Finish E34 01/10 - JD Newman

028-032 PBMW 0110 17/11/09 16:55 Page 28When you think of the E34what springs to mind? Areliable, luxury barge of acruiser built for speed andsafety. A big car built forcovering great distances in a relaxed andtimely fashion, but still a saloon that retainsthe functionality to be useable day in, day out.Released in 1988, the E34 was availablefirstly as a 525i and 535i, and then followedby the 3.6-litre M5. Although these carsperformed well – the M5 a particularlythrilling car even by today’s standards – theM20, M30 and S38 engines that powered thecars were six-cylinder lumps, and they weregetting on a bit. In 1993 BMW put a V8engine in the form of the M60 into theweighty Five and finally it had the torqueyand powerful eight-cylinder motor it alwaysneeded. The iconic 540i was born.With 282bhp and 300lb ft of torque, it hadnearly as much power and considerablymore torque than its more focused sibling,the M5. But unlike its cool big brother, its

028-032 PBMW 0110 17/11/09 11:12 Page 29In 1993 the muscular M60 gave the E34 the V8 it alwaysdeserved. Sixteen years later Tomi Hyytiäinen has a newand well deserved gift, a bloody great supercharger.Words: Joel Newman Photos: Mikko Loikkanenadditional two cylinders and larger capacitymeant it didn’t need to be trashed in orderto get the best from it. Overtaking invirtually any gear was a breeze, mid-rangepunch a solid and instantaneous affair, andincredibly, the aluminium construction ofthe V8 M60 means it’s some 11lb lighter thanthe M5’s 332lb S38.The reason you need to know this is twofold.First, Tomi Hyytiäinen has always lovedthe square jawed, beefy frame and build ofthe E34. Second, he wanted to create aserious performance machine, and knew thebenefits and strengths of the M60 block.Tomi owns Finnish-based specialist SpeedWheels and has a history of forcedinduction. He was well aware of the 540i’stuning potential. Eight cylinders and fourlitres leaves a lot of room to play with andbeing a typical Finn, Tomi had solid plans interms of styling as well as performance fromthe very outset. This gave him some leveragewhen it came to sourcing a base car.In the end a slightly tired all-rounder with

028-032 PBMW 0110 17/11/09 10:28 Page 31waste money on unnecessary mods.”An excellent – if slightly Gung Ho –philosophy indeed! And after a day oftesting, Tomi proved himself right. Thingsdid break, and the original gearbox was thefirst to give up the ghost.Speaking to Finland-based PO-Metal, hecommissioned a new steel flywheel andclutch while a Tremec TRK 617 five-speedgearbox was placed on order. This unit iscapable of dealing with 600lb ft of torqueand similar bhp, which would ultimatelyprove essential in the build. According toTomi, mating and positioning this ’box inrelation to the original prop shaft waswithout doubt the most time consuming partof the entire build.With the engine and transmission tickedoff the list the chassis was next in line forupgrades, so firmer sport shocks andsprings made their way in. These havereduced the ride height by 80mm up frontand 60mm at the rear, as well as minimisingbody roll. Powerflex bushes have also beenadded from top to bottom, again enhancinghandling and steering feel.This E34, now taut, sharp and low had thepower, but to deploy it properly and induceon tap oversteer a 3.39:1 E34 M5 rear diffhas been slotted in, modified to run a 75%lock. Sweet.Aggressive and purposeful stylingfollowed the mechanical upgrades, andwhether it’s to your tastes or not, it’s hardnot to notice this saloon. Understatedelegance and Tomi’s E34 should never beuttered in the same sentence, but that’s notto say we don’t like what he’s done.The paint job must be mentioned first.Dazzling black slices the Alpine whitesaloon front lip to rear diffuser like aSamurai sword’s blow. It was Tomi’s visionand an area he would not compromise on.Which is lucky, seeing as white on black is aclassic look.Also awash with custom touches, this E34runs a bad boy style bonnet which givesclues to the power beneath it. Lift it up andthere’s a further trick, a mirror finishbouncing images of the supercharged bayinto the free world. We like it.JANUARY 2010 31

028-032 PBMW 0110 17/11/09 10:29 Page 32The front bumper and carbon lip were notconceived by a major tuner, they were infact, crafted by Tomi’s experienced handsand are genuine one-offs.In profile, the Rieger side skirts pop outfocusing the eye, and as well they might, asthey were manufactured for BMW’s modern5 Series, the E60. Look even more closelyand you may spot the custom side exitexhaust system. You like that don’t you?Now take a peek at the wheels – 19”Voltec Barracudas, polished lips and deepgloss black centers. Hugging the flared archthey suit this car down to a tee.At the rear of the vehicle there’s analmighty Ferrari-esque diffuser more akin toan F1 car. In terms of subtlety, it’s a zero butin terms of fear factor it’s a perfect ten.Pop open one of the doors and anotherfeather in Tomi’s cap appears. Gone are agedoriginal stretched and worn blue leathers –they’ve been replaced with magnificentblack leather and white Alcantara numbers.Trimmed by KhreliXdesign, even theheadrests have been customised with thecars vitals, matching the orange colourscheme of the engine bay. It’s the details inhere that impress us most…The gauges mounted in the original heatervents, the home-made aluminium gear knob,the carbon instrument surrounds, thecustom BMW embossed audio install, thethree-spoke steering wheel – it’s got a touchscreentelly for Christ’s sake!It’s no street sleeper that’s for sure, butoccasionally, when you’ve got it, you want toflaunt it. This is a car that lived for twoyears on paper. It became an obsession andthat means it’s now a hugely completeproject. Performance from the charged 4.0lump is exceptional, with a tested 425bhpand 450+ lb ft of torque.The styling is extreme, if a little bold butit’s exactly to the taste of its owner, andthere is no doubt the paint scheme workswell alongside the interior and engine baymakeovers. From the perfectly installed ESSsupercharger to the polished pipes anddouble stitched orange detailing inside thecabin, this E34 represents one man’s visionof the perfect BMW. Now it’s your turn… ●32 PERFORMANCE BMW