• The Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute is a one-off special aimed at matching the E92 M3 GTS’s accolades within a wagon form factor.
• This build borrowed all of the 4th generation V8-powered M3’s special traits inside and out, including its S65 4.0-liter engine, which was later bored and stroked to 4.6-liters by Carbahn.
• This wagon combined our collective BMW knowledge with the best of the aftermarket industry, including Bilstein, Akrapovič, MOTUL, and Stoptech amongst others.
• The first stop on its East Coast tour landed it at Thompson BMW, an M Certified Center and large volume dealership in Doylestown, PA.

Radiohead’s opening track of its 2000 album Kid A is called “Everything in its Right Place.” It may not win a Pulitzer for its lyrical complexity, but the song — and the entire album to be honest — was written on the back foot of rigorous touring to promote its most critically acclaimed release of all time, OK Computer. The Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI represents our five-star album equivalent. We did something truly different here, helping Pit+Paddock and its partners reach new heights of exposure while filling a void that BMW had long left vacant. The industry noticed and the E91’s acclaim followed. The one-of-one wagon made waves as it slowly traversed the United States after its debut at SEMA, making a handful of stops in California, to PRI in Indianapolis, and finally landing here on the East Coast in 2024.

The new year represents our opportunity to pivot from OK Computer to Kid A with this very special E91. In much of the same way that these two albums were two vastly different interpretations of music from Radiohead, what this wagon does and where it goes in 2024 will too.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Its first landing spot — Thompson BMW in Doylestown, PA — is an appropriate one for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, it has served as a trusted partner to Turn 14 Distribution while building BMW CCA’s annual Dream Car Raffle grand prize giveaway. Secondly, Thompson BMW is an M Certified Center, meaning the dealership offers a rare opportunity to experience BMW M in a special way. M Certified Showrooms are truly one-of-a-kind, boasting outstanding interiors, first-class multimedia presentations, and expert sales and service technicians who can cater to discerning M clients.

As we’ve talked about plenty of times before, the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute was benchmarked against an OEM creation: the E92 M3 GTS. Our build partner, Precision Sport Industries (PSI), took this mission to heart. At every stage of the project, it went to painstaking ends to ensure that anything that BMW wouldn’t do themselves, wouldn’t make it onto the car. The extra effort helped make its appearance in Thompson BMW’s M showroom that much more special. Without an ounce of exaggeration, the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute looks and feels like it could’ve rolled straight off of the BMW factory in Munich.

SMALL CHANGE

Avid followers of the build will suspect that the wagon looks a little bit different from its debut at SEMA last year. And you’d be right. While the car received a full-body CeramicPro PPF treatment (more on this soon), the very Porsche-esque livery design was stripped away and revised for a more simplistic treatment. Although we decided to use a similar script, the rest of the car is now able to shine without the visually heavy black stripe taking any attention away. Somehow, the car looks brighter and a bit more cohesive in this form; the purer, uncluttered exterior helps it achieve that OEM+ goal even further.

UNDER THE LIGHTS

Illuminated under Thompson BMW’s unique M display, the Fire Orange paint shone brightly. It was another opportunity to admire PSI’s handiwork and meticulous attention to detail, coupled with what has to be considered one of the most comprehensive mod lists we’ve put together. The Carbahn 4.6-liter motor gives nothing away until you fire it up and the sonorous sound bellows through the Akrapovič exhaust. Along the beltline, the race pocket BBS E88s give you subtle glimmers of the StopTech Trophy big brakes that lurk behind. And the whole car is perfectly set on its haunches by the Bilstein Clubsport coilovers. Are there things that we still could’ve done? Absolutely. But restraint was also a big part of this build; going one or two steps too far would’ve distracted from the wagon’s intended factory inspiration. Parked amongst other factory BMWs was a rightful test that the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute passed with flying colors.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Seeing the wagon here was a big deal. It’s always been important to us that the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI would be something that the public could enjoy; it was never intended to be confined to internet admiration. Indeed, a tour was part of our foundational plan to share this project with like-minded enthusiasts near and far. It’s no small expense, but against the opportunity to inspire the car community to dream big, the monetary penalty carried very little weight. Although this stop was brief, it’ll continue its time on the East Coast for a bit longer. Stay tuned to see where the Pit+Paddock x Bilstein E91 GTS Tribute built by PSI lands next.

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