When originally built, this car was intended to be a street-style drift car equipped with an S85 V10 engine from an E60 BMW M5. However, after its initial debut, it remained unused for a considerable period of time. Recently, Driftworks, a drift-and-performance shop based in the U.K., breathed new life into the vehicle and began documenting its restoration and upgrade process on their YouTube channel. Two years ago, the coupe was in a damaged and deteriorated state. Today, it has been fully restored and now features custom headers from Celeritech, an exhaust maker.
The purpose of these incredible headers is to generate additional power by aiding the engine in scavenging its own exhaust gases. When properly designed, the headers take advantage of the pulses occurring in the exhaust pipes to effectively extract the gases from a neighboring header tube. Of course, the science behind this goes much deeper, but there is another interesting effect resulting from the header design – a completely unique exhaust note.
By effectively equalizing the pulses, the engine produces a significantly different sound. The odd-firing and peculiar sounding S85, in particular, becomes higher-pitched and smoother than before. As for power, Driftworks has not yet dyno’d the car with the headers, but it is safe to assume that increased power was not the primary objective. This modification was predominantly focused on enhancing the car’s style and sound. Furthermore, the headers have a visually striking appearance, resembling a genuine bundle of snakes. Behind the headers, an exhaust known as the “five-exit exhaust” utilizes the E46 M3’s stock quad tips, with the added option of an open exhaust dump.
Immersing yourself in the full sound of the V10 engine in action will undoubtedly be an incredible experience. But for now, take a moment to appreciate the extraordinary sight of the headers and enjoy some light revs for your afternoon entertainment.
