Many a modified car enthusiast would argue that there’s no such thing as too much carbon, and for anyone addicted to the mesmerising black weave, this modified BMW F80 M3 will give you the fix you need.
The saloon has never been a staple of the M3 range. There was always a two-door, and there was always a convertible, but if you wanted four doors on your mid-size M machine, there was a point where the E36 was your only choice, with the saloon skipping the E30 and E46 generations.
It wasn’t until the E90 M3 came along that BMW decided to make it a permanent addition to the lineup, and there was much rejoicing. For many, the extra practicality offered by the saloon suddenly made the M3 a viable option for their lifestyle needs. It also gave them a fast four-door option that wasn’t the much larger M5. And while we personally prefer M3 Coupés up to the E92, the subsequent two generations just look that much better in four-door form to our eyes. And Nathan Jones clearly shares our view because when it comes to F80 M3s, this is far from his first rodeo.
Nathan’s car history
“I’ve always had a serious passion for BMWs from a young age. I work on all models of BMWs with my job as the owner and fabricator of Carbon Culture UK, and I still have that same passion, day in and day out, fabricating and modifying parts. It’s great to have an input towards so many different customer builds,” Nathan tells us as we chat, and he’s got a serious passion for modding. “Previously, I’ve modified other F80s and of course, my E91 335i hybrid turbo build that was last featured with Performance BMW,” he grins.
Nathan has always been a fan of more doors, with his first BMW being an F10 535d, and while he never moved into the M5 he wanted deep down, Nathan’s definitely settled into four-door M Power in M3 form, and he’s loving it. “After our first Individual F80, its replacement honestly needed to be something incredibly special, rare, and not a spec you see daily,” he says of this latest acquisition. “I flew to Belfast Bavarian BMW to pick up the M3 literally two days after it was listed for sale, as it was one owner, perfect spec, low miles and absolutely immaculate inside and out,” he enthuses, and it was worth going the extra mile (and the rest) for this stunning Individual Ferrari Red example.
But gorgeous as it was, it wasn’t going to be staying stock for long, and Nathan had a plan from the get-go. “The vision was definitely a tonne of Carbon Culture parts, stance and Edelweiss LT5 wheels for an OEM+ look,” he nods, and he’s put together one stunning-looking M3.
Chassis upgrades
Nathan’s first port of call was sorting the suspension and getting the F80 sitting that much lower to the ground, and his previous experience with the platform meant he knew exactly what he wanted to go for. “After trying different suspension setups on our previous F80, it was a no-brainer to go with the M Performance HAS kit, along with a fast-road geo setup from Tuned UK,” he explains.
The beauty of the HAS – height-adjustable spring – kit is that it allows you to retain full EDC functionality, as well as being able to adjust the car’s ride height, rather than having to stick with a fixed drop as you’d normally get from a set of lowering springs, so it’s a great choice here. And it’s been used to get this M3 sitting lovely and low, with the arches just covering the tops of the tyres, and, combined with the fast-road setup, this F80’s handling is now on another level.
Aftermarket wheels for the modified BMW F80 M3
To go with the drop on his modified BMW F80 M3, something sexy was needed to fill the arches, and Nathan knew what he wanted. “I still stand by the decision that Edelweiss LT°5 wheels are the perfect wheels for the F-series platform,” he says, and we can see why. These gloss black 20s look great on the F80, with deep concave and aggressive fitment, and through those widely-spaced spokes, you’ll see that the normally blue calipers have been painted in Ferrari Red to match the bodywork, and we love that attention to detail.
Interior modifications
Nathan’s next port of call on his M3 modifying journey was the interior, and, opening the door, it is a carbon lover’s paradise in here. “After being a part of countless interior kits for BMW builds, I knew exactly what needed to be done on ours – a little extra carbon, but not too much, along with some custom Alcantara with our logo etched in. Some carbon that BMW missed and some Alcantara to add to the performance feel,” he explains, and that combo has resulted in a cabin that looks and feels seriously special.
