If you’re going to stick an M60B40 4.0-liter V8 engine into an E30 BMW 3-Series, making sure the weight stays pretty much the same is important for performance.

Luckily, that’s the case with this car, as the owner tells The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah that his tuned E30 has gained less than 50 lbs (22 kg). As for power, the V8 pushes out 300 horses and 300 lb-ft (406 Nm) of torque.

Also interesting to know is that BMW‘s old M60B40 engine (good for 286 PS / 282 HP) was originally designed for the likes of the E34 540i, E32/E38 740i and even the E31 840i.

Now, it’s powering a car that also features a 6-speed transmission borrowed from an E39 5-Series, power steering, M3 front brakes, Z3 rear end and understated looks. But what is it like to drive?

Well, according to Farah, it’s a lot of fun. He says it feels like a small hot rod and that it’s got good pulling power and balance. He also liked the ride and the steering, but didn’t feel too comfortable without power brakes. Both the owner of the car and Farah agree that it would keep up with an E92 V8-powered BMW M3.

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