This BMW E30 M3 Has The Best Engine Swap Ever

According to the owner, that's because of anE60 BMW S85 V10swap in the tiny chassis. The Aussie was crazy enough to swap the motor on this car, and even says it was a bit crazy. "I couldn't afford to do it now," the owner said to the Australian YouTube channelFullboost. We should note we're not totally clear on where the car's V10 came from. The oft-decried V10 was also used in the BMW M6 for a time. Regardless, a 500-hp V10 in a car that weighs less than 3,000 lbs is quite the recipe for fun on any track.

It also took a lot of work to fit the monster engine into the E30. A car that originally housed a four-cylinder (and inline-6) from the 80s isn't exactly going to be spacious. The owner said he had to totally relocate the steering column. This is round two of that procedure for the M3, as it was swapped to RHD under previous ownership. The car also doesn't have air-con right now, presumably because A) Australia is known for its mild climate, and B) because you couldn't fit it in there. Anything else in the engine bay had to be custom fabricated using photos from other V10 E30 swaps (yeah, there are a few) to figure out where things go.

The gearbox from an E90-generation M3 was used to mesh well with the V10. To fit all that, the cross-members had to be modified, as did the oil pan and subframe. Powering it all is a standalone ECU. In all, the motor and gearbox cost roughly $13,600 USD before any further parts and labor.

For the owner, this seems to be a money-no-object build. He appears rather attached to his custom BMW, and we don't blame him. The car runs a 12.9 quarter at 120 mph with nearly 50:50 weight distribution. The owner claims he'd have to have a whole lump of cash thrown at him to convince him to sell.