The BMW M3 Enhanced By Redux Is The E30 CSL Restomod You Never Knew You Wanted Or Can Afford

The project of the last 30 years has, apparently, been to advance automotive technology to the point where the era’s racecar technology can be had on the road. At least, that’s what tuners like Redux seem to think.

Its “enhanced and evolved” E30 M3 is a prime example of a classic car that has been modified to the point that it has racecar power and road car comfort. Driven by Carfection and Top Gear, the car has received pretty good reviews so far.

Redux requires a donor M3 which itself can easily cost you £70,000 or $90,000, plus £330,000 (US$436,000 at current conversion rates) on top of that, but makes something rather exciting. It bores the 2.3-liter S14 engine out to 2.5-liters and replaces the internals. It also adds throttle bodies and a Motec ECU all of which, taken together, nets you an extra 100 hp (101 PS/75 kW) over the standard 200 hp (203 PS/149 kW).

Read Also: Another Overpriced E30 BMW M3? Yes, But This One Has Plaid Seats

That means 300 hp (304 PS/224 kW) motivating just 1,150 kg (2,535 lbs) through a five-speed dogleg manual transmission. It also gets 18-inch wheels inspired by the M3 that competed in the era’s touring car championships, as well as mirrors copied off of the race car. Redux has even widened the box flares by an extra 40mm (1.5 inches), exaggerating the looks like it has the performance.

The results are impressive.

“The lovely thing is, as soon as you turn into the first corner, you know it’s still an E30 M3,” explains Carfection’s Henry Catchpole. “That first little bit of lock that you put on, it’s so distinctive because it’s almost quite slow, almost sort of unreactive, and then you get more into it and in this, it really bites and you really think about the front end in this.”

Meanwhile, Top Gear’s Ollie Marriage says that, despite the performance, it doesn’t feel like a harsh motorsports car. He concedes that it might be a little uncomfortable on a very long trip, he says that NVH is kept to a minimum and comfort is more than acceptable.

In his written review, though, Marriage says it doesn’t all quite gel together as well as similar cars from Singer and Alfaholics. All of which makes the price a bit tough to swallow.