Manhart is at it again. This time, it’s revisiting the BMW M3 to give the super wagon from Bavaria a ridiculous amount of power. Aptly called the “Black Beast,” the one Touring to rule them all now plays in the supercar league. There’s still an inline-six engine under that custom hood, but the twin-turbo 3.0-liter packs extra muscle.
The German tuner has massaged the “S58” to deliver 843 horsepower and 1,090 Newton-meters (804 pound-feet) of torque. That’s even more than the new M5 Touring G99 with its larger 4.4-liter V8 and electric motor working together. Manhart’s hardcore G81 uses a reinforced eight-speed automatic transmission to cope with the extra torque. It can now take up to 1,300 Nm (959 lb-ft), so in theory, reliability shouldn’t be a concern.
You can imagine that squeezing so much power from the six-cylinder engine wasn’t done with just a simple ECU remap. The menacing wagon now has forged pistons and connecting rods, plus carbon intake. Manhart gave the M3 a beefier intercooler and a stainless-steel exhaust along with making changes in other areas. Examples include an adjustable coilover suspension and a carbon strut brace to stiffen up the chassis.
In typical Manhart fashion, the M3 Touring gets a not-so-subtle body kit. It includes a new radiator grille, front and rear spoilers, and extended side skirts – all from carbon fiber. The lightweight material was also used for the side gills. The tuner’s signature champagne accents adorn the muscular body and the aftermarket wheels.
Although images of the interior are not available, we do know this G81 has Manhart’s own floor mats and a “Sky Roof.” The latter is marketing jargon for a glitzy headliner in the same Rolls-Royce’s Starlight.
BMW is cooking up its own amped-up M3 Touring. The long-roof Competition Sport (CS) is launching in 2025 with more power and less weight. However, it won’t be nearly as dramatic as Manhart’s beast.
Source: Manhart
