3D Design North America

E92 LCI M-Sport Front Lip

2011-01-25T00:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since we posted some updates and we apologize for this, especially when there is plenty of news to post up.

Introducing the all new Front Lip Spoiler for E92 LCI M-Sport bumper

The front lip really accentuates the front lines on the E92 LCI and really takes the 3 Series to another level.
As usual, the front lip is a a full poly-urethane construction for extra strength and flexibility and endurance.
You can also opt for the full dry carbon fiber under splitter for that extra down force.

For more product information, please contact us at 312.566.7767 or email us at info@3ddesign-na.com

This picture shows the front lip without the optional CF splitter.

The side profile show how the lines of the front lip flow seamlessly with the lines on the fender arches as well as the the vertical side lines on the edge of the bumper. Never looking out of place.

A close up of the front lip with the carbon fiber splitter.

The E92 LCI also shares the same trunk lip spoiler and Carbon Fiber Rear diffuser as the pre-LCI models, as shown below.

As always, please feel free to contact us for more information or for information on one of our many dealers that can assist you with the above products.

WHEELSTO visits STUDIE AG/Base! in Yokohama, Japan

2010-08-21T08:37:00.001-07:00

This was it...

The final stop before Johan@WSTO jumped on the plane back to the states.

We saved the best for last, and it was worth it. We finally ended our trip at the head quarter of Studie AG in Yokohama, Japan. The home of it all. Studie AG has 5 shops all over Japan including Tokyo, Sendai, Kobe and Kidnie. The owner of Studie AG, Bob Suzuki waited to meet up with Johan. It was a short meeting but very memorable. He gave him a few gifts including a Studie AG +Das Foto- photo book, and some cool goodies as well, anyways let's tour the shop!

As we arrived to the Studie/Base!

The outside of the shop, relocated below the Yokohama train rails. The architecture of the shop is very simple, and clean. But inside it holds some of the most phenomenal BMW motor cars in Japan and all over the world. There is shop in the world like it. Some people will never understand why Studie paints their cars in wacky colors, and has anime inspired vinyl schemes but you have to understand that no one would ever think about doing those things to a full competition Super GT race car. Not only are they a tuning shop, but what sets them apart from the rest is that they know how to combine culture with motor sports in a wild, artistic and a well executed manner. Nothing like it!

Willkommen to Studie/Base! BMW Parking only!

Outside the shop, without even stepping inside. You can see how enthusiastic the guys at Studie AG are. Collections of toys, and scale models, enthusiasts coming straight from the heart.

The Studie "Logo" designed from Bob's personal friend who is an artist. Around the shop, you can see all the artwork displayed everywhere.

A sticker wall dedicated to all the tuner shops, and companies that work with Studie is proudly displayed at the entrance.

3D Design. Studie AG is Japan's biggest 3D Design dealer.

As you walk in, you can see the huge collection and display of AC Schnitzer wheels and products. Studie AG is Japan's biggest dealer of AC Schnitzer products and is the home to AC Schnitzer Japan.

Yokohama's home brand, Yokohama/ADVAN display with ADVAN Racing, and AVS racing wheels and ADVAN tires.

A photo displaying Bob Suzuki with AC Schnitzer representatives, shows how close Studie and AC Schnitzer are tied together.

Like any showroom, they have a variety of historic photos of their history, racing victories, and literature for anyone to enjoy.

For any BMW Racing, or F1 fan.

The legendary BMW M12 /7 motor. Derived, and built for Formula 1 using engine blue prints from the 60's it uses a 16v head with a slide throttle fuel injection (Bosch/Kugelfischer) , titanium connecting rods, dry-sump oil system. Studie AG proudly displays this rare, and unobtainable piece of racing history, right in their show room.

The famous Warsteiner E30 M3 DTM race car. Built for pure racing sports, with race prepped S14 motor. The engine was swapped out for a Sony Playstation 3, with a Gran Turismo driving simulator.

BBS, Volk Racing, and 3D Design Brombacher wheels are proudly displayed in the showroom. You will never see a replica wheel here!

Studie AG carries so many accessories. I am talking everything from keyfobs, PIAA/Belloff lighting, the original "Golfball" shift knob, and everything you can imagine for your BMW. Even with the intent of not purchasing anything, its very hard to walk out of this place without buying something.

Studie AG highly recommend Okada Projects. Plasma Direct, a Japanese brand that specializes in high quality ignition and spark systems for most popular tuner cars.

ARQRAY displays some of their quality units. They specialize in high quality, JASMA legal exhaust systems for exotic, and import cars. You can see the quality welds, and finish on these units from just looking at the pictures.

As mentioned before, some of the artwork of Bob Suzuki's personal friend.

They have even managed to catch Spider man himself! and a random surf board on display. It's quite a different perspective of a "tuner" shop isn't it?

As we step into their work shop, and garage bay. You can see how the atmosphere changes from a showroom, to a serious, racing and tuning shop.

Even during the late hours, there are many customers who are willing to stay late to have their cars worked and serviced on.

