Supercharged 680bhp BMW M6 E63
Developing a monstrous 680 supercharged horsepower wrapped up in a perfectly styled body, ultra-aggressive stance and an interior to die for, this E63 M6 is simply on another level…
THE NEXT LEVEL
Words: Elizabeth de Latour
Photos: Lower Klasse Media
Absolutely epic supercharged monster!
680HP E63 M6
As if a 507hp V10 wasn’t enough, the owner of this E63 M6 decided that he needed a supercharger in his life. The end result is a 680hp beast that will blow you away.
While BMW fans will fiercely debate the finest incarnation of the late, great 6 Series (RIP), no one can deny that, in V10-powered E63 M6 form, it achieved near-legendary status that made it into a modern-day performance icon, one that enthusiasts lust after to this day. Sam Sandhu (@that.m6) knows all too well how irresistible that appeal is as he’s owned this awesome example for almost eight years now, and he has been well and truly enraptured by its many ample charms.
For Sam, like many lifelong BMW fans and owners, it was a childhood experience of the Bavarian brand that got him hooked. “I have been into BMWs for as long as memory serves,” Sam says with a smile. “My earliest memory of BMWs was at the age of six and a half when I sat in my dad’s absolutely stunning E23, which he owned from new. I still remember that distinct BMW upholstery scent, which has stuck with me, and I’ve been smitten with BMWs ever since,” he enthuses.
While his personal motoring journey might have started with a Citroen Xantia, BMW ownership was not far behind. “My first BMW was an E90 320d, which I bought to commute in,” says Sam. “It was Alpine white, on standard wheels and suspension, which served me well for the year I ‘daily’d’ it, but I soon got the modding bug once I joined the e90post forum,” he grins. “That’s where it all started, and very soon I had a full sound system fitted,” and this taste of modding led to him building a seriously tasty E92 335d on air.
But, impressive as that build was, it can’t hold a candle to the M6 that Sam has created, and unlike a lot of people, he knew the car he ended up with well before buying it. “I remember reading about V10s at uni. I never planned to buy one and for a long time just didn’t think about it – mostly because I was at uni!” he laughs.
However, once I got into the car scene, things changed!” he adds with a grin. “I knew M5s were more popular, but I had no need for a five-door saloon back then, so to me, the M6 was a no-brainer. NA V10, 500hp+, and only just over 9000 produced worldwide in all its time – this was something special to me!” Sam enthuses. “I actually did a trade. I swapped my 335d with a friend’s M6 because he needed something sensible, and I wanted the opposite,” he chuckles. “I used to see this very car at a couple of shows or driving up to shows. The way it sounded with its (then) Eisenmann Race exhaust and looked on its BC Forged HB29 wheels was nothing like I’d ever heard or seen before,” says Sam with a smile. “Plus, back then, it was sporting a matt metallic blue wrap, which suited its lairy look really well. It was a rare sight then! I couldn’t stop laughing when it rocketed past me on the motorway once going up to Gaydon and knew I just had to have it. The car had everything it needed to be showcased, and this was back in 2015/16.”
So, Sam had got himself a seriously tasty M6, that was already sporting some rather tasty upgrades, and he could have left things at that. “I had lots of plans,” Sam says eagerly. “Firstly, I wanted the car back to its original paint, Indianapolis red. I never test-drove this car before buying it – can you believe it?!” he laughs. “So after a few talks and agreement on the exchange, we made the deal and met in London. I had lined up a full respray for this car the day I was buying it, so once the deal was done, I didn’t even drive it home. I left it with the body shop for a week to have it fully resprayed,” Sam says, and that’s commitment to your project right there. “When I collected it the following week, it was my first experience driving the V10. It was not fun trying to work out the SMG gearbox pulling out of the body shop,” he laughs, “but I managed to work it out pretty quickly. I also knew right away that I’d be putting this car on air and becoming the first in Europe on bags – mission accomplished!” Sam adds triumphantly. “I knew it would sport a set of three-piece split wheels, and I also knew I’d be upgrading the sound system,” and he’s done all that and so much more.
