CHECK OUT THIS INSANE SUPERCHARGED MERC V12-POWERED BMW Z4 GT3 STREET CAR
Florida-based tuner Gooichi Motors has spent eight months converting a BMW Z4 GT3 race car for the road. Oh, and it now has a massive V12 too, because clearly, the only thing left to fear is fear itself.
The original car had a 4.0-litre BMW V8, which has been replaced by a supercharged Mercedes-Benz M120 engine because why the hell not, right? Gooichi’s team were inspired by the crank-driven V12 used in the Silver Arrow’s M154 race car during the late ‘30s and wanted to use this opportunity to turn the Z4’s new heart into a modern reincarnation of that.
The chassis didn’t actually need much tinkering to accommodate the engine and managed to slot in with relative ease. Not entirely surprising given the Z4’s bonnet is longer than London Bridge. The output goal is what really surprises, though, with the team hoping to hit the 1,500bhp mark. That’s over three times as much as the factory version and offers a new synonym for 'terrifying'.
Thankfully, drivers also have the ability to control the level of boost available. So while the full horsepower rating can be deployed for show purposes, it can just as easily be dialled down to find a usable sweet spot. A six-speed sequential transmission has also been fitted.
Inside, the Z4 retains the MOMO bucket seats and roll cage but has been given a fully upholstered dashboard to make it somewhat comforting. Sadly, a Dacia Sandero does come with more switch gear and tech. Bad mark for Gooichi there.
Happily, while the endurance race tank has been replaced with a 53-litre conventional one that slots into the boot area, the racing filler cap entry point located towards the mid-rear of the car has been retained. The flooring above the side exhausts also needed a rethink to be able to reinstate a passenger seat.
Countless hours have been spent rebuilding the body: the carbon front splitter has been skimmed and reworked to give it a slightly more aggressive look - and to ensure that it can actually cope with speed bumps - and is further supplemented by the huge air intake visible behind it. Barring the enormous custom-built rear wing, most of the exterior panels are made from both carbon and fibreglass but kept relatively similar in nature to the original parts.
One quirky design trait that caught our attention is the badge, which is a polymerisation of the usual three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star and part of the BMW logo. Not at all controversial. Petronas green accents have also been added to complement the silver paint that nods towards the connection to Mercedes’ racing cars.
Featured among our most notable builds to attend SEMA 2023, we look forward to welcoming the modded Z4 GT3 into our nightmares in the near future.
Images: Matt Orie