G-SWAT, one of the most famous alignment specialists in Japan.

Studie AG uses their equipment to precisely align their customer, and racing cars. The customers can also see how their cars are aligned and worked on without any issues. Unlike many shops in the US, where you patiently wait a room with old magazines, most Japanese tuner shops have display windows so you can see what is going on behind those closed doors. "Piece of mind"

BBS, and AC Schnitzer wheels stacked to the ceiling. Literally!

A brilliant white E89 Z4 owned by a customer with full AC Schnitzer aero parts, and matte black AC Schnitzer IV wheels.

A beautiful Phoenix Yellow E46 M3 with Volk Racing CE28n in Titanium Silver.

An E87 1-Series wagon, getting some ADVAN Racing RZ wheels mounted, with a Gruppe-M carbon intake kit installed.

This ends our tour of Studie/Base! Yokohama. We are very grateful to have a strong partnership with Studie AG, and sharing of their passionate drive towards BMW Motorsports culture, and racing. We would like to thank our friends @ Studie AG Japan, and 3D Design for treating us with warm hospitality, and giving us the time of our lives and chance to share this amazing experience with all the BMW enthusiasts in the US, and worldwide.

Special Thanks: Bob Suzuki and the Studie AG team, Endo & Nakajima at 3D Design Japan

E89 Z4 by kudac63 from ZPost

2010-08-08T23:50:00.001-07:00

This is couple of months old but I had to share this fine specimen of an E89 Z4 by kudac63 of ZPost.

This E89 Z4 35i has the 3D Design front lip, rear diffuser and the Eisenmann Quad exhaust system.

(Original Thread: http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364161&page=2)

Interpretation of the new F10 by 3D Design

2010-08-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

The new 5 series (F10) is already the sensation as the newest and baddest "sporty" sedan.
Many tuners like Hamann has already released their interpretation of the new F10 and I am sure that there are many more to come.

I believe that 3D Design has really taken styling to a whole new level with the F10. Keeping the lines clean and not diverting too much from the original lines of the F10. This is also the first time that they have released a roof spoiler and boy, have they done a great job.

Styling parts available:
- Front Lip Spoiler (Polyurethane)
- Rear Diffuser (Carbon Fiber)
- Trunk lip Spoiler (Polyurethane)
- Roof Spoiler (Polyurethane)

The F10 program does not end here...

Wheels:
3D Design's new Type III Forged wheels are available in specifications designed for the F10 in 20 - 9.0 and 10.0 combination. With 20 - 10.0J weighing at a mere 22lbs, this is one wheel that will not only add style to the new F10 but not rob you of the performance that the F10 is capable of.

Exhaust:
With 3D Design's continuous efforts to design and develop the best in tuning, 3D Design has developed and designed an exhaust system that not only sounds amazing but squeezes out that extra pony that you are always looking for. The 4 rolled tips do not dissapoint in the looks department as well.
Exhaust will be released soon.

Here are more pictures for you to enjoy!

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or inquiries on the above enhancements for the F10 or any other 3D Design products for your BMW.

T: 312.566.7767
E: info@3ddesign-na.com

3D Design Type III Forged Wheels - NEW PRODUCT

2010-08-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Type III Forged is a new wheel that is hot off the press by 3D Design.

The Type III Forged is an 8000ton Die Forged wheel made by the powerhouse of Forged wheels; Taneisya.
The Type III starts is life as a sold disc of high-grade aluminum alloy. This single billet alloy is pressed under 8000 tons of pressure to increase material density and tensile strength as the billet is shaped into a wheels. This very highly technical process makes the metal much stronger and therefore, allows the wheels to be made thineer and lighter without sacrificing strength.

The Type III in 20 - 10.0J weighs a mere 22lbs.

Wheel Specifications:
- 20 - 9.0J et23
- 20 - 9.0J et35
- 20 - 10.0J et25
- 20 - 10.0J et45

Color/Finish available:
- Bi-Color: Black with Polished face

Here are some pictures of the wheel in detail:

Check out the detail of the finish!

Here are more pictures of the Type III on the E92 M3 as well as the brand new F10 5er.

You can check out more of the Type III Forged wheels at 3DDesign North Amercia

For any questions or inquiries, please feel free to contact us at 312.880.7767 or email us at info@wheelsto.com

2010-06-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

WSTO visits Studie Tokyo!

I had never been as excited as I was about visiting tuner shops as I was when visiting Studie. The excitement of visiting Tokyo Auto Salon had left me in daze that I had still not awaken from when I went to visit Studie. Studie has five locations; Yokohama, Tokyo, Kobe, Sendai and Kidnie. I had the honor of visiting 2 of those fine establishments, Tokyo (their latest which opened last year) and the main hub, Studie Yokohama.

Studie Tokyo did not look at all like a tuning shop. In fact, it really had the aura and the feel of an automobile museum. Upon entering, the display of miniature versions of BMW Motorsport’s finest from the past and present enables guests to submerge in the history of BMW at a single glance.