Over the past eight years, this build has been constantly changing and evolving, and it’s now reached its ultimate peak, the pinnacle of both performance and style, and it’s a testament to Sam’s unwavering passion for and commitment to this build. The one constant that has remained throughout is that Indianapolis red bodywork, but the styling has been enhanced with some sexy carbon fiber that has given this M6 even more presence and aggression. “The exterior didn’t need a lot to make it look aggressive,” Sam reasons. “A subtle drop, some carbon fiber pieces all-round and the wheels. After being in the air-ride scene for years, I wanted to go for something with a more race-spec look, hence the current version,” he explains, and the air has made way for a static setup that has the car sitting so incredibly low. “I did a lot of research before deciding on the KW V3 coilovers,” Sam explains. “I really liked how people who had these described them as streetable with the odd track day – not that I really track this car,” he adds with a laugh. “A friend told me to go for the best I could buy in keeping with the theme of the car, and I never looked back. I know there are other highly reputable brands, but I wanted to try KW, and I’m glad I did!” he enthuses. “What makes this car unique to others are the carbon fiber side skirts and the rear carbon fiber splitter,” explains Sam as we ogle the styling enhancements. “The side skirts were originally bought for an Audi, but the owner decided to go in another direction. So one day, my good friend Uvis from Ultimate Velocity called me asking if I’d be interested in offering them up to my car, and I jumped at the opportunity. They fit without any modification, and I’ve not seen them on any other car since 2018,” smiles Sam, and that is a most unexpected addition that works so well on the 6 Series. “The rear splitter, in 2x2 carbon fiber weave, was made as one of only three, all the way from Brazil. The other two are in the US and Brazil itself, which makes it rare, and it’s super-aggressive,” and that’s a super-exclusive styling enhancement that gives the M6’s rear end so much presence. “Finally, I chose to have my headlights modified by KYCS, with upgraded BavGruppe Design angel eyes, double demons and switchbacks, plus under-sill welcome lights to complete the exterior,” says Sam, and these are just some of the special highlights among a wide selection of hand-picked upgrades that all combine to give this M6 such an awesome look.
Sam’s wheel selection plays a big part in how outright aggressive this M6 looks, and he’s been on a real journey with his ever-changing choice of rims. “I’ve had around eight sets of wheels on this car,” laughs Sam, shaking his head. “Years ago, when I bought the car, I wanted three-piece split wheels with the polished dish look in keeping with the bagged theme I had in mind, so I naturally opted for that. However, as time elapsed and as the modifications changed, once I supercharged, I decided to sell them in favor of something more aggressive, more race car-style, so that’s where the current wheels come into play,” explains Sam. “This is the longest I’ve owned a set of wheels for this car, and they were designed by me with the specs I chose. Super aggressive! All thanks to the guys at 6AD Forged Wheels, who worked with me tirelessly to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. Thanks to Andy and his team!” The sheer menace exuded by these black-on-black 20s cannot be overstated, and the extremely aggressive offsets have them just poking past the arches. They make this M6 look insanely wide, with so much presence, and they are absolutely an inspired choice.
Sam has already hinted at what makes this M6 particularly spicy because a mere 507hp NA V10 was not nearly enough for him, and this E63 is packing some serious forced induction power. “At first, I ran the ESS VT2-650 supercharger and loved it. I had that for nearly three years before selling it to upgrade to the latest ESS Gen 2 680hp kit, plus the 8PK pulley upgrade. Other modifications include a Tial BOV, upgraded injectors, and upgraded oil cooler,” and that ESS kit has taken the S85 V10’s power output to a monstrous 676hp along with 480lb ft of torque, and it never fails to put a smile on Sam’s face. “The supercharger is one of my favorite mods on the whole car. Why? Well, needless to say, it transforms the car completely. It takes what is already a capable car even in today’s world of turbocharged everything, and makes it ultra special. There’s nothing quite like a highly-strung V10, singing its chords, revving to 8250rpm and sounding like God is yelling!” grins Sam. “The supercharger has made this car much better not only at the top end but throughout the entire rev range, thanks to the ESS tune, which makes the gearbox more bearable than stock!” he adds, and it’s what takes this already exceptional M6 to the dizzying next level.
