Proving Why The Number (M)3 Will Live Forever…
Whether we like to admit it or not, as BMW owners and tuners, there’s a bit of a reputation about us.
We’re of course referring to the fact that the general public views us as extremely respectful and courteous highway drivers who are responsible with our money and time, and probably hold a roughneck, blue-collar 9-5 position at the local steel mill.
If there is a differing opinion out there, feel free to let us know.
One thing that our Bavarian brutes aren’t exactly known for however, is striking an overwhelming sense of fear and inferiority in the loins of our fellow road warriors. Like it or not, the exhaust note of an M3 doesn’t exactly send pedestrians running for cover the way they might when confronted with a modified Viper.
…And that’s just the way Jack Galyean likes it. Besides, what those pedestrians don’t know, is that he just got done wiping the floor with that Mopar monstrosity on the highway.
Jack is no stranger to M-division vehicles, nor to Active Autowerke. Back in 2002, he was looking to forcefully introduce a lot more air into the engine of his 1995 M3. His choice eventually came down to Dinan’s supercharger system, or Active Autowerke’s (now discontinued) turbo kit. As Jack tells it, he was sold after one call.
It Took Forever To Get The Car To Smile For This Shot
“I found the Active Autowerke staff to be very informed on turbo systems, and they had the ability to answer my questions, and provide superior results in comparison with other kits on the market,” explained Galyean.
Jack was blown away by the OEM-level fit and finish of the kit. As it turns out, he wasn’t the only one. Upon taking the car in for a routine service at a large, Dinan-certified BMW dealership in North Carolina, Jack returned to find every single shop mechanic crowded around and under his car, discussing the system. Even though he was in the heart of NASCAR country, when asked by the head mechanic for a quick ride, Jack happily obliged.
“I took him for a short run at wide open throttle. He was screaming before I let off.”
Hard to believe? Keep in mind, this man was no stranger to horsepower.
“He personally drove a 1966 427 Corvette that was built to well over 500HP, and flatly stated that he would not give me a run. That was a huge compliment to me, my 3.0 liter engine, and Active Autowerke, considering they were a certified Dinan dealer.”
Here, The Supercharger Is Cleverly Disguised As Something Your Wife Can’t Identify
Given the confidence, Jack decided to push a little when he came upon a 460HP Viper looking for a 15 MPH roll. Knowing he had just one hero run to get it right, he cranked the dial up to 11…or in this case, 16.5.
“Active recommended I keep the boost levels around 13.5PSI, so I knew I couldn’t stand the heat soak for multiple attempts. However, at 140 MPH, he was way back in the rear view mirror. It was worth it.”
Even after being sold, Jack’s E36 M3 is still causing a ruckus. The new owner brought the car down to Talladega Speedway in Alabama, where it was clocked at 174 MPH on the back straight. It had over 109,000 miles on it at the time. Dale would have been proud.
Is This Enough To Keep You In-Gauge-d?
11 years after his first brush with Active Autowerke, Jack brought us his newly purchased 2005 E46 M3. This time, he has added our Generation 7 Level 2 Supercharger Kit, along with a few other go-fast goodies. Only time will tell whether the latest M3 will enjoy the same kind of intimidation factor that his old turbo car did. However, there’s no question that Jack is already enjoying the new power. Check out this quick 5-130 MPH YouTube Video (filmed in Mexico, of course):
Needless to say, Jack isn’t intimidated by much. And if you’re considering adding one of our kits to your BMW, he says you shouldn’t be, either.
“If you want a top-level forced induction system that is reliable and professionally installed, do it.”
Yes, sir.
Jack Probably Doesn’t Need A 500HP M3 To Be Intimidating…But It Doesn’t Hurt
Active Autowerke Blog 
I have the pleasure of being a good friend of Jack…..and also the pleasure of riding in both of his hot rods…What a thrill it is when he turns it on….I am an old drag racer and hot rodder so it is really alot of fun to get a ride when Jack comes through North Carolina,,,,or excuse me, Mexico.. The latest M3 is super fast as was his older one…..You folks in Iowa need to think twice if you see a blue M3 next to you at a stop light and think for a minute you might be able to take it………Not going to happen!!
Thanks for sharing Larry, Jack is an awesome person as well as a valued customer…we love working with him!
Thanks to all at Autowerke. You truly do some of the best BMW work of anywhere in the world.
I have had more time to adjust and learn how to drive this beast and it will do better than in the video. I sure wish those fenders were wider and I could get a lot more rubber on the road but it will absolutely fly when the peddle is to the metal. I’m running 265s on the rear and need at least 305s but I really don’t want to modify the fenders. The sleeper feel and look is a priority.
For general video information, I was at 130 (in approx. 12 seconds) when I started to cross into the left lane and the SUV was doing about 70 MPH. There was an operator error on that launch (me) in the video and I had to throttle back to get the tire spin under control which you can hear for a brief moment. It happens so fast it’s hard to get good control on it. With a set of good Nito slicks this thing could do some damage to a 0-60 or 1/4 mile run. Of course I might have to be looking at the rear end if the tires really stuck to the road…LOL
For reference, a 5 mile per hour roll is usually slower than a standing 0-60 time if you have the tire hook up. I’m not sure what the 0-100 would be with excellent traction but in this video it was about 8 seconds from the roll and no launch clutch action.
Active Autowerke is undoubtedly an excellent option for BMW performance tuning. You just can’t beat them.
Jack Galyean