MH3 650 - a ballistic station wagon based on the BMW M3 Touring

>It's Manhart unveils the BMW M3 Touring with 640 horsepower. Should be fun... to watch it? That's exactly what this tuned BMW M3 Touring looks like, which leaves no room for doubt with its Manhart model name - MH3 650.

What does this name stand for? MH is an acronym for the name of California metal band Machine Head, while the "3" refers to the 3 Series and the "650" refers to engine output in metric horsepower. By the way, what is metric horsepower? It's the power generated by a horse that doesn't know how many shillings are in one crown.

You would think that Manhart, being German, would use the actual metric system and speak in kilowatts. But kW is a much less lyrical unit of measurement, and yes the numbers are smaller for a given power.

If we used the metric system, we'd get MH3 485, and probably something like MH3 640 if we converted to British horsepower. Fortunately, the numerical designation for the MH3's 590 lb-ft of torque is not on the badge, so we don't need to convert from one system of measurement to another. Either way, the exact numbers or how to measure them will take a back seat to the actual experience of using the car. It will also back off anything that isn't bound, by the sounds of things.

Similar to the MH3 GTR

Based on the M3 sedan, the MH3 650's power increase comes courtesy of a dual-mode stainless-steel exhaust and an auxiliary engine control unit, implying that BMW left some potential on the standard M3. The dodger kit for Manhart's tuned M3 sedan is largely the same, including "many carbon fiber parts" such as front and rear spoilers, a diffuser and aerodynamic elements mounted in front of the rear wheels. As for the coloring and decals..... "silk-matte black" is Manhart's choice, of course, though buyers can choose a different color if they wish. And the decal set is Manhart's "finishing touch," something like "They'll Be There, Sunshine," only with a little more restraint than our mix of songs on cassette in those days.