THE M EXPERIENCE – A CLOSEUP LOOK AT THE WORLD’S ONLY BMW M DEALERSHIP

The world’s first and so far only BMW M Dealership. In Singapore. A small island of 5 million people. The local running joke in Singapore being that even the dot used to pinpoint cities on a world map is bigger than the country. Yet in spite of this and the astronomical car prices in Singapore (a Toyota Corolla starts at SGD $109,000) the sale of supercars and the like are flourishing. Prompting BMW in partnership with Munich Automobiles to create this dealership which serves the discerning car enthusiast.

I’ve been a fan of the M-Technik (or Motorsport) team at BMW since i first saw the BMW 3.0CSL parked on a side street as a kid. It’s circa 70s BMW paintjob standing out amongst the Victorian houses, it’s presence was defining.  The “batmobile”, as it was known, captured my imagination.

Then as i read through volumes of car magazines (these were the dark days before the internet) i stumbled upon the M1, which despite it’s Italian roots still made me drool. But as i grew older i appreciated the subtlety of most of the BMW M range, realising that perhaps one day i would need one as well for work purposes, whilst still enjoying the weekend drive. And of course my favourite Toyota Chaser JZX100 was inspired by the E34 BMW 5-series, so that’s another plus in my books.

But what was the one M car that captured my attention? The E30 M3 Sports Evolution. It’s S14 engine (or S14B23 engine) with it’s increased engine displacement (read more torque), higher lift intake and a set of exhaust camshafts made it a brutal 30kW more powerful than the normal M3. I could go on about the M division, but suffice to say i was overjoyed when Louis from Garage36 and the BMW.SG club invited 7Tune to view the unveiling of a special M-car for the 10th Anniversary of the BMW.SG club.

And the first thing i was as i got out of the car was this beautiful E92 M3 GTS. In it’s bright orange livery (which is not to say that you can’t opt for stealthier colours) was just calling out to me. It’s bright colours were in direct contrast to the clean and white surroundings of the M dealership. It’s wing mirrors were a perfect example of the nitty gritty engineering that the M-Technik subsidiary is known for; completely preventing buffering by sculpting the air gently past itself.

But the showroom was just as astounding with the display of M posters and other various M paraphernalia. Including this pristine model S65 M3 block with various blinged up for display. The poster behind showcasing the daddy of all M cars, the M1.

Even the clutch was beautifully crafted.

But if you couldn’t afford a M car there were other items that BMW thoughtfully provided. Including a carbon fibre M road bike with a Shimano Ultrega 6700 groupset. Quite sexy and people will definitely be admiring your ride. wowing at the M badge on your carbon frame.

If you aren’t the cycling type there are also a series of M shirts for you to wear to any formal occasion. And after feeling the material i almost bought one, it was SO SOFT!

You could even buy a M suitcase, which looked and felt rugged enough to smash a hole into the Titanic.

It was nice to see our friends from 9tro having their magazine “Black” featured in the M dealership’s magazine rack.

And in case you forgot that the M dealership develops their cars at the Nurburgring, here is a poster detailing the times of the M cars. No R35 GT-Rs for sure, but then again would you bring a GT-R to a business meeting? The M car serves dual purposes.

Managed to see this video of the M1 concept on their video wall. So hot!

After a while we decided to head to the parking lot of the event and saw a large variety of sports cars. Funnily enough the founder of BMW.SG, Ryan, mentioned that BMW.SG owners all stick together even after selling off their BMWs. Close friends were made through the forums and kept even after all these years! An Audi RS8 just looking mean and definitely not green.

 

One of the numerous BMW M3s at the event.

A hot black Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.

A pristine Ferrari F430.

A nicely kitted Audi S3.

A aggressive Darth Vadar like ABT AS5

A rare shade of Porsche 911 GT3

And of course the highlight of the evening. The unveiling of the M car.

And what a surprise! The M dealership had actually kindly made a special edition Atacama Yellow BMW M3 for the BMW.SG club. It was to be sold as the 10th Anniversary BMW.SG BMW M3. With a competition pack featuring a lower ride height and a special electronic damping setting for the suspension setup.

I got the feeling that it may be sold to one of the BMW.SG members. Who wouldn’t want to own a one of a kind special edition after their own car club?

BMW.SG you guys rock!

 

Remember to check out our Facebook page where things are ROCKING HARD!

7Tune – The Ultimate JDM Experience Since 2005.

Words – Benson Lau

Photos – Benson Lau and Eugene Chan

Special thanks to BMW.SG, Munich Automobiles and Garage36.

 

Also check out this video that Louis did!