[Video] Power Test: BMW M3 E90 Checks the Dyno

Putting their vehicle on a dyno is a must for many owners of high-performance cars before making any changes. Identifying the engine’s starting point is a necessary step before adding mods to increase output. This E90-era BMW M3 Sedan is set to become a project car, but only after we test its power.

Although the owner had hoped for 350 hp, the best dyno reading was only 340 hp at the wheels. The highest amount of torque achieved was 258 lb-ft. BMW’s 4.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 produces 414 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, but automakers always quote maximum engine output (at the crank) when describing vehicle performance. You should expect a drivetrain loss of 10-15% in most cases. The German premium brand is notorious for intentionally understating the power of its engines.

In this case, we’re talking about a 2011 M3 with the dual-clutch automatic transmission from Getrag. It will get an aftermarket exhaust and other engine improvements to help it get more oomph from its current 80,000-mile fuel tank. The vehicle’s suspension has been lowered to get closer to the pavement.

Since there were so few street-legal E46 GTRs, the E90 was the only M3 with a V8. The M3 CSL prototype with the E39 M5’s S62 engine was released a few months ago.

In just a few more days, the M4 CSL-based 3.0 CSL, the most powerful M3/M4, will be revealed. The improved S58 inline-six engine is supposed to produce 560 hp and send all that power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.