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Having explored BMW Group Japan’s contributions to the Auto Salon, let’s shift our focus to the array of BMWs exhibited at Makuhari Messe. Interestingly, BMWs played a notable role in this year’s event, marking a departure from the past when Porsches typically enjoyed a stronger presence.
A standout model from BMW’s M-Division that garnered significant attention was the M3 Touring. Wagons have consistently enjoyed a robust following in Japan, and with BMW’s latest M3 now available in an elongated form, it’s not surprising that there were at least three M3 Tourings showcased at the event. Like this beautiful Thundernight Metallic Competition sitting at a booth shared by BBS and KW Suspension.
Flawlessly lowered and adorned with BBS’ latest CI-R Unlimited wheels, this M3 Touring, striking a perfect balance between an aggressive stance and practical suspension travel stood out as a personal favorite despite lacking outlandish add-ons.
The CI-R Unlimited wheels, equipped with an in-house proprietary hub adapter system, add an intriguing dimension by allowing versatile fitment across various vehicle platforms. An extra shoutout goes to whoever came up with those KW coilover stanchions!
On the other hand, if a slammed appearance is your preference for a show car, A.F.DEVICE’s Touring might catch your attention. Once again dressed in Thundernight Metallic, lowered to the extreme with PLOOM air suspension, and featuring ADRO aero and NEUTRALE RVM VTG wheels, this Touring offers a different take on the M3 Touring. While it may not align with my taste for an M3, there are undoubtedly enthusiasts who will appreciate its Stanced look.
Stay on the aubergine trail and next up we move on to this M4 Competition from Studie.AG Japan showcased at the WORK Wheels booth. Boasting a distinctive yet captivating Twilight Purple hue paired with a Yas Marina Blue interior, this M4 stands out with a complete 3DDesign kit. What makes it even more intriguing is the utilization of different sets of wheels on each side, providing visitors with two contrasting perspectives on the same car.
Shiny on one side (much preferred).
And a racier stealth look on the other. The gold pinstripe applied along the shoulder line is a nice touch too, perfectly matching the purple hue.
Wheels are from WORK’s Gnosis CVF line.
If the wheels don’t capture your attention, I’m sure the rear wing will!
Heading back to BBS, another Studie.AG M4 was on show but now sporting a much more aggressive Alpha-N kit in a visually arresting signal green shade.
Even has a custom Studie insignia on the front grill. Nice touch.
Slightly less attention-grabbing at BBS was an iX3 outfitted with their new Fortega wheels.
At Project MU, while their M3 may appear understated at this event it exuded a perfect usable stance atop another set of BBS wheels.
However, what really grabbed my attention was the subdued BMW roundel. Typically, I might not favor alterations to logos and badges, but in this case, it surprisingly complemented the overall aesthetic quite effectively.
Akrapovic was also on hand to showcase a brand-new set of rear pipes for the M2.
That cannot be cheap. I reckon this entire setup, with the octagonal rear finishers retails for over USD$9,000. Ouch!
Even wilder though is yet again, another Studie.AG creation, sitting pretty at Yokohama’s booth. This M2, adorned yet again in complete Alpha-N attire, rests on a distinctive set of BBS RI-Ds customized in an original hue exclusively for Studie.AG, named “Siriton Gold”.
Selective components of the aero kit were intentionally left unpainted to highlight the carbon material.
This M2’s choice of rubber are ADVAN NEOVA AD09s with the rears coming in at a phat 295/25R21 size.
Alpha-N, M Performance of 3DDesign? Take your pick.
Taking things down a notch (or two) MCC-Complete/Next Innovation had an M240i on display sporting their original front under spoiler and sitting on classic BBS LM alloys. The perfect wheel on almost all cars.
In terms of visuals, I reckon the M240i might have a slight edge over the M2, but once you’re behind the wheel, the choice becomes a no-brainer.
Another beautifully clean build is this sublime E30 M3 from Moontech, dubbed the “King of M3”. It features a fully built IDING Power S14 engine, stroked to 2.5 litres from its original 2.3 litres, and came equipped with a lovely set of machined individual throttle bodies. A setup that enables this very clean E30 M3 to deliver an impressive 307 naturally aspirated horsepower.
The owner’s choice of suspension might upset a few people though as it sits on an air-suspension setup from PLOOM. Allowing for this full drop.
On the base of the rear windscreen sat a very low-key indicator that this is no ordinary E30 M3 (if there ever was such a thing).
I guess you might think that there’s a theme going on with most of the cars at the Auto Salon because yes, here’s another slammed BMW. This time from Kamiwaza Japan. Kamiwaza, a Japanese word, which, loosely translated, means “godlike” or “superhuman skill”, is the brainchild of Ichiraku Toshiya, the same man credited for bringing RWB not just to Kansai Japan but around the world.
This E36 M3 equipped with Khyzyl Saleem’s LTO kit looked wild with its Warsteiner Schntizer-inspired livery and massively deep RWB wheels.
Love it or hate it, this E36 had presence.
Another E36, adorned with Kyza’s LTO kit, took center stage at TRUST GREDDY’s booth, attracting considerable attention. A collaboration between TRUST and Moontech, detailed information on the build wasn’t immediately available, but the presence of the Greddy intercooler hinted at a significant power boost beyond the standard configuration.
It looked fantastic too. Unfortunately, the exhibitors covered up the engine bay shortly after I finished capturing images, depriving other attendees of the opportunity to admire its beauty.
Concluding my BMW report for TAS2024 is a Vorsteiner-kitted M3 showcased at T’s Club’s booth. While I’m certain I overlooked several other BMWs at the expansive event, I trust these highlights will sufficiently tantalize your Bavarian cravings, otherwise, I have something special coming up next.