Just past the entry way, you will find 2 cars on display. The famous Super GT series Studie GLAD R@cing widebody Z4 and another icon from the past, the 1998 Super Touring Car Series champion Fina BMW E36 320, driven by Johnny Cecotto for BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer.

The Z4 caught my attention right away, with the widebody BMW motorsport shell wrapped in the bright livery of Japanese Anime. This Z4 is an active duty race car and although I was not able to inspect it closer, the Stack instruments, full roll cage, huge “GT” wings, CF diffuser and hood (built by VRS) and BBS center-lock wheels was enough to let me know that this was one serious machine.

The Fina E36 320 may not share the exciting livery and persona of the Z4, but all BMW enthusiasts will know that this is that one car that brought BMW Motorsport back into the world of Motorsport Racing and BMW’s decision to come back to F1 in the late 90’s.

The most amazing thing about this car is that it is not a mere replica but the true shell of the actual car that made it impact in Nurburgring, in 1998.

Although, it has retired from racing duties, Studie has resurrected the spirit of racing by transforming it into an actual “Gran Turismo” Game console. Yes, this car is a game console! Patrons of Studie are able to strap into the racing bucket seats and drive the car in simulation. The illusion of reality and all motory senses are amplified when you turn the ignition of the game “on” and realize that the windshield is a special projector screen. Wow... my mouth was ajar.

For Studie, this was not merely a scheme to attract customers, but a solution for them to share their passion for BMW and motorsport with customers. This passion and vision is evident throughout every corner of the shop and in all the individuals that work at Studie.

As in any place I have gone to in Japan, I was greeted invitingly and cordially by the receptionist. The white color scheme and the bright colors of the shop are modern and very inviting. Clients of Studie are able to walk right up to the meet the Studie team and discuss matters of modification, maintenance and receive consultation from any one of the members of the Studie team. The process reflects Stuide’s motto “TDMM” which is an acronym for Tuning, Dress up, Maintenance, and Motorsports. Studie’s goal is to provide the very best service by sharing the mutual passion for BMW in order to meet the need of its clients.

I shook hands with Studie Tokyo’s manager, Aizawa-san Although, we did not speak the same language, mutual respect and knowledge about each other’s shops as well as the shared passion for BMW really allowed us quickly get acquainted and share many ideas and views on BMW tuning.

On the walls of Studie Tokyo, you will find pictures and pieces of art (valve covers) that are symbolic of BMW. The shop is filled with the latest parts and accessories from corner to corner. Well known brands like BBS, KW, Bilstein, Arqray, ARC, Hamann, ACSchnitzer to name a few were easily accessible to customers to feel and inspect.

We have all seen BBS wheels and as a dealer for BBS in the US, we have seen our share of them, but to have a wall of 9 BBS’s finest specimens was simply amazing. Not to mention that you can’t get 4 of them stateside, the RE-V, RE Mg, RE-Y and the special edition gloss black face RG-R.

It was time to walk out of the shop and inspect Studie’s many project cars and customer’s cars that they have built. The first car that caught my eye as we walked out into the parking lot was this green widebody Z4. This car belongs to the owner of Studie, “Bob” and is nicknamed “kero kero” (famous japanese frog). The black BBS RE-Mg as well as the highly sort after “Golf” ball shift knob really tells me how serious that are about the cars that they build.

The next car that caught my attention was the E82 135i with BMW Performance body. Although, you can’t tell from the seemingly stock exterior looks, this is a fully custom built car, ready for the tracks of Fuji Speedway.

The interior is full custom “Red” leather and suede on BMW performance seats, and steering wheel. Performance is boosted with a healthy dose of power from Active Autowere ECU upgrade, intercooler and blow off valve with the HKS oil cooler to help keep things in check.

The exterior is all BMW performance with custom lighting by Bellof and Hella. Chassis stiffening is by ARC and special body dampers developed by Studie and Yamaha. Although, it is currently wearing E46 Competition wheels, this car the cover model for the Advan RZ for BMW wheels.

Of course there were many other customer cars. Perhaps too many for me to list and talk about. I did make sure to do a more than my share of scrutinizing the mods on these cars, such as this very clean specimen of E60 M5 with AVS F7 wheels and the full AC Schnitzer E46 M3.

Past the parking lot, I was led to where all the work is done. Against the backdrop of Studie’s slogan “We were born 2 run”, Studie Tokyo’s pit was much like their shop; clean and well organized and simply impressive. Parts and tools were well organized and catalogued.

Two cars were up on the lifts when I visited Studie Tokyo; Black AC Schnitzer Z4 and the widebody E92 M3. I recognized, the pink widebody M3, right away. The M3 was fully built with Schubert Motorsport’s wide body with BBS FI wheels. At this point, I had only heard and seen the BBS FI wheels through the internet. The sight of seeing them totally left me in awe. And to do them in a custom “pink” paint job, was an even bigger shocker. Too many times, have I seen a widebody with generic wheels that did not match up well. With the help of KW coilovers, the stance and fitment of the wheels was close to perfect.

