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Originally Posted by Sales@Alekshop
Not long ago we decided to attempt to build a GTS M3 from scratch. We knew based on the rare parts and motor used on this special edition car it was going to be difficult to replicate but we were up to the challenge.
First up we needed a base to start with so we purchased a brand new Lime Rock special edition M3 due to it having the factory GTS paint. This saved us from having to do a full paint conversion to get the factory GTS color.
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Now that we had the car we had to decide on how to replicate the higher HP 4.4L motor used in the GTS. We decided to not only match the additional factory power but go beyond with a 4.6L build and custom cams. We contacted our friends at ESS Tuning who confirmed that tuning would not be an issue so we got to work. We designed all of the internals, acquired a stock motor and built it out, when finished we were pretty excited how it all came together.
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Next up was the interior. There were many pieces we needed to source to keep the car as close to OEM as possible. We were able to source the OEM roll cage, rear seat delete, seats, steering wheel, door trim and arm rest. The finished product turned out better than we expected.
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Once the interior was done we finished off the performance parts and exterior. We chose to use the Akrapovic GT4 exhaust, OEM GTS / Brembo brakes, a custom Ohlins race suspension and our high performance oil cooler to round out the performance parts. Exterior we once again wanted to source as much OEM GTS as we could so the GTS front lip, rear wing, rear plastic windows, euro spec front bumper and competition wheels wrapped in factory GTS spec Pirelli rubber were acquired to finish her off.
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Now with the build finished the only thing left to do was to get her to the guys at ESS Tuning in Arizona for custom tuning.
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After a couple days on the dyno and on the road ESS had the car 100% dialed in. We finished breaking in the motor and got the final HP numbers on the car. Needless to say we were very happy with not only the HP and power curve but also how amazing the car drives.
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In the end all of the hard work was well worth it. We were able to accomplish our goal of building and experiencing as close to possible a GTS M3. In some ways we feel we even took the GTS platform to the next level. This car will remain in our stable for some time. |
I am so glad I take my M3 to you Alek! Your the BEST!!!
This challenging build just shows how ahead you are of all the other shops.