The BMW B58 straight-six engine is rapidly becoming the go-to powerplant for import drag racing enthusiasts. This 3.0-litre engine boasts surprising strength and readily handles high boost levels, allowing owners to unlock significant power and blazing speeds on the drag strip. This particular 1500-horsepower BMW 2 Series serves as a further testament to the B58’s claim as the rightful heir to the legendary Toyota 2JZ engine.
From the outside this M240i xDrive coupe looks virtually stock save for a set of sticky drag radials. You’d never guess it’s hiding a highly modified version of its original B58 six-cylinder, equipped with new camshafts, ported heads, a heavy-duty fuel system, and a 74-millimeter Precision turbocharger running 49 pounds of boost.
The car maintains its all-wheel-drive system, now fed by an upgraded version of the factory eight-speed automatic transmission, courtesy of Pure Drivetrain Solutions. Beefed-up axles and a carbon driveshaft handle the increased torque, surprisingly with the rear differential remaining unmodified.
Impressively, the stock ECU is retained and modified to work with all the drivetrain modifications. This means the 2 Series surprisingly retains most of its original features, including climate control, the infotainment system, cruise control, and more. The interior also remains largely untouched. The owner reports the car’s weight to be around 3510 pounds with him in the driver’s seat.
This combination of factors contributes to the car’s astonishing performance. During the recent TX2K event in Texas, the 2 Series clocked a remarkable 7.9-second quarter-mile run at a blistering 281 km/h (175 mph). This feat cements this particular 2 Series as the undisputed quickest and fastest BMW in the quarter-mile, period. Even more impressive, it achieves this dominance without extensive weight reduction or aerodynamic modifications. With a few additional tweaks, the article suggests, this BMW has the potential to push even further into the realm of speed.