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Like ketchup on sauerkraut, this BMW 2 Series gets an American V8 engine

You have several options to choose from if you want a BMW 2 Series with more power. You can step up to the M2, which offers a turbocharged straight-six with 365 horsepower. Or, you can send your 2 to a tuner in Latvia named HGK Motorsport and end up with a car that makes the M2 look like a run-of-the-mill Toyota Corolla.

A highly-modified 2 Series named F22 Eurofighter illustrates what HGK is capable of. Built solely to drift, the coupe traded in its BMW engine for a 6.2-liter V8 borrowed from the General Motors parts bin. The engine swap alone would give the 2 plenty of grunt, but HGK enlisted the help of Mast Motorsports to coax 820 horsepower and 679 pound-feet of torque out of the eight-cylinder.

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The work done to the mill includes reinforced internal components to make sure it doesn’t blow up after a lap on the track, an ECU upgrade, and likely a little bit of vehicular voodoo. HGK told Digital Trends that the most difficult part of the build was making the custom headers. The effort was well worth it; the end result is a Bimmer that sounds like an American muscle car. It’s like putting ketchup on sauerkraut.

The tuner’s official website explains the F22 features a body kit made out of composite materials like fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Kevlar. It’s much lighter than stock, and with 820 screaming horses under the hood it offers a power-to-weight ratio of “hell yes!” Tires don’t stand a chance when the 2 starts going sideways. The see-through spoiler on the trunk lid only raises the coolness factor of this build.

The F22 Eurofighter was built at the request of a racing team from Qatar, so you’re out of luck if you want it. It has already been shipped to the Middle East, where it regularly participates in drifting events. However, the folks at HGK are constantly turning wrenches, so send them your 2 Series and see what kind of crazy engine swap the builders can dream up.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
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