Mercedes Turbodiesel Engine Powers This Incredible BMW Drift Wagon
Rival German manufacturers are combined in one wicked build and the result is the ultimate drift wagon.
Mercedes-Benz and BMW are not exactly friends. Stuttgart and Munich are less than 150 miles away from each other. Yet the two have a longstanding battle over which is the top luxury car maker. So, to see Mercedes-Benz and BMW parts combined into one vehicle is a rare occurrence. Well, consider this drift wagon as that rarity. Professional drift driver Dylan Hughes was the man that put this plan in motion. His plan was to use a BMW E46 wagon and stuff it with a Mercedes-Benz OM606 turbodiesel motor. The result is peak eurosled.
As reported by the folks at Motor Trend this build is far more than an engine swap. Even if that engine swap is as unlikely as a Mercedes-Benz turbodiesel. If you were building a car that you wanted to run for half a million miles, then this engine would be one of the first you would think of. However, Hughes is building a drift car here. But this just goes to show how versatile the turbodiesel is. In this car the engine is force-fed by a Garrett G35-1050 turbo. Opening the hood reveals a billet aluminum intake manifold. The entire long block is painted and topped with a carbon fiber cover. Who knew a diesel engine could look so good? We don’t have power numbers, but we are sure it will be plenty for this car to put on a major drift show.
As stated above the entire long block is painted, but the entire interior is also painted with the same stuff. That stuff is STEEL-IT. 29 cans of it. As the name suggests it is like stainless steel in a can. The product features custom-engineered, 316L stainless steel flake that when it dries offers corrosion protection and is even weldable. And it just looks cool on the car interior and the engine.
The interior is as austere as you would expect in a full-on drift wagon. No leather and wood in here. The dashboard is now carbon fiber. There are no gauges yet, but there will likely be full digital cluster when the car is completed. Holding everyone in place is a set of four Sparco QRT-K carbon fiber-backed seats. It is not everyday you see racing buckets mounted in the rear of a car. But it makes sense here and the integration of them looks top notch.
On the outside there is no clue that a Mercedes-Benz turbodiesel lurks under the hood. Although it is obvious to everyone that this is not a stock E46 wagon. There are huge fender flares front and rear. Tucked under those fenders are 18-inch Advan RG-D2 wheels. They are wrapped with GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS tires. BC Racing custom coilovers handle the suspension duties.
The BMW body with a Mercedes-Benz heart might shock some people and offend others. But there is no questioning that this drift wagon is an epic build. Whoever is lucky enough to get strapped into this car with Hughes is going to be in for one hell of a ride.
Photos: Al Norris
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