There’s an OEM M2 CS Alcantara steering wheel, and it’s been equipped with some carbon paddles with red + and – symbols and treated to carbon trim on the front and across the top, and even the M1 and M2 buttons are finished carbon. Naturally, there’s carbon trim across the whole dash, but then you’ve also got carbon vent surrounds, carbon door pulls and carbon sill trims, too.
But we’re only just getting started because, of course, there’s a carbon gear selector complete with a carbon surround, but then the trim around that is made from Alcantara and features the Carbon Collective logo embossed into it, which is such a nice touch. Then you’ve got the carbon iDrive trim piece, the carbon and Alcantara handbrake handle with an M tricolour Alcantara gaiter and a matching armrest, while the finishing touch comes from the carbon seatback trims. All that carbon combined with the red stitching across all the leather looks simply awesome, and it’s really made this interior rather special.
Modified BMW F80 M3 Exterior Upgrades
Naturally, the exterior is a riot of carbon, too, and this F80 M3 wears a mixture of M Performance and Carbon Collective styling additions. Viewed from the front, this M3 is insanely menacing, thanks to an M Performance carbon splitter, which has been equipped with an ECPR lower lip to make it even more aggressive. Then you’ve got the Carbon Culture bumper inserts and air ducts along with M Performance aprons, and then there’s the genuine OEM GTS bonnet, and we never tire of seeing these on F8x M cars, they just look so good.
Moving down the car’s flanks, you’ll find some carbon mirror caps, along with Carbon Culture side blades and arch guards, and then at the rear, there sits an OEM carbon spoiler and a Carbon Culture 1.5 diffuser that fills the whole width of the rear bumper and frames the black BMS exhaust tips. Finally, look closely, and you’ll spot that the car wears de-chromed roundels, and it’s a neat little touch that makes all the difference and shows you just how much attention to detail Nathan has put into this build.
And it goes without saying that the sight of all that carbon contrasting against that bold red bodywork is stunning, and this modified BMW F80 M3 looks absolutely epic.
Engine upgrades on the modified BMW F80 M3
Finally, we come to the engine, and Nathan most definitely has not forgotten about the S55, both in terms of looks and performance. Pop the bonnet, and you’re greeted by the sight of a Carbon Culture engine cover with Ferrari Red accents, along with a chargecooler cover and carbon airboxes equipped with MMR filters.
Look closely, and you’ll spot the discreet black Downstar bolts and bold red Goldenwrench caps across the engine bay, and we are absolute suckers for all that colour-coding. And as for the bits you can’t see, there are Turner Motorsport 200-cell downpipes, a VRSF mid-pipe, a Mosselman valve controller, and a bm3, all of which adds up to 510hp and 516lb ft of torque, along with a suitably savage soundtrack. “The exhaust setup is definitely my favourite mod, I’m sure every S55 owner can agree that the backfires and burbles on downshifts are extremely addictive,” grins Nathan.
Conclusion
This is an indecently good-looking modified BMW F80 M3, and it just grabs your attention from the moment you see it. Ferrari Red is a stunning shade that really shows off the car’s many complex curves, the perfect blank canvas for Nathan’s carbon art, and it’s a masterpiece, built exactly how he wanted it. “It took roughly nine months to do the majority of the modifications I wanted to do, but I’ve added bits and changed things on and off for the last two years, it’s never finished,” he laughs. “I wouldn’t do a thing differently, however, there are some things that need adding to finish off the car,” and he’s been very busy indeed because a modifying mind never rests.
“Since the shoot, we’ve added a whole new look to the engine bay with more Goldenwrench parts, Ferrari Red custom-painted Downstar bolts and an OEM carbon engine cover. Also yet to be fitted is the AK Motion data display, which will be a great addition to the interior,” enthuses Nathan. “Speaking of the interior, one final plan that would complete the car would definitely be the AMX Performance Recaro CS seats trimmed in black leather with Ferrari Red stitching to match the interior now! It’s definitely on the cards,” he adds with a smile. And this whole build is all about those extra touches, the attention to detail, and, of course, the carbon – they say a high-fibre diet is good for you, and that clearly goes for cars, too.
Photos: Ade Brannan
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