Supercharged Lime Rock M3 Duo
Photography by Matt Petrie
Lime Rock Park is a world famous race track in the Northwest corner of Connecticut owned by Skip Barber. BMW has been the main partner company of Lime Rock Park for years, yet it wasn’t until recently that they decided on creating a special edition car to celebrate their historic relationship. Never before has any manufacturer branded a vehicle with the “Lime Rock” name, but Skip Barber felt that the style of the track and the performance capabilities of the M3 were a combination that go hand-in-hand together. The commemorative Lime Rock Edition was born, but only 200 units were produced worldwide in the famous “Fire Orange”. No major changes were made to the performance over a normal M3, just slight BMW Performance bits like the exhaust, carbon fiber roof, trunk lip and alcantara steering wheel. The car is fractionally lower than a normal M3 and the ECU is prepared differently, allowing a less restrictive DSC and the removal of the speed governor. Some came with the 6 speed manual gear box, and even fewer with the black competition wheels and DCT transmission.
Bill and Matt are 2 lucky people out of 200 to own a Lime Rock Edition M3. Still, they wanted more than what BMW had to offer. After purchasing these cars at about the same point in time, they knew they wanted to have their cars modified and supercharged by AUTOcouture Motoring. Bill is resident of Northern New Jersey, local to ACM, and Matt is from the Maryland area. You could imagine what the phone conversations sounded like when a customer called to have his brand new, low production, Lime Rock Edition M3 supercharged and then less than a week later another person calls out of the blue to have their Lime Rock supercharged as well. By the second phone call the guys at ACM thought they were being prank called; having the opportunity to not only turn out the first supercharged Lime Rock Edition in the world, but two of them back to back.
Despite the two of them being orange on black, they have different personalities. Bill opted to go a little flashier with the limited production full carbon fiber Vorsteiner GTS-V front bumper with the OEM GTS wing. He chose Brembo GT 380mm BBK in matching Fire Orange to pop out behind the OEM black competition wheels. The carbon fiber theme is carried out around the car from the side gills and the Platte Forme AG carbon fiber side steps to the Vorsteiner GTS-V rear diffuser harboring the Evolve E-tronic exhaust with ACM Test pipes. The interior does not allow you forget what color car you are driving. Fire Orange was done on the trim pieces, center console, GTS steering wheel and his ACM extended DCT paddles. Double Diamond stitched suede door cards and P3 boost gauge finish off the interior. Bill chose the ESS Tuning VT625 kit and as you would’ve guessed it, his plenum and supercharger were also done in Fire Orange.
Matt’s black and orange theme is a little more subtle around the exterior of the car. Custom painted LightModz headlights and meaty Volk TE37-SL’s in black with matching orange stickers accent the fire orange with simplicity. The Volks are sitting tight below his KW sleeve over suspension. OEM BMW Performance carbon fiber trunk lip adds just the right amount of weave that slides off from the carbon roof. ACM Test pipes, Active Autowerke rear section and Remus power tubes give this ESS Tuning VT650 supercharged V8 a harmonious symphony that’s enjoyed throughout the power band. Inside the car is not quite as understated, as a matter of fact this car is known as #THESTATEMENT. Upon walking up closer, the first things you’ll notice are the Autopower 6 point roll cage and custom stitched Recaro Pole Position seats. The Corbeau harnesses, orange diamond stitched suede door cards, P3 boost gauge, and the Rogue Engineering SSK 6 speed manual gear box tell you that this car will have no trouble extending itself beyond what its badged name claims. His plenum and supercharger were finished in a beautiful pearl metallic black and in proper commemoration to Lime Rock Park; the track layout was stenciled on the plenum in Fire Orange.
With any low production car, many owners will buy them and keep them stock with the miles low as investments. Then there are those on the other end of the spectrum who are as crazy as Bill and Matt; who bought two rare cars and with less than 7,000 miles on the odometer already spent tens of thousands of dollars modifying them to their liking and styles. Although these cars appear to be similar, they are very different in their own right. People like Bill and Matt are few and far between who will go out of their way to do something different. It is these forerunners who don’t always get the credit they deserve, but guys that we wouldn’t mind being for a day.
