UK aftermarket shop Evolve Automotive worked on a customer’s BMW Z8 earlier this year and extracted 92 horsepower after repairing and tuning its S62 engine. They managed to squeeze out nearly 441 hp after noticing one of the cylinders was misfiring before giving the naturally aspirated V8 a stage 2 upgrade.
They’re now back with another equally gorgeous Z8, only this time it’s their very own roadster. This one too has the desirable ALPINA wheels and appears to be in great condition inside and out. In stock form, the 4.9-liter engine shared with the M5 E39 made an already strong 393 hp and 363 lb-ft (492 Nm) on the dyno. After installing a custom exhaust to allow the V8 to breathe better, the car pushed out 421 hp and 377 lb-ft (511 Nm).
Then it was time to tune the engine’s ECU in a bid to extract even more power from the sweet-sounding S62 engine. A dyno test showed output rising to 443 hp and 387 lb-ft (525 Nm). Numbers aside, the diagrams show the torque gains are accessible throughout the entire rpm range, thus giving the Z8 more pulling power for effortless cruising.
Evolve Automotive’s main purpose was not necessarily to obtain more power from the V8 but rather to improve its soundtrack by swapping out the original manifold largely shared with the 540i and M5 E39. The bump in output obtained after installing the Supersprint exhaust headers was a byproduct while the remapped ECU took the high-revving NA engine to a superior level.
The new dual exhaust tips make the Z8’s rear end look arguably better than the OEM setup because they no longer stick out and are therefore flush with the bumper. Needless to say, the most noticeable improvement is the noise as the V8 now sounds significantly better, even at idle, but especially at higher rpms.
Source: Evolve Automotive / YouTube
