Fast Just Got Faster: Hamann's 320km/h BMW M6 Edition Race

Motoring Channel Staff - 13/Oct/2006

Laupheim, Germany — After the successful creation of the BMW M5 Edition Race by one of Germany's biggest and best-known luxury/exotic car tuners, Hamann, the M6 Edition Race has arrived.

The factory standard BMW M6, upon which this dream machine is based, is an already potent vehicle driven by a crushingly powerful 5.0-litre V10 engine and featuring a number of technological features derived directly from the pinnacle of motorsport - Formula 1.

Costing $275,400 in Australia and outputting a staggering 373kW of power, this is not the kind of investment a driver would take lightly, even in its standard trim levels. But be that as it may, there are those who find the 0-100km/h sprint of 4.6 seconds and 373 kilowatts of power somewhat lacking, and this is where Hamann has found a market for its new M6 Edition Race.

As well as various engine modifications, the Hamann's fire-breathing M6 Edition Race gets a number of aerodynamic and body shell upgrades that give it an even more aggressive stance, and also help it to handle with more stability at much higher speeds, which is more than necessary as top speed has been boosted from 250km/h to more than 320km/h!

Besides the the normal fibreglass bodykit extras that can be ordered, as Hamann explains - such as the side skirts, front and rear aprons, plus as well as the roof and trunk lid spoilers (available in carbon kevlar!) - the German tuning group also offers a touring car upgrade in the form of a road legal wide body kit.

Much like the Hamann M5 Edition Race wide body kit, the M6 can be given an increase in width, gifting it with an even more spectacular appearance, especially when fitted with the larger 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels. There's even the option of adding diagonally hinging doors, for a truly exotic look and feel.

Hamann has disclosed the new M6 wide body kit consists of an 'Edition Race' (ER) front spoiler, which adds upper beam headlights, plus ER side skirts as well as ER front and rear wheel arch extensions that make the ultimate statement. A lowering kit with progressive chassis springs takes care of lowering the M6 Edition Race by a good 30mm at the front axle and 25mm at the rear axle, and thanks to the dropped ride height and pumped body-kit, the M6 comes close to the DTM (German Touring Car) race car-looks, with its wide and low stance, four exhaust pipes, and large wheels. 

Those quad exhaust pipes are not the BMW 'M' division items, but new stainless steel exhausts fabricated by Hamann, and each with a diameter of 90mm. This, explains the German tuning company, results in a tone that gives you goose bumps, and tells you all about the potency of this coupé.

Further to the M6 Edition Race, the Vmax limiter has been removed, allowing a top speed of up to 320km/h. This speed is not only possible thanks to the lower ride height, improved aerodynamics, and removal of the speed limiter, as the engine has been made much stronger and more powerful. Even in standard form the 5.0-litre V10 engine from the 2-door BMW M6 is scary: 373kW (507bhp) and 520Nm of torque. Hamann offers three levels of tune for the engine, including the simplest one, which removes the Vmax limiter, which takes the untouched 10-cylinder BMW engine from a top speed of 250km/h to 300km/h.

If this is not good enough, you can ask for the second option, made up of a combination of removing the engine's Vmax speed limiter and optimising the engine characteristics by reprogramming the standard engine control unit (ECU). Hamann says this simple tweak, made by plugging in a computer to the engine and changing the fuel injection mapping, can tease an extra 26kW (30bhp) and 15Nm out of the advanced V10 engine. 

The final mac-daddy upgrade is the "HM/M +60" sport kit and according to Hamann is comprised of high-performance exhaust headers, new sports catalytic converters, an optimised rearsports silencer, plus a more efficient air filter, an engine map optimisation and the removal of engine restrictions. As the name of the sports kit already suggests, the 5.0-litre BMW engine then provides an additional 44kW (60bhp) and can provide an extra 54Nm of torque, meaning that a notably faster top speed of up to 320km/h can be reached. This results in the penultimate figures of 417kW and 574Nm of torque. Hamann hasn't released figures on 0-100km/h times for this top level of engine tune, but low 4 second times are envisaged, somewhere around the 4.3 or 4.4 second mark.

Of course, you want to be able to brake effectively at 320km/h too, and as Hamann explains, it can equip the M6 with racing brakes on the front axle. Made from twin slotted and ventilated brake discs, they measure 380mm in diameter and are extremely thick at 34mm. The pair of Hamann brake piston housings are finished in red (other colours are available), they include upgraded brake pads, plus Hamann's own steel flex brake lines and an adapter to create the complete braking hardware set that's perfect for track work, and overkill for street work.

The Laupheim-based company also offers several alloy wheel types for the M6 Edition Race, including the designs such as the Anniversary I (19- and 20-inch), the PG3 (19- and 20-inch) and Anniversary II (20-inch only). There is also a special wheel rim offeringwhich in the form of a three-piece, super-light forged wheel with a crossed-spoke design, titanium screw fittings and highly-polished rim flange with a black wheel hub, aptly called the Edition Race. These bad boys can be had in 20- and 21-inch sizes.

Hamann also offers shim sets as well as lockable wheel nuts, which provides additional security for the wheels, and here are some of the possiblewheel and tyre combinations that the German company offers for the BMW M6:

•     Front 9.0 J x 20 / rear 10.5 J x 20 with 255/35 ZR20 front and 285/30 ZR20 rear tyres

•     Front 9.0 J x 20 / rear 11.5 J x 20 with 255/30 ZR20 front and 325/25 ZR20 rear tyres

•     Front 9.0 J x 21 / rear 10.5 J x 21 with 255/30 ZR21 front and 295/25 ZR21 rear tyres

As well as the bodykit upgrades and engine modifications, Hamann also offers the M6 owner various accessories and fitment details for the interior. There are exclusive Hamann floor mats complete with company logo, a noble aluminium hand brake, sporty aluminium pedals and an 8-piece interior set made of carbon (available in every colour), which serve to underline the sporty appearance. Hamann says that alternatives to the standard steering wheel is also available to customers. The first is an anti-slip, 3-spoke leather sports steering wheels complete with airbags, and the second version also has a black leather covering but with additional applications of carbon kevlar. Hamann adds that in addition to show room floor upgrades, the company can also modify every M6 according to the individual's requirements, which can take the form of intricate leather fittings in different colours, and even an extensive multimedia setup with DVD, TV or Playstation systems.