BMW 1M With GT3 V8 Engine Swap

There are plenty of extreme engine swaps, but very few that fundamentally change what a car is. This BMW 1M does exactly that, because at its core sits an engine that was never meant for a road car. Under the hood sits a P65B44 V8 that came straight from a BMW Z4 GT3. A race engine designed for endurance competition, not a road registered BMW 1M.

During Bimmerfest 2026 I finally got to see this 1M and take a closer look at this machine built by my good friends at Evolve Automotive. The car was in between two other heavyweights on the GP Products stand. If you want to see more of the cars beside it I urge you take a look in my Gallery post I posted earlier this week.

Making a GT3 engine function in a compact road car required more than fabrication skill. The original dry sump system, perfect for circuit racing, had to be abandoned in favour of a custom wet sump solution to work with the right-hand-drive layout. Rather than chasing race authenticity at all costs, the focus shifted to making the engine usable. The race intake was replaced by an Eventuri carbon system, while a Supersprint exhaust and Akrapovič rear section deliver a sound that’s unmistakably motorsport.

Gallery: M Power at Bimmerfest 2025

Last year, Bimmerfest 2024 had us basking in glorious sunshine, the kind that makes you believe a convertible is always a good idea. This year? Not so much. The sun, it seems, had other plans. Instead, Raceway Venray served us up a delightful mix of wind, intermittent downpours, and the kind of skies that make you question every life choice that led you to put on your best Air Max 1s. But, as true BMW enthusiasts, we soldiered on and between the showers, Bimmerfest once again delivered a feast for the senses (and a workout for your umbrella if you had one).

Arriving at the legendary oval of Raceway Venray, it’s impossible not to be gobsmacked by the sheer steepness of the banking. It’s like walking across the side of a cliff in sneakers—grippy shoes are absolutely essential unless you fancy falling down in front of a crowd of amused car geeks.

BMW M3 Touring but make it CSL by Evolve

The most exciting new car in recent years has got to be the G81 BMW M3 Touring. A car that enthusiasts have been clamoring for finally became a reality in 2022 and has been a big hit for BMW ever since. If Instagram is to be believed, they’re flying off the shelves like hotcakes. One of the customers who got their hands on it last year was Evolve Automotive from England.

Now, as is customary with Evolve, they’re not leaving anything stock. Their plan is to turn it into a BMW M3 Touring CSL version. It’s not just about looks; they’re incorporating genuine CSL components. You can follow the build on Evolve’s own YouTube channel.