The E46-generation M3 remains a favorite among fans of analog driving who remember the good-old days when BMW still lived up to the "Ultimate Driving Machine" slogan. As a possible result, with a silky inline-six that could happily rev up to an 8,000 RPM redline, perfect balance, a simple yet stylish exterior, and a comfortable interior, well-kept examples of the E46 BMW M3 have crept up in value steadily. Many of the same traits can be found in lower-spec 3 Series models, however, which makes every model in the E46 lineup an ideal candidate for engine swaps. That leads to hardcore builds like this drift car nicknamed "Freakoboost" that was built up by owner Chris Napp with a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 swapped in.
Built To Shred Rubber
Apparently, the build process took about two years after Napp dropped plans to pull together an S13 Nissan Silvia paired with a Jaguar V8. Instead, a family friend helped source the Ford powerplant, which happened to match somewhat well with the E46's original rear-mounted oil sump.
Power Up In A Big Way
The two snails and the V6 clearly look shoehorned into the E46's engine bay, so it comes as no surprise that custom engine mounts, exhaust routing, and a new wiring harness came into the mix. Judging from the photos, Napp also managed to somehow squeeze a large CSF intercooler in behind the signature BMW kidney grilles (now missing, in classic E46 style). All told, the setup now produces a claimed 480 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque, or about 150 ponies more than a stock E46 M3 would have put down.
All The Other Goodies
The powerplant routes that grunt to the rear wheels through a Tremec T56 six-speed stick shift, a Mustang Cobra's flywheel, a custom driveshaft, plus a stock BMW rear differential. Aftermarket wheels fill out massively flared fenders, the rear quarter windows have been swapped out for plastic units, and tell-tale hole reveals not quite everything fit under the hood. In short, it's just about perfect as Napp plans to run "Freakoboost" in Pro Am competition including US Drift and East10Drift.
Sources: instagram.com and csfrace.com.