BMW recently revealed its new M2 to the world at the 2016 NAIAS, but before we actually get the M2, the Dinan S3 BMW M235i might be the next best thing. Dinan has always been a great BMW tuner, with excellent aftermarket kits of BMWs. This Dinan S3 is no different, offering a bigger turbocharger, new intercooler, new engine software, new exhaust, lower and stiffer suspension with beefier sway bars and BBS wheels. All of this makes the M235i a much faster, more exciting package.
Matt Farah, of The Smoking Tire, was able to drive the Dinan S3 around and give us a video of what it’s like. The S3 (not to be confused with the Audi S3) packs a 440 hp punch, thanks to its bigger turbo and added engine modifications.
However, Dinan would not give out the information on what kind of turbocharger it is, as this car is still not production-ready. However, we do know that it’s much bigger than the stock turbo on the M235i and actually creates a bit of turbo lag because of it. However, it does make the M235i very fast, maybe even M2 fast.
The other significant change is the exhaust. Many aftermarket exhaust systems can make the mistake of simply making more noise, not necessarily the right noises at the right times. This Dinan exhaust sounds great and it doesn’t drone. It has a nice little snort on upshifts and sounds properly growly.
The stiffer springs and beefier sway bars also don’t make the car ride too harshly. According to Farah, it drives really nicely and isn’t too stiff. However, he did claim that it’s low enough that he scraped the nose a bit in certain tricky areas. Aside from that, though, the Dinan S3 can be used everyday and not become uncomfortable.
In the video, we see that it’s properly quick and gets up to illegal speeds quite quickly and with relative ease. It also just looks fun to drive, which is more important than any performance figures. The standard BMW M235i is fun to drive, so adding some more go-fast bits only makes it even more fun. Check out this video and the Dinan S3.
