We’ve seen plenty of heavily modified BMW M140i project cars over the years, but this one takes the cake. The facelifted F21 model is one of the few xDrive conversions of the right-hand-drive car out there. As a refresher, the hot hatchback was never sold with RHD and all-wheel drive due to packaging constraints that enthusiasts have since overcome.
The switch to an all-paw setup is only half of the story because there’s a real gem hiding underneath the hood. It still has the B58 but gone are the days when the turbocharged 3.0-liter engine made 335 horsepower. The heavily modified inline-six now puts out a whopping 950 horsepower at the wheels, therefore delivering four-digit power at the crank.
The owner has been extensively working on the car over the last five years, starting with a completely stock vehicle. Within just two weeks of ownership, a hybrid turbo was installed, boosting the engine to around 500 hp. This “junior supercar” is predictably temperamental, as BMW never intended to pack this much power into its compact M Performance car. After all, the output has tripled compared to when the M140i left the factory.
Unfortunately, BMW stopped selling the M140i in 2019 when production of the previous-generation 1 Series ended. Although there’s an M135i available today for the F40 generation, it’s a far cry from the old M140i. It’s based on a front-wheel-drive platform and has a smaller four-cylinder B48 engine that makes only 302 hp.
Coming later this year, the F70 M135i is likely to have even less power since the latest B48 makes 296 hp in the X1 M35i and X2 M35i sold in Europe where there are stricter emissions regulations. In the United States, the engine makes 312 hp. Having been demoted to an inferior platform with a downsized transversely mounted engine, it’s no wonder the range-topping 1 Series isn’t as popular in the tuning scene.
Source: Officially Gassed / YouTube
