Berk Technology's BMW 135i Time Attack Demonstrator

Jeff ----- That sounds alot more like it. I would love to see one running an less conservative tune simply because of the AEM water/methanol injection should curb the chances of detonation. One question I have is does direct injection leave less power on the table because of the already high compression ratio? I think it would be sweet to have a tech article explaining how direct injection- turbo motors are at tuning compared to port injection that is more common... Pros and Cons of each....

The disadvantages of DI are the lack of upgrade path for reasonable amounts of money and valve deposits.

Thanks Mike!

Best article ever! Of course, I may be a little biased...

BMW always amazes me with the complexity of their suspension and steering componenets.

what is the deal with that pushrod attached to the shock body on the front shocks? is that for the sway bar?
crikey!

I'm wondering about what that electronic rotary sensor looking thingy is that is attached to the control arm.

Gotta love the OEM flatbottom, good for gas mileage.

Hmm seems like the HP is very conservative abit I have heard of people doing just reflashes on the 335i's and putting 330 hp down. But this car still sounds sweet. And I would love to know what all the weight they have stripped out brings the porker down too. Oh well Awesome right up as per usual..

I'm confused. In RTA terms, full interior means dash, center console, front door cards?

Thanks for doing this feature. I'm purchasing a new vehicle in the spring, and the 135i is one I'm considering. I was concerned, though, that there was no aftermarket support for it, until now.

Jeff2, it has to have all the glass as well, no lexan.

rsmotors--thanks for the catch! Those power numbers were a little stale. Mike Bonanni just emailed me the current figures which i've updated in the article. On a conservative version of GIAC's Stage 2 tune thee car makes 379whp and 402lbs/ft torque on GIAC's Mustang dyno.

Steve, I totally agree with you.
These days cars are packed with tons of accessories in the engine bay. Drop a dime in the engine bay, and it won't drop onto the floor.

All plastic covers help to "soffocate" the engine keeping it hot, very smart.

I have always believed that a cooler engine last longer and produces a bit more power. What's up with that?
Producing useless plastic covers only cost more to the companies.
It takes longer to access to the engine's vitals = more time consuming, so that you, or your mechanic will spend more time and money, and like I said, it traps heat in the engine bay.
What are those smart engineers thinking?

A side note: the BMW 135i weights about 3450 lbs. I don't see where the "relatively light" comes from.
Other than that, I do like the 135i. I wish it was 500 lbs lighter.

Man am I glad I don't have to work around an engine bay this packed, it's reminiscent of a Z32. Nice intake design in theory but the placement on top (hot?) of the motor seems like an act of desperation to find *any* location to put the filters. Have to love those PAW-proof OEM BMW Exhaust Systems. They are so overbuilt I see 15 year old E36's with their original exhausts here in CT, and they're probably driven through Winter. The muffler wall thickness alone I have no problem believing 30 lb weight reduction.

Rsmotors - Direct Injection or DI for short is the next generation for fuel delivery in modern internal combustion engines IMO. It allows for very precise fuel delivery with extremely accurate timing of the fuel event compared to port injection. As Mike already mentioned one of the major drawbacks is that there is virtually no aftermarket stand alone ECU that has the ability to drive DI fuel systems. Motec has their M1 series of ECU's on the horizon that can control DI engines but we're still waiting on them to finish up the development.

OMG It's Weasel - The pushrod you see is an adjustable sway bar end link from Velocity Motorcars. The adjustable end link allows you to correct the sway bar geometry to remove any preload from the sway bar.

Spdracernut - that rotary electronic thingy is nothing more than a potentiometer for the headlights. Many cars with OEM HID's will have adaptive headlights that turn slightly as you turn the steering wheel, or aim themselves down as the car hits a bump so that you don't blind the drivers in front of you. There is a headlight sensor on the front of the car (left and right movement), and one in the rear (up and down movement).

Steve - I agree with you on the intake location. We plan on fabricating a new intake system that utilizes the stock intake box. **gasp**

JDMized - Fresh off the showroom floor the 135i weighed in ~3300lbs. This is a stripped down 135i without any factory options. The 135i is approximately 200lbs lighter than the 335i with the same option package. You get the same twin turbo motor and suspension in a smaller, lighter package. It is fairly easy to get a 135i under 3000lbs without cutting a single thing out of the car.