• CSF’s racing division is synonymous with crafting robust cooling solutions and its trio of G80 upgrades — the transmission cooler, charge-air cooler, and heat exchanger — are the best you can buy for the platform.
• Eventuri’s carbon fiber intake systems have changed our expectations of the segment and its performance claims, adding a proven 18hp and 16 lb-ft to the G8X lineup.
• Future Classic is an exercise in product and visual design; its plug-and-play billet oil filter housing cap is precision manufactured and improves heat dissipation at the back of the engine bay.
• These products set the bar higher by adding power and cooling capacity to the Grand Prize in BMW CCA’s 2023 Dream Car Raffle.

When it comes to engine upgrades, more isn’t always better. An unfavorable byproduct of additional power is heat, which in turn can rob all of that extra effort rather quickly. Choosing engine mods is a matter of balance, then. The right combination of parts will add horsepower, but also bolster cooling capabilities to ensure that you can use every ounce of that performance consistently.

For the G8X M3/M4 family, there are only a handful of manufacturers that can offer that perfectly balanced recipe. In our case, we opted for the best: CSF, Eventuri, and Future Classic. For the uninitiated, CSF’s racing division has become the go-to for BMW aftermarket upgrades. It’s been able to extract more than 50 years of know-how to build robust cooling solutions — radiators, oil coolers, trans coolers, etc. — for high-performance street and track cars like the G80 M3. 

From the other side of the pond, Eventuri’s carbon fiber intake systems have changed the way we think about induction. It leveraged years of Aeronautic and tuning experience, 3D printing, and CFD analysis to create proven performance and has become the gold standard amongst BMW fans.

Future Classic lives at the intersection of customizable lifestyle goods and component manufacturing — a byproduct of its commitment to both product and visual design. Its product line has allowed modern enthusiasts to do two things: 1.) express their individuality in new ways and 2.) fit motorsport-grade accessories that echo the brand’s racing ethos.

HOLY TRINITY

Whether your G8X is your daily driver or track monster, CSF’s trio of upgrades is a good idea. While this suite isn’t an official package offering from the company, fitting the full CSF G8X catalog ensures that your car will be ready for any challenge, with room to spare.

I’d consider CSF’s billet aluminum heat exchanger (8215) mandatory. The plug-and-play unit significantly reduces intake air temperatures (IATs) for maximum performance and faster heat soak recovery to boot. Since it’s a more efficient component versus stock, CSF’s 2-row heat exchanger also improves airflow to the rest of the cooling system for lower engine coolant and engine oil temperatures. Acknowledging the G8X’s large grille area, black rock guards are included to spare the radiator from road debris assaults.

The CSF transmission cooler (8221), the second piece of the company’s trio, actually mounts securely to its heat exchanger. While the ZF 8-speed transmission is robust, its oil needs to stay within an ideal window to ensure proper shifting and overall operation is sustainable. CSF worked closely with development partners and race teams who provided invaluable insight, experience, and testing feedback to design the best cooler possible. The result is this dual-core, dual-pass cooler that boasts a 194% volumetric core increase and a 94% increase in fluid capacity, while maintaining a full plug-and-play installation.

CSF’s party piece is its “level-up” charge-air cooler manifold (8233). Bar none, this S58 manifold is the company’s new “halo” product and boasts hundreds of hours of valuable R&D and testing between CSF and PWR, its strategic tier-1 motorsport cooling partner. The CNC billet aluminum manifold has been CFD analyzed to validate air flow and performance characteristics, which are far superior to the OEM unit. Robust would be an understatement; it’s been pressure tested up to 120psi and can accept port injection too, if you are keen to explore the upper stratosphere of horsepower.

DYNAMIC DUO

As I mentioned earlier, Eventuri has smashed any preconceived notions we’ve had about intake systems. Its carbon fiber construction is both beautiful and functional; it creates a smooth internal surface to maintain laminar flow. The turbo inlet and filtration volume area have increased by 160% and 40% respectively, allowing the engine to receive more fresh air. Eventuri’s engineering work speaks for itself; fitting the G8X intake (EVE-G8XMV2-CF-INT) nets an impressive 18hp and 16 lb-ft increase.

After seeing their creation in the G8X engine bay, the company’s founders Bilal Mahmood and Imran Arshad, knew they had to take things one step further. The OEM plastic engine cover is a rather asymmetric piece that clashes against an otherwise orderly presentation. Eventuri saw this as an opportunity to fashion its own version out of carbon fiber that would restore visual balance to the bay. The Eventuri G8X M3/M4 carbon fiber engine cover (EVE-G8XM-CF-ENG) may seem like a small thing, but it makes a big difference.

CHERRY ON TOP

It may be more accurate to call it the cherry at the back since that’s where the Future Classic S58 oil filter housing cap (FC-S58-OFC) sits. Indeed, an oil change is one of the more inconvenient things to do on a new M3, but that’s all the more reason to fit FC’s billet aluminum plug-and-play replacement. The material change means it’s more adept at dissipating heat while also providing long-term durability through punishing heat cycles.

THE INSTALLATION

The effort required to complete this upgrade package was minimal, despite its massive benefit. Everything was advertised as plug-and-play and went in as such, which is a huge testament to each of the brands’ commitments to quality. Having Mikey, our Thompson BMW tech, take us from start to finish was a huge help as always — he had the front bumper off and all of the stock components out of the engine bay before Eric and I could unbox the parts. I was a bit unsure whether the Eventuri carbon fiber engine cover would fit over the CSF charge-air cooler manifold, but there was, again, no drama.

FINAL IMPRESSIONS

I never thought the engine bay of the G8X M3/M4 was drab until seeing a clear before and after shot. The difference is enormous and every new component made the car appear significantly more up-market than it already is. Just like the Akrapovič parts that were installed a few days prior, the effect of our engine upgrades is transformative. It’s another huge step forward to making the Turn 14 Distribution G80 M3 Competition grand prize a truly special one to win.

Thank you to all of our build partners: Akrapovič, AST Suspension, BBS, CSF, Eventuri, Future Classic, IND Distribution, Slicer, and Thompson BMW.

Archive: Part 1 – Introducing the Build | Part 2 – Akrapovič Suite

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