The amount of customization and effort that has gone to this car is simply unearthly. Arqray has developed a unique, one-of-a-kind exhaust system so that they can use the fully functional diffuser for increased downforce.

The perfect marriage of BBS FI and Brembo Racing brakes

This pink M3 belongs to Aizawa-san (manager of Studie Tokyo). He drives it on a regular basis, taking it to the tracks whenever he can, where it is most happy. Regular roads in Tokyo may allow it, but I am not too sure the car will survive the roads of Chicago.

AC Schnitzer Japan

Another unique thing about Studie Tokyo is the fact that they share the building as well as the entrance with AC Schnitzer Japan. Of course, I had to check them out. As soon as I walk in, the first thing that amazed me was the car: BMW AC SChnitzer E36 M3 CLS II.

With a 2900cc engine, it can churn out 350 BHP and has a maximum torque of 355Nm. It recorded 8:16 at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 1997. What is equally impressive is of course its weight reduction through advanced material such as carbon Kevlar which is used in every corner of its cockpit and exterior.

Although, we are a dealer for AC SChnitzer, we have never seen this many different varieties of AC Schnitzer products in one place.

Outside, I witnessed 2 other high profile AC Schnitzer Concept cars, the ACS Profile and the ACS6 Falcon. The white and orange 2-tone was as distinct as the design of the ACS Z4. What really impressed me is the fact that I was looking that the ACS concept car, not in a show but on a parking lot in Tokyo.

After the tour of the Studie Tokyo, I wanted to live there. It was BMW heaven and I understood why so many seek the expertise and leave their prized BMW at the hands of Studie. The service and products that Studie provides is top notch in every sense.

WSTO is humbled and in many ways feel proud to share a partnership with Studie, to share tuning ideas and philosophies for BMW owners in the USA.

I had to leave Studie Tokyo and head out to the Heart and Soul of Studie in Yokohama. With anticipation building up and not knowing what to expect or even comprehend how it can be any better than this, I bid farewell to the crew at Studie Tokyo.

Hope you enjoyed this episode of WSTO Japan Shop Tour: Studie Tokyo. Stay tuned for more...

To view larger pictures please visit our Flickr

3D Design Featured on Bimmerpost!

2010-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

Japanese tuning house 3D Design has released new aero enhancements for the E89 Z4, including the polyurethane front lip spoiler and trunk spoiler. Also released is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic rear diffuser. ZPOST member kudac63 has already had the front lip spoiler installed (photos).

Featured on Bimmerpost

PalmerSport + 3D Design

2010-05-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

At PalmerSport, you get to drive some of the worlds greatest high performance cars. With outstanding professional instructors, this amazing track will have you achieve what you never believed could happen. One of PalmerSport's cars weapon of choice is a BMW m3, a car that is already outstanding from the factory but with modification from Jonathan Palmer made the car an even bigger sensation to drive. The 4 litre V8 engine is the most powerful engine that PalmerSport offers, with 420 bhp revving to 8500 rpm makes you wanna get the rear to break loose. Even at the PalmerSport track they allow the guests to drive the very same m3 GTP car and push it to the limits. On the BMW m3 GTP car, PalmerSport has used a lot of front lips on the car. But the only one to hold up to achieve what needs to be done is the 3d Designs Front lip. The front lip is three parts, one long main piece is full carbon fiber well the splitters are dry carbon. One of the best quality carbon fiber product, produced for BMW's.

Check out more on Palmer Sport M3 GTP Here

Quad Tip Look On The 1er

2010-05-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

We have always been a fan of the quad tip look on the 1er. Lucky for us, 3D Design has just finished developing a full bolt-on quad system that untilizes the valve technology like the stock exhaust to regulate back pressure.

Most Quad systems were built around the Euro spec cars without the huge chunky vapor canisters that we have in the US. Therefore, modifications were necessary. WSTO co-developed an exhaust with 3D design to suit the US market. The exhaust that we received is the first US prototype.

Before we could even break it in, we had to load the car on the truck to take a ride to Pasadena, CA. the sound is amazing and I am sure that power delivery will be spectacular.

3 Days to Bimmerfest

2010-05-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

I am back to give you guys more updates on what we did on our Project 1. For this episode, I really have the honor of introducing another new product and offering from 3D Design.

3D Design Full Caron Fiber Hood with Vents and Aerocatch Hood Pin
When we visited Tokyo for earlier this year, 3D Design had built a prototype Carbon fiber hood for the BMW E82 135i. We fell in love with the product immediately. The quality of the carbon fiber construction was top notch as always and the hood was so light that we could hold the entire hood with one hand. Not a single strand of Carbon fiber was out of place and the dense 1x1 weave was a sight to behold. It was actually like looking at the roof on the E92 M3 or the E63 M6. Simply perfect!

The 2 best features of this exhaust are the vents and the Aerocatch hood pin. The vents are very different from the many vorsteiner vents that we have seen. The angle of the fins were more severe and really added an aggressive dimension to the hood. "Function over Form" was key on this design for 3D Design as they made the openings of the vents larger for better "venting" For many of you worried about water getting in, "Fear no more". the vents come with an undertray that collects water and debris from the outside so that they do not splatter all over your engine bay.

