BMW’s 3-Series M car is synonymous with handling, luxury and brand prestige, but this is of little concern to Australian gearheads. In fact, if there’s one region that seems to embrace automotive sacrilege more than we here in America do, we’d have to give top honors to the Aussies.
Normally an E36 M3 would be powered by a 282 horsepower straight six cylinder motor, but this particular M3 sedan has gotten a heart transplant for burnout duty, and it’s a swap that pushes this Bimmer into Mad Max territory.
Rumor has it that under the Rat Fink-style bird catcher and blower setup lies an LS1 V8, and it’s anyone’s guess what this puppy is cranking out now. Whatever is, it’s enough to make short work of the M3’s tires as it tosses the car around the course like a toy.
The clip comes to us from the Race 4 Real event at Sydney Dragway that took place last month. Along with over 200 competitors taking more than 600 passes down the strip at the event, burnout contests are nearly obligatory for any drag racing event Down Under.
Beyond the wild motor sticking out of the hood, what’s especially endearing about this M3 is the fact that, aside from the aftermarket wheels, this BMW appears more or less stock. It’s as though someone simply shoehorned a massive blown V8 into the engine bay and then headed down to the track – which is most certainly what did not happen to make this a functional high horsepower burnout machine.