NardoM3:
Occasionally here at Modbargains we have a car come into our shop that really stands out from the rest. A car whose owner has put so much hard work and time into it that you can’t help but take notice. The car that most recently took our breath away was the NardoM3 and its owner Sal L. (@kleaperm3). His 2016 BMW F80 M3 is chock-full of mods that make it not only a treat for him to drive, but a pleasure for anyone to see.
In its base form Sal bought the NardoM3 utilizing BMW’s Individual program to have the car painted Nardo Grey from the factory. The interior is finished in beautiful Black Extended Merino leather and includes all the creature comforts from the car’s Executive Package (top view camera, heads up display, heated steering wheel, etc.). As many enthusiasts do, he opted for the 6 speed manual so he can feel the thrill of every shift and the extra connection between car and driver that only a manual transmission provides.
Now we get to the juicy stuff that really makes the car stand out and gives it a unique personality. We all know the F80 M3 is a fantastic car, but it is also widely available to a myriad of different buyers so we as enthusiasts have to impart our own personality on the car to make it special. In this respect Sal has gone above and beyond, transforming his M3 into a car that is beloved by the enthusiast community and admired by anyone who sees it.
Let’s start with the exterior of the NardoM3, specifically the body mods. See if you can pick out all the little trim pieces and small changes that have been made before we point them out (or if you can find any we missed!). Starting at the front one of the most noticeable additions is the Mode Carbon GTS front spoiler which gives the car a lower and more aggressive look to its front end. Above that we see some gloss black front kidney surrounds because, let’s face it, chrome is a bit tacky. On the side of the bumper are some paint matched front reflectors to smooth out the look and do away with the factory amber. The hood has been replaced as well with a GTS style hood by 2M Autowerks which offers extra venting and is quite a bit lighter than the factory piece thanks to its carbon fiber construction. Finally, the OSS Designs ICON headlights serve to give the car a unique look that is quite a bit more aggressive than the factory lights.
Moving to the side you’ll see that the side-marker grilles have been replaced with gloss black to match the theme of the kidney grilles. It’s a very subtle touch but if you look closely you’ll also see a paint matched key hole cover on the driver’s door to smooth out the appearance. Along the bottom edge of the car are some RKP Composite Carbon Fiber Side Skirts which help to extend the carbon fiber theme from the front splitter and connect it fluidly with the Mode Carbon R1 rear diffuser at the back. The addition of the Mode Carbon side fin extensions makes the diffuser feel a lot wider and more aggressive while also lining up well with the side skirts. The Mode Carbon High Kick M4 style rear spoiler continues the carbon fiber theme up the back of the car and your eyes are naturally drawn upward from it up to the factory carbon fiber roof. Rounding off the exterior mods we see that the rear reflectors have been replaced with paint matched versions and the M3 badge is now a gloss black piece so there isn’t a trace of the original chrome or tacky reflectors on the car.
Now the big one: Wheels. No build is complete without a nice set of wheels. Sal has stated that a good set of wheels is the first thing he looks for on a new build and that these HRE Forged P101 wheels are his favorite mod on the NardoM3. They are painted in a beautiful Satin Black finish and sized 20×9.5 in the front and a 20×11 in the rear. To help preserve the high performance pedigree of the M3 Sal wrapped the HREs in a set of Michelin PS4s tires with a 265/30R20 in the front and a 295/30R20 in the rear. This tire is one of the best choices around for anyone who wants outstanding performance in the wet and dry while maintaining decent treadwear and comfort (for more information on the PS4S see our in-depth analysis of the tire).
A big part of the car’s wheel fitment is of course suspension. You can’t have proper wheel fitment if you’re riding around with factory fender gap, it just doesn’t work. To do away with that factory ride height and improve its overall handling characteristics Sal fitted it with a set of KW Height Adjustable Springs (H.A.S.). Recently those proved to no longer be satisfactory so a few weeks back he had a set of KW Variant 3 coilovers installed instead so he can take advantage of the full benefit of KW’s valve tuning and rich performance heritage.