The other great feature is the Aerocatch hood pin. We took the traditional lock and latch out and used this "already attached" hood pin to secure the hood to the body of the car. It added another level of "Raciness" to the car. the aerocatch hides all the internal mechanism (which is silky smooth, by the way) and looks very clean and classy from the outside.

Combination of a severe drop and the Front lip gave about 3" of clearance from the ground. We had been daily driving this 1er with the 3D Design front lip for close to 2 years now and the original front lip had taken a beating. We hit a full block of ice (the size of a basketball) head on and hit multiple potholes and that damaged the lip. We had to put on a nice and shiny one for Bimmerfest and with the help of the guys at IND, we had one freshly painted for Bimmerfest.

Of course, we complimented the hood and front lip with other parts by 3D Design. The Carbon fiber rear diffuser and Rear trunk lip spoiler just tied everything together nicely, on the outside.

For interior, we already had the full aluminum pedal set and foot rest and floor mats by 3D Design.

We had been waiting for some extra bits in the form of a shift knob and e-brake handle, but they were not ready for delivery. These new accessories were to be release sometime in June. Oh well.... I guess we all have to wait for that one. Here are some pictures to who you what they look like.

Although, the shift knob and e-brake handle are not quite available yet, we will be sure to let you all know, the moment they are ready.

thanks for viewing and hope you are enjoying the updates. It is my hope that this will put the 1 series on the map at Bimmerfest. Show everyone that the 135i is not just a smaller Bimmer, but a truly unique piece of machinery with the potential to look and perform as well as some of the bigger BMW's out there.

- Julius -

4 Days to Bimmerfest

2010-05-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

It is only 4 days to Bimmerfest and I can't wait to be there.

Nate@IND; thanks for all your help. You guys have really helped us a lot, not only on this project but throughout the years. I only hope that we had been an instrumental part your business as well.

Now, back to Project 1....

Today, I am going to share with you, some of the smaller parts that went into the car (literally smaller). The wheels, exhaust and aero drastically change the way the car looks to the naked eye. Some of the products I will share with you may lack similar effects but it really adds to the total bad-assness (made this word up) of the car!

Pivot 3-drive Flat Throttle Controller

The Pivot 3-Drive Flat Throttle Controller is the first of its kind and the only one in the market. There are a few different throttle controllers for the modern throttle by wire cars. Most of these systems only "boost" the throttle response of the car, much like the "Sport" setting on a lot of the BMW's with sport packages.

However, the Pivot 3-Drive Flat Throttle Controller has 12 different modes: 7 in the "sport" mode and 5 in the "Eco" mode. Settings in the sport mode really allows you to fine tune the amount of throttle response that you are happy with. The Eco mode allows you to lag or retard the throttle response. Why would you want to do that? Well, I have a couple of reasons: when i give me moded 135i to the Valet and when (god forbid) ever need to lend the car to some one else.

Installation is also really easy. Pivot has really created an innovative product by allowing this to be a plug and play solution with simple installation through the OBD port.

Pivot Hybrid Triple Gauge System

We have been supplying and selling the 3D Design Gauge pods for the BMW cars for quite some time. We also supply them with top of the line STACK Gauges. However, this set up is not an easy one. The oil pressure / Oil temperature / exhaust temperature as well the water temperature gauges need to be tapped into the respective sources to function and they are often expensive with labor for installation being not very "DIY" for the average Joe.

Again, Pivot just made this a non-issue with their triple gauge system for the BMW 135/335 cars. The gauges read boost / water temp / exhaust temp. Boost reading is done by "T" connection to the vacuum line on the diverter valve side and the temp gauges obtain accurate readins from connecting to the OBD ports. That is simple and fun. The only downside, if any is that they read in kPA and degree celsius, which I really like as it makes the car unique.

3D Design Gauge Pod

The quality of the construction of the 3D Design products are out of this world. This gauge pod fit perfectly and was flawless.

So, how do we tie in 2 components to 1 OBD Port? Well Pivot had a solution for that too. A simple plug in adapater that will allow you to run 2 Pivot OBD compliant products.

Here is a picture of the entire set up (parts only) laid out...

Bellof Sirius LED Ring for BMW
Bellof is a very well known Japanese bulb and lighting solutions company. They are very well known for making high quality HID solutions as well as LED bulbs for automotive applications.

Amongst the many brands of Angel Eye upgrade bulbs, we have decided to go with the Bellof Sirius LED Rings. Bellof has 2 distintive features: the bulb brightness remains steady even through ignition process, proprietary circuitry to stabilize current into the bulb and most importantly features 4 LED bulbs to increase the brightness while positioning them strategically, so that they travel through the entire figure 8 of the Angel eyes.

Again, the connection and installation was top notch and everything fit easily and quickly.

