DURING EUROPEAN CAR MAGAZINE'S 2003 PHOTO SHOOT-OUT, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO RACED WITH A BMW 5-SERIES (ORIGINALLY A 528i), WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH A BMW M3 ENGINE (3.2 LITER) PLUS AN INTERCOOLED TURBO FROM AA MOTORSPORTS & A CLOSE-RATIO 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION, WHICH WE CALL THIS BMW A 532i TURBO. THIS BMW HAS A MANUFACTURED CLAIM OF 600HP AT THE CRANK.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS ON DYNO JET:

- BMW 532i TURBO: 460 REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER WHILE TURBO RUNNING @ 18 PSI = (541 HP AT THE CRANK)

- MY BMW S/C 540i: 388.9 REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER SUPERCHARGER RUNNING @ 8 PSI = (486.12 HP AT THE CRANK)

HERE ARE THE TESTING RESULTS AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY:

- BMW 532i TURBO: 12.9 Seconds @ 105.4 MPH (In an average of 2 runs)

- MY BMW S/C 540i: 13.3 Seonds @ 107.6 MPH (In an average of 2 runs)

WITH MY SUPERCHARGER RUNNING AT ONLY 8 PSI (UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T HAVE THE SET-UP FOR THE 9.5 PSI BY THE TIME OF THE TESTING), CAR WEIGH 350 LB MORE THAN THE 532i TURBO AND BEING 54.88 HP LESS. I CONSIDER MY CAR IS LUCKY TO BE 0.4 SECONDS SLOWER & 2.2 MPH FASTER THAN THE 532i TURBO @ 1/4 MILE.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 1/4 MILE TIME COMPARISONS OF MY SUPERCHARGER ( 8 PSI VS 9.5 PSI ).

IN CONCLUSION, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THIS TURBO BMW IS A REAL BEAST! OUR RUNS ARE IN AUGEST 2003 ISSUE OF "EUROPEAN CAR MAGAZINE". MY SPECIAL THANKS TO LES BIDRAWN ~ THE SENIOR EDITOR OF EUROPEAN CAR MAGAZINE & PABLO MAZLUMIAN.

PLEASE ENJOY THIS SECTION AND GET YOURSELF A COPY OF EUROPEAN CAR MAGAZINE TODAY.

HERE ARE PICTURES FROM THE PHOTO SHOOT-OUT

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