The NardoM3 was actually in our shop twice in the last couple months. The second time was to have the KW V3s installed, but the first appointment was actually to have the enormous AP Radi-CAL Big Brake Kit installed. Before installation we had the kit painted in a custom Ambulance Yellow so it is extremely noticeable through the wide spokes of the HRE P101s, which seem tailor made to show off big brakes. The Front BBK utilizes a pair of 6 piston calipers with 390mm J-Hook rotors and the Rear BBK uses 4 piston calipers with 380mm J-Hook rotors. This kit not only has amazing stopping power and fade resistance, but it looks absolutely fantastic at shows and in photos. It really adds to the imposing presence of the car.
Finally, there are a few performance mods done to the car just so no one gets the silly notion that it is all show and no go. The SSR Performance Dual Cone Intake and charge pipe to give the S55 engine more air to work with overall. The Remus Sport Resonated Cat-Back Exhaust in the back end serves to give better flow of exhaust gasses, allowing for faster turbo spooling and increased power. The Remus exhaust is even fitted with 102mm carbon fiber exhaust tips to give a touch of extra style and to help fill out the look of the carbon fiber rear diffuser. Lastly, to take full advantage of the intake and exhaust mods the car has been tuned with a PTF Bootmod3 E85 Performance Flash Tune by Cary Jordan, just for that extra bit of oomph .
Q&A:
What got you into modifying cars?
“I went to a local car event years back and just got inspired by all the modified cars.”
What is your favorite mod on the car so far?
“Love my HRE P101s. My first major mod has always been looking for a nice set of wheels.”
What is your first priority when modifying a new car? (looks, performance, driver comfort?)
“Looks is first priority and I try to keep a clean look when modding. Next priority would be performance to pump up that adrenaline. And yes, I’ll sacrifice comfort for the first two priorities.”
What is the next mod you’re adding?
“Working on sprucing up the interior.”
Any advice for other f80 m3 & f82/83 m4 owners?
“When starting to mod your car, use resources such as car forums to read peer reviews and find a reputable mod shop such as Modbargains to help you on your modding journey.”
What is your experience with dealing with Modbargains?
“Nothing but great experience with Modbargains. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. And most importantly the work has always been done right.”
NardoM3 Factory Configuration:
- BMW Individual Nardo Grey Paint
- Black Extended Merino leather
- 6 speed manual transmission
- Executive package
Mod List:
- KW HAS (Previous Setup)
- KW V3 Coilovers
- HRE P101 in Satin Black 20×9.5 Front 20×11 Rear
- Michelin PS4S 265/30R20 Front 295/30R20 Rear
- AP Radi-Cal BBK / J Hook Rotors / custom painted yellow
6 piston 390mm front / 4 piston 380mm rear - SSR Performance Dual Cone Intake in and charge pipe in fashion grey
- Remus full resonated cat back sport exhaust with 102mm carbon fiber tips
- Mode Carbon GTS front spoiler
- Mode Carbon R1 rear diffuser
- Mode Carbon side fin extensions
- Mode Carbon F80 High Kick M4 style rear spoiler
- OSS Designs ICON headlights
- Paint matched front reflectors
- Paint matched rear reflectors
- Paint matched driver side key hole cover
- Gloss black front kidney surrounds
- Gloss black M3 side emblems
- Gloss black M3 trunk emblem
- Carbon fiber side skirts by RKP Composite
- GTS style hood by 2M Autowerks
- Protuningfreaks (PTF) Bootmod3 full E85 tuned by Cary Jordan
Without a doubt this is one of the most standout cars we’ve had in the shop, and you can tell the dedication and love that went into the build, as well as the synergy of all the mods. If you want to see more of the NardoM3 be sure to check out @kleaperm3 on Instagram. Also be sure to check out the whole @tunertheory team to see their lineup of beautifully modified vehicles. If you like how Sal’s M3 turned out you should definitely hit up our GM Alan Wei who helped with mod suggestions and fitment knowledge on the NardoM3. He can be reached at (714) 582-3330 x8006 or by email at Alan@Modbargains.com. You can also contact any one of our team of highly trained and experienced Mod Experts. Each one has a rich history of car modding and can help with mod suggestions, fitment help, and more! To reach our general Mod Expert line call (714) 582-3330 or email Sales@Modbargains.com. We also have live chat available at Modbargains.com during normal business hours.