ARC Power Brace
It was also time to stiffen the car a little bit, with the power that is going in. I had always wanted to put a nice shiny strut bar in the car. Give the car a little bit of a flashy look to the engine bay while stiffening up the car a tad bit. Of course, we decided to source only the best for this job. We opted for ARC Power Brace to handle this task.

The ARC Power Brace was just an amazing piece of piece. It was well made, precision crafted from Aluminum and steel. the cross bar is aluminum while the mounting points were made of steel.

ARC also makes a really nice brace for the rear struts but we did not want to go overboard, this time. They also have these braces in a combination of Aluminum and carbon fiber, which we didn't opt for as we had no other carbon fiber pieces on our car.

CPM Lower Reinforcement.
I was not sure what to make of this product at first. But, when our friends in Japan told us that this is the hottest item for BMW in the market right now, we had to try it.

What does it do?

It goes in place of your lower brace (not replacing it) but under the panel to hold the car together. It is supposed to really add rigidity to the car. I don't know if it did, but it sure was a nice piece and we had to put it on.

Well, this is it for this edition. Again, no pictures of the products mounted on the car itself. You will get to see them at Bimmerfest when we unveil the car!

5 Days to Bimmerfest

2010-05-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

I think that the 1st post has been enough to get your attention.

If not, here is a little something for the first update/unveiling.

As WheelSTO, we put high priority and interest in our "shoes". You have all seen the 3pc Klassen, the blacked out Stock wheels as well as the Dark Gun metal Advan RZ that we had on our car. Each and everyone of these wheels are unique and carry a distintive look and feel, that cannot be replicated by any other wheels.

The klassen had a nice deep dish on a car that everyone was saying deep was impossible with the high offset. the curvy spokes of the Klassen took care of that. We loved those smoked lips that we had on our Klassen wheels. The next set was the OEM wheels with a dark twist with custom powdercoat (20% gloss / 80% flat Black). This set showed that even with stock wheels, a nice set of spacers (Macht Schnell 18+10 combo) can give a whole new dimension to the car.

We really thought that the 1er could not look any better than it did, when it was wearing one of the first sets of Advan RZ Dark gun metal. It looked menacing and you could really tell that this wheel was serious performance. It was light and it had curvy spokes that screamed "speed".

So, how can we improve and change the look and feel of our Project 1, yet again? The only way was to go "Forged". As you will see throughout this journal, performance was everything, this time around. we wanted to shed weight without removing seats and the carpet . The choice was obvious: Volk Racing's VR. G2.

Thanks to our good friends at Mackin Industries (US supplier of Volk and Yokohama wheels), we sourced a set of Formula Silver 18" VR G2. Everything was in sync and perfect on this set. The VR G2 would have take a couple of months at least for us to source. Not only were we lucky that they had a set in stock, they had the exact color that we wanted in stock; Formula Silver. This was no ordinary silver. It is dark enough to give a mystique look while with just the right amount of light, it would shine to a brilliant metallic hue. The 18" sizing meant a lighter weight wheel and a great choice for tires.

Speaking of tires, we had tried many different kinds, from the michelins to the hankooks, Toyo's and the much loved Advan Neova AD08. This time, we wanted to try 1 unique brand from Scandinavia; Vredesteins (don't ask me how to pronounce this one ). We had heard and seen many good reviews on the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta. It was time to try out those famous treads, designed by Giugiaro.

We put the tires on and did what all good wheel and tire combinations deserve; a Hunter Road Force Balance. After making sure that all 4 are round (shape and weight), we lift the car and put on those new kicks.

But, the old plain chipped lug nuts were not going to do, this time.

With new shoes, you need new laces and we decided to tie everything together nicely with a set of the 75mm Bullet nose studs from Macht Schnell and lock the wheel in place with a set of Black Muteki SR48 lug nuts.

If you haven't already noticed, we are sourcing a lot of parts from Japan, this time, and for good reason too. I believe that tuning is truly global, right now. We pride ourselves in opening our minds and eyes to what fellow enthusiasts from across the world are doing. We also try and make sure that we get a good amount of inspiration from all kinds of cars, domestic, JDM, Euro as well as KDM. I truly believe that the key to integrating all these components correctly is to use Quality products. Products that will not fail and will last the test of time.

I can't show other parts of the car (leave that for the next few days) and I really wish I could. So, here is the wheels on the car....

This is it for this episode of "Project 1 | The Journey to Bimmerfest"
Stay Tuned...

- Julius-

Thanks to:
1. Mackin Industries - for making it possible
2. Macht Schnell - for always having quality parts in stock and available
3. VS Motorsports - for always doing the balancing on our/customers wheels

Project 1 | The Journey To Bimmerfest

2010-05-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

Many of you may already be familiar with the work that we have done in the past to our demo car, (very fittingly called) Project 1. We started out with a simple wheel swap, front lip, rear trunk lip spoiler. Since then, we have gone through 3 sets of wheels, 3 different exhaust configurations, and tried many of the products that we offer for the 1 series, such as intakes, springs and even tunes and little accessories.

