Air Lift Awesome JDM-styled 540bhp BMW M3 F80

With its JDM-inspired looks, this fierce F80 M3 really stands out from thecrowd, and it’s a simply stunning build on every level.

Words: Elizabeth de Latour

Photos: Patrick Lauder

FIERCE FULL-ON F80 M3ASIAN FUSION

Awesome JDM-styled F80 M3

The BMW F80 M3 looks awesome. There is no denying that – and we’re being specific here. We’ve got nothing against the M4, it’s a good-looking car, and we totally get the appeal of that long, low, wide coupé body, and normally, we’d always pick the two-door option. But when it comes to the F8x M3 range, it’s the four-door that makes us go weak at the knees. It’s the way the narrower saloon body really accentuates the width of the arches that does it, and as good as it looks in standard form, modified F80s just go so hard. Case in point – Jedh Boongaling’s (@_killam3) build, and if this doesn’t get you feeling some kind of way, we can’t be friends.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Jedh is that he works for Tesla as an engineering tech, which makes the fact that he owns three BMs somehow even sweeter. They are an E46 325i Saloon, an E92 335i Coupé and this M3 Comp, and he’s been passionate about Bavarian metal for a decade now. “I started liking BMW back in 2012 when I bought my first BMW from my dad. BMW is special to me because it’s my dad’s favourite car brand, especially the M cars,” he smiles, and we love to see a family connection like that.

Inheriting his dad’s passion for M cars it was only a matter of time before he ended up in one of his own, and, like us, Jedh fell for the F80 M3. “When I first saw the F80 M3 back in 2015, I already fell in love with the new looks, and BMW did a great job upgrading the engine, especially the power and torque. I told myself one day I’ll buy one!” he exclaims, and that day finally came last year. “I found the car at Palo Alto McLaren in San Mateo, CA. It was in great condition, low miles and clean history,” he says, and he already had an idea in mind of what he wanted to do with it. “I wanted to keep it nice and simple: upgrade the suspension and wheels, and install a carbon fibre body kit. Nothing crazy since I want to enjoy with my two-year- old son,” he smiles, and it’s clear that the family BMW connection won’t be stopping with Jedh.

Even though Jedh hasn’t gone overboard with this build, he has put together one seriously mean-looking machine, and it’s one with a distinctly different flavour, which we really appreciate. “Most BMWs are running PSM or Vorsteiner kits. I’m trying to build this car unique and make it different from the others, so I went to JDM style with authentic JDM parts,” Jedh explains. We love that fusion of east and west, the F80 M3 really pulls it off well, and the end result is spectacular.

The most striking part of the exterior is, without a doubt, the Varis bonnet. Jedh has had it fitted unpainted, allowing everyone to see that glorious carbon weave, which contrasts perfectly against the Silverstone bodywork, and it’s an ultra-aggressive piece with multiple vents across its surface. The front end is further enhanced by the addition of the Laptorr carbon lip with its vertical side pieces. It’s a full-on style of lip that you’re not going to see anywhere else anytime soon, and it gives this F80 M3 so much presence. The side skirts that enhance the car’s flanks come from 3DDesign, as does the boot spoiler, and then you’ve got that awesome-looking Varis diffuser undertray that fills out the full width of the car, combined with the M Performance carbon diffuser. The finishing touches are the OLED rear lights, and they round off a perfect selection of very distinctive styling additions that ensure this F80 really stands out from the crowd.

Of course, you can’t talk about aesthetics without talking about Jedh’s wheel choice, and, like most of his styling parts, his wheels also hail from Japan. “When I first saw the Advan GT wheels, I told myself these will be my next wheels. So when I started modifying the M3, I ordered the wheels right away from Japan,” he enthuses, and we can see why he was so keen. When choosing wheels for F8x M cars, most people opt for 20s, but Jedh has gone for a set of 19s here, which means he gets that nice fat tyre sidewall, and, while his choice of colour will certainly raise a few eyebrows, we love it. The blue just pops, it’s such a strong, intense shade, and your eyes are instantly drawn to the wheels. They are the first things you see, and the visual drama served up thanks to the colour is unreal. Naturally, if you’ve got some seriously nice wheels on your car, you need a nice drop to match, and while it might not be immediately obvious from the photos, Jedh is actually running on air. “When I first bought the car, my plan was to upgrade the suspension to KW coilovers. But lowered cars won’t make it into our driveway, so I ended up getting air suspension from Air Lift,” he says. That’s the beauty of air-ride, you don’t need to air out and have your car absolutely on the ground, you can use it to run a sexy ride height all the time, with the ability to raise it when you need to get on your driveway, for example.

