You will be challenged to find a car that looks even more understated than the 2017 BMW M140i. To look at it, you would never suspect it to house an engine capable of anything near 340 hp (254 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lbft) of torque. The deliberately toned-down exterior makes it ideal for people like mid-ranking managers, who do not want to stand out in the crowd too much.
On the other hand, if you do want to stand out, you can always pay a visit to a tuner shop, like Laptime Performance, for example. The firm just released a new wide body kit for the model, made out of pure carbon fiber. Once upgraded, the lackluster 1-Series transforms into a veritable M235i Racing.
The kit includes wheel arch and apron extensions, a graceful front splitter, a ventilated hood similar to that of the M3 (E92), and a carbon roof.
Aside from the aero parts, the tuner suggests swapping the factory wheels out for a set of 18-inch ProTrack one racing-spec rims, add six-piston AP Racing brakes with yellow calipers, and boost the engine to 410 hp (306 kW). As long as we understand, the latter does not even include chip tuning.
Among other things, Laptime Performance suggests stripping the cabin of all things that add weight to the car without being absolutely necessary. This primarily refers to the rear bench, which the company replaces with a roll cage. If you wish, it will also replace the stock front seats with Recaro bucket seats made of carbon fiber and equipped with racing-spec safety harnesses.
Do you like this BMW M140i?
Photos: Laptime Performance