We had been debating for a long time, if we should make the trip out west to Bimmerfest. For many of you, it is a simple drive and a weekend event. However, for us it was big commitment. We really wanted to show our 1er and make our virgin trip/showing at Bimmerfest. Kind of get a stamp of approval as a BMW shop/haven.

However, there were many hurdles to jump over. Distance was one of them. Google showed an exact distance of 2,126 miles with approximately 1 day and 10hours of pure driving (as if that was possible). Then there is the fact that we have to close shop for a week to drive there and back. Where are we going to stay/logde and what did we need to do to set up a booth? What products shall we bring to show and can we show side by side with the veterans of Bimmerfest? All too many questions and no clear answers.

The only way to find out was to "Just Do It". So, we plunged and committed, of course, all too late and everything was and still is last minute. But, with the help and support from many other vendors, manufacturers and friends, we were able to set things up. We owe each and everyone of them a BIG "Thank You" and more for making this possible. I will list and showcase each and everyone of them, throughout this article.

We carefully selected new mods for the car. Many of you may be wondering what we have in store and many of you may think, we have seen'em all. Believe me, they are going to be new to most of you and some of these parts are going to be the first of its kind in the USA (I promise). Throughout this article/journal, we will showcase the different products as well as the different manufacturers/vendors that make them.

We will also showcase all the products daily, until the unveiling of the car at Bimmerfest (sort of a teaser! ) So, stay tuned and for those of you fortunate enough to make it out to Bimmerfest 2010; see you there!

For now, I will start with a very fitting teaser shot, and a promise of more to come!

- Julius -

E89 Z4 aerodynamics and wheels

2010-02-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

WSTO 135i V1.2

2010-02-02T14:54:00.001-08:00

Last June we revealed our very own Project 1 (v1.2). It was wearing an array of parts that suited the 135i well. We received many compliments on what we had done, however we were not finished.

Our attention first went to the rear of the car. Bastuck had released a prototype US-spec quad exhaust system for the 135i. We still call it prototype as we feel the fitment is a little off for the US Spec cars with the charcoal canister. We did a little customization on our end to make the fit flawless and look like it was built in Bavaria. We are working with Bastuck to remedy the situation. The quad system just like the dual is a full cat-back system (aft of secondary cats) and utilizes Bastuck‘s own non resonated y-pipe. We opted for the non-resonated version for 2 reasons; less restriction and so we could hear the engine sing. This exhaust really lets the turbo engine sound come through. Slightly more rumble, a bit louder, and a little more "open sound" made for music to our ears.

This time around, we wrapped the 4 huge double walled 85mm Bastuck tips with 3D Design's Carbon Fiber Diffuser. This is a 100% carbon fiber diffuser beautifully crafted in Japan. The 3D Design diffuser integrated seamlessly into the existing lines of the 1er while accentuating the aggressiveness of the car with its center mesh opening and slightly flared openings for the quad exhaust tips. Installation was simple, utilizing all the stock clips and attachment points as well as stock screws on the bottom. Fitment with the OEM bumper and larger Bastuck tips was next to perfect.

Of course, being WHEELSTO we could not overlook the wheels. We feel as though wheels will either make or break a car. Although the design of the wheel plays a major role, it is not just one factor but a combination of design, offset, color, drop in height and even the rubber that defines the overall feel and look of the car. For months we have been debating what wheels to go with after we decided to bid farewell to our 3pc Klassen wheels. The Klassen wheels were a thing of beauty with smoked lips and sophisticated liquid metal color and 3pc design, but we knew it was time to carry on the aggressive racy theme of the quad exhaust.

We had always been infatuated with Yokohama Advan's design styles, and build quality. We even thought about trying to fit the aggressive sizing Advan RS (fitment meant for the E90 3 series). I am sure that we could have pulled it off with some fender rolling and camber adjustment and Frank (our resident drifter would have loved it too). Too bad for Frank, Advan released news of the Advan RZ for BMW fitments and even better, an E82 specific fitment. We jumped on the opportunity by calling our Yokohama distributor to pre order a couple of sets.

The sizing that was released was 19x8 +45 and 19x9 +50 and we opted for the Gunmetal finish to complete the dark menacing look. We wrapped them in Yokohama Advan AD08, 225/35/19 and 255/30/19. These tires perform incredibly when carving through corners and look great when parked. They run slightly wider than most other major brands and therefore we did encounter some rubbing with our aggressive drop on H&R Sport Springs. With a slightly narrower tire design (perhaps Falken or Toyo), this setup should be a perfect no rubbing solution. Either way, the car felt great and the rubbing was minimal.

Our 1er (version 1.1) grabbed a lot of attention with the matte black vinyl work we had done on the door panels. Whereas this door panel with huge “WSTO” on the side worked very well for us “commercially”, we wanted a more subtle design that will be the envy of other BMW enthusiasts. The vinyl scheme was stripped but we decided to keep the matte black. Only this time, we added two stripes stretching from the headlights all the way back to the tail lights for a subtle street look. We think that this was an especially nice design by our resident designer/photographer, Johan.