Step inside this F80’s cabin and, much like with the exterior, it’s four round and very blue objects that immediately grab your attention. Jedh has added a set of blue gauges, which match the blue M buttons on his steering wheel, and we love the flash of colour they bring to the cabin, and the way they tie in with his wheels, too. “I wanted more carbon in my interior, so I started with a carbon steering wheel, DCT knob, DCT bezel and handbrake,” Jedh tells us, and we too, are big carbon fans, and we love the additions he’s fitted. The sculpted wheel with its digital display looks incredible, and if you open the rear doors, you can appreciate the carbon seatbacks complete with M tricolour stripes. Jedh may not have gone overboard in here, but what he has done has made a big difference, and the cabin feels a lot more special as a result.

With all these mods, Jedh has put together a fantastic-looking F80 M3, and he could have left things there, but with an S55 under the bonnet, you’re not going to be keeping things standard. “The car is now Stage 2 tuned by bm3. I upgraded the exhaust first from a company called Bimmercircuit, as they sponsored me on my custom full equal-length exhaust. Then I upgraded the downpipes, added titanium air filters and titanium charge pipes,” Jedh tells us. That combo is perfect, giving him 540hp and 580lb ft of torque to play with, and that’s plenty to be getting on with. The engine bay also looks fantastic thanks to the flame-burnt titanium pipework, the carbon engine cover, and the various dress-up parts that have been added, like the blue bolts and red caps, and it’s the perfect finishing touch to this awesome build.

In the year that Jedh has owned his M3, it’s undergone quite the transformation, and the unique, Japanese-inspired styling not only makes it stand out from the crowd, it’s also what Jedh loves most about the car. “My favourite modifications are my Varis parts because you don’t usually see them on a BMW. Especially my hood, I think I’m the only one in Nor- Cal that has Varis hood on an F80 M3,” he grins. This F80 M3 has only served to affirm our already strong feelings for this model, and we defy anyone to not look at these photos and concede that it’s one damn-fine-looking car. But, sexy as it may be, Jedh is far from finished; “I have a few parts that are sitting in my garage and need to be installed,” he grins. “These are a pair of Recaro Pole Position seats, Studio RSR half-cage, Studio RSR rear seat delete, CSF top-mount intercooler, Mosselman billet thermostat, and a Voltex Wing,” Jedh says, and that’s one hell of a line-up. In fact, since the shoot, he’s already added these parts, and they’ve really taken this already awesome F80 M3 to the next level, and we love it even more.

JDM styling additions give this F80 M3 a unique and ultra-aggressive look. Bimmercircuit custom full equallength exhaust Stunning Advan GT 19s.Titanium intakes.

Adjustable dampers and top mounts Titanium charge pipes. Sculpted LED carbon steering wheel Carbon seatbacks with M tricolour stripes Striking blue gauges. OLED rear lights and carbon diffuser make for an extremely aggressive rear end.

Carbon seatbacks with M tricolour stripes

The engine bay also looks fantastic thanks to the flame-burnt titanium pipework, the carbon engine cover, and the various dress-up parts that have been added” Varis vented carbon bonnet looks awesome

DATA FILE F80 M3

• ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six S55B30, titanium air filters and charge pipes, downpipes, Bimmercircuit custom full equal-length exhaust, bm3 Stage 2 map, carbon engine cover, dress-up parts. M DCT seven-speed gearbox, GTS flash
• POWER AND TORQUE 540hp and 580lb ft
• CHASSIS 9.5x19” (front) and 10.5x19” (rear) Advan GT wheels with 265/35 (front) and 295/30 (rear) Toyo R888R tyres, Air Lift Performance air suspension
• EXTERIOR Silverstone II, Varis carbon fibre bonnet, Laptorr front lip, tow strap, IND side and rear reflector delete, M Performance carbon mirror caps, 3DDesign side skirts and boot spoiler, M Performance rear diffuser, Varis diffuser undertray, OLED rear lights
• INTERIOR Blue dials, M1/M2 buttons and start-stop button, LED carbon steering wheel with digital display, carbon gear selector, DCT bezel and handbrake handle, carbon seatbacks with M tricolour stripes

Step inside this F80’s cabin and, much like with the exterior, it’s four round and very blue objects that immediately grab your attention. Jedh has added a set of blue gauges, which match the blue M buttons on his steering wheel, and we