Motoring Con Brio

We absolutely love the BMW ‘New Class’ 2002 (no surprise there) but want more punch— we don’t want to spend an entire track day giving point-bys (though perhaps it would most behoove us, then, to work on our driving— you know that cliché about the loosest nut). We also love the E30 M3 (no surprise there, either) but we’re looking for a little more style— allow us to explain. E30 M3s obviously still look terrific and certainly do not, in unadulterated or tasteful form, lack for in style, but the tinted-taillights-and-loud-stereo set has unfortunately also gotten in on the action, meaning it might be time to start looking elsewhere. Someplace maybe a little more subtle. A little more below the radar. A little less of a chav magnet, as it were.

Enter the 2002 with engine swap (S14 or possibly even – though we haven’t researched this – S50 straight-six from the E36 M3, given that the S14 is typically not kind on the wallet). Back in January we posted exactly such a car and predicted it might end up being one of our favorite cars of 2010. Almost half the year in, it looks like that prediction is holding up well.

Yeah, it’s a repost, but it’s so good it’s worth bringing back a second time around. Possibly later even a third, and a fourth. This setup – illustrated so nicely by the above example – is really starting to look ideal, and something we might be strongly inclined to do someday.

A workable alternative for us, in the event the 02 doesn’t pan out? Dropping such an engine in an E21.

But damn do we want that hot rod 02, tall center of gravity and all. Someday…

~ by velofinds on June 21, 2010.

Posted in Mods, Still images, What would you buy
Tags: 2002, bmw, m2, neue klasse, new class, s14