Johan really outdid himself again (he never fails to surprise) and took some amazing pictures of our completed transformation.

3D Design Meter pod for R56 MINI

2009-11-06T12:39:00.001-08:00

3D Design R56 Mini Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser Video!

2009-11-06T11:56:00.001-08:00

3D Design R56 Mini Carbon Fiber Front Lip Video!

2009-11-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

From Grand Am to the street: SHK&BKE Style

2009-09-16T18:48:00.001-07:00

Even professional racing drivers need a hobby, and when Leh Keen chose his means of recreation, he had to look no further than the E92 M3. When he consulted us on some of the modifications, Leh knew that he could only have the best parts from competition proven manufacturers such as Dinan, 3D Design, Ericsson, BBS, KW and StopTech.

Leh's car is a mix of performance, unique style, and his own personal touches that truly make it stand out. His personal touches include such unique details as the alcantara shift boot and e-brake boot stitched in white with the BMW performance steering wheel in alcantara to match.

It's great to see a Porsche GT3 racing driver be such an enthusiast, on and off the track.

Project D.A.S

2009-09-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

our very good friend and Client, Danny is finally done with modding the car (for now...).

We supplied him with the following parts:
- 3D Design CF Front lip
- 3D Design CF Rear Diffuser
- 3D Design CF Trunk Lip Spoiler
- Arqray Side Fins
- CF Roof Spoiler
- CF Front Grille
- CF Side Grille
- CF Mirror Caps
- HRE Comp 93
- Eisenmann Race Exhaust System
- Eisenmann Connecting Pipes
- Active Autowerke Pulley Kit
- Fabspeed X-pipe with cat bypass

More pics to come soon on Part 2.

WSTO Project 1

2009-08-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

We picked up our 135i in September 2008. We instantly fell in love with its gorgeous looks, well designed interior, powerful motor, and more importantly the way it made the driver feel completely in control. We chose Black Sapphire Metallic as it's a beautiful spin on the standard black. Understated and looks brilliant in the sunlight. The car came with the beautiful Coral Red interior as well. As soon as we got it back to the shop we knew we were in for a really good experience.

We drove the car stock, and really enjoyed BMW's masterpiece. Being WSTO and car enthusiasts, it didn't stay stock for long. Within 1 week we had our Bastuck 2x85mm exhaust system, Bastuck y-pipe, and Riss Racing downpipe installed on the car. It surprisingly opened up the feeling of the engine, and gave it a great deep powerful sound. Even with a cat-less downpipe, the sound was not “too loud”, and it's almost silent inside the cabin while cruising. But push the pedal on the right closer to the floor, and almost as if the engine knows what you want, the turbo's spool and a glorious sound fills your ears. After we were done making our ears happy, we moved onto our eyes.

3D Design makes quality aero products coming straight from Japan. We opted for the front lip spoiler and rear trunk lip. The front lip is understated, and flows very well with the stock body lines. The trunk lip spolier, swoops up finishing the flow of the already rounded trunk lid. The addition of BMW performance shadow line grilles finished off the exterior. Next we needed to work on the stance of the car. Thanks to some H&R sport springs, lowering us 1.8" up front and 1.2" out back, it brought us closer to the ground and set there car where it should be from the factory. Two months after we picked up the car it looked and sounded great!

As good as it looked, we of course, were not done. We knew we needed some wheels. Here at WheelSTO, your premium wheel depot, we needed something that would stand out. Our good friends at Klassen Leichtmetallrader had just what we needed. We opted for their 5.1, which offered a classic and sporty design. The 3 piece construction meant that we could pick out the perfect offset, and get the largest lip possible. We went with 19x8.5 +40 in front and 19x9.5 +48 in back. The spokes were finished in their liquid black, and completed with a liquid smoke lip. Wrapped them in some super sticky Toyo Proxes T1R sized, 225/35-19 and 255/30-19. Combined with the nice drop this really set our car apart from the rest. Our wheel fitment was perfect and to this day we have yet to experience any rubbing.

Next place that needed attention was of course the engine bay. We got some extra power from the addition of an AFE dual cone intake. It gave the car a nice tone and some extra power up top. The good guys over at Synapse Engineering helped us increase the life of our lovely turbo's with their charge pipe and blow off valve kit. The best upgrade we did was a new tune from L.E.T. Motorsports (Eurocharged). The upgraded boost and fuel/timing maps turned the car into a rocket. Merging onto the freeway is now a fun process thanks to our engine modifications.

We love the OEM interior but thought it needed some little performance oriented additions. Some simple upgrades from 3D design gave us just what we needed. 3D design pedal covers, as well as their dead pedal cover gave us more grip on the pedals and a sporty look. Sitting next to those we place a set of 3D design floor mats to keep the carpet free from the dust and dirt of daily driving.

We are far from done with our 135 and love it more and more each day. Keep checking our blog for more information and beautiful pictures from Johan, as we transform our 1er from a grocery getter to a really fast grocery getter!