And with an M6 built to this calibre, it’s no surprise that the interior is equally next level. “This was never up for debate. I always knew I’d be getting BMW Performance seats, so when I bought them, they immediately went off to my upholsterer in Poland, AMX,” Sam tells us. “He was commissioned to retrim the seats in a mix of black Alcantara and leather with dark red stitching and retrim my rear seats, bench, and headrests to match. I thought this would go really well with my OEM retrofitted leather dash and door cards (trying to find these is like looking for a needle in a haystack). I also knew I wanted an integrated/OEM-type solution for a vent gauge allowing me to monitor oil temps, coolant temps, IATs etc. The AK-Motion data display was the only choice, and it required me to commission someone to 3D-print an RHD vent since they only came in LHD format,” says Sam, and it’s this insane attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile to achieve exactly what he wanted is what sets this build apart.
The custom-trimmed seats are simply magnificent, the perfect centerpiece for the interior, and getting the rears trimmed to match was an inspired choice on Sam’s part. Throw in lashings of carbon, and you’ve got yourself a cabin that looks and feels every bit as special as the rest of this stunning build. And the finishing touch? Well, for a man who got his first taste of modding through ICE, it had to be some seriously upgraded audio. “The CIC and the upgraded sound system are my other favorite mods,” enthuses Sam. “Both have transformed the car and make me want to drive it everywhere I possibly can! The updated CIC is just what this 18-year-old car needs, and the aftermarket, thought-out sound system simply finishes what the car lacks (thanks Nathan from Cambridge Autosound). They should have come from the factory sounding just like this, dare I say,” adds Sam.
This M6 is what eight years of constant modifying evolution will give you, combined with serious effort, vision, and a desire to take your car to the next level. We’ve seen this car evolve over the years, and we’ve constantly been in awe of how much work Sam has put into this car, the time he’s spent to make sure each mod was the right mod, and the attention to detail he’s applied throughout. It’s a breathtaking build that he can be truly proud of.
“I’ve left no stone unturned with this car, and that’s what I’m like with everything. Next up will be a full underside strip and restoration, which will come sometime next year. Other than that, just continue to maintain it, keep up with anything it needs and enjoy the beast! I debated selling it earlier this year, but honestly, where do you go from something like this with a similar price point, which sounds as good?” he shrugs, and we totally agree. Once you’ve owned a near-700hp supercharged V10 supercar, where on earth do you go from there? Well, luckily, Sam doesn’t have to go anywhere because the M6 is staying put, and instead, he’s got an ever-so-slightly more sedate project on the go at the mo. “I am currently rebuilding/doing a nut and bolt restoration of my Zinnoberrot E28 M535i dogleg manual, which has been an ongoing project for three years now,” smiles Sam. “That’s going to look special – think Hartge Type C split wheels or ACS Type 1 splits, Recaro C81s retrimmed, upgraded sounds, BC coilovers, moon roof and so on…” he says, drifting away with a vision of the completed project. And while he works on that retro restomod, he’s got one of the most epic E63 M6 builds we’ve ever seen to enjoy, and this is an incredible machine that is truly awesome in every sense of the word.
Menacing black-on-black 20s from 6AD Forged Wheels look awesome. This M6 has so much sheer road presence and sounds epic thanks to the IPE Valvetronic Exhaust.
The Alcantara steering wheel, carbon trim, and upgraded audio make the cabin seriously special.
The rear splitter, in 2x2 carbon fibre weave, was made as one of only three, all the way from Brazil. The other two are in the US and Brazil itself, which makes it rare, and it’s super-aggressive.
I always knew I’d be getting BMW Performance seats, so when I bought them, they immediately went off to my upholsterer in Poland, AMX. He was commissioned to retrim the seats in a mix of black Alcantara and leather with dark red stitching.