipes.

No tuner M3 is complete without a bit of a slam, and the AC Schnitzer version offers a pair of options on that front. First is a spring kit that drops the front and rear by about 1 inch and 0.5 inches, respectively. Second is an adjustable racing coilover suspension that drops the front by as much as 1.6 inches and the rear 1.2 inches. The tuner claims its M3 and M4 will be capable of even higher cornering speeds with its upgraded suspension, which is a little terrifying given how the stock sport sedan already scoots around a road course.

All of AC Schnitzer’s downforce-improving aero bits probably help, too. You can opt for the whole kit or any individual parts, but the whole enchilada includes a carbon-fiber front spoiler, racing front splitter, carbon front side wings, a carbon rear wing in your choice of two heights, carbon rear diffuser, rear roof spoiler, and carbon mirror covers. There is a range of wheel choices ranging from 19 to 21 inches in either aluminum or forged aluminum. And inside you’ll get a custom feel with aluminum pedals, gear shifter, and handbrake handle, as well as velour mats.

Source: AC Schnitzer