Pure Sound: E92 M3 Hill Climb Car Screams!

By Daud Gonzalez - January 28, 2020

Powered by the legendary S65 V8 engine, this race-only M3 flies through the FIA Hillclimb Masters event with serious skill.

BMW’s S65 V8 was released hand-in-hand with the E9x generation M3. This generation replaced the legendary E46 M3 and S54 inline-six powering it. It was time for a V8 in an M3, and BMW went for it. This engine was derived from the S85 V10, powering the E6x M5/M6 and went on to win International Engine of the Year for the 3.0 to 4.0-liter category for five years straight (from 2008 to 2012).

Not only was the S65 lighter than the S54, it was also shorter. All this while making more power and having two additional cylinders. The S65, however, is most likely the last of a dying breed. Emissions restrictions in Europe are ever-increasing and efficiency is becoming a bigger selling point more than ever before. The chances of seeing a motorsport-based V8 in a 3-Series in the future are next to impossible. Thus, we have to appreciate this engine for what it is while we still have it around. There is no better way to do that than hearing it scream around a racecourse. Thanks to 19Bozzy92 on YouTube, we get to see and hear just this.

In this video, we join a GT2-spec E92 M3 going out for a run at the 2018 FIA Hill Climb Masters event. This bi-annual event was held during this time in Gubbio, Italy and features only the best drivers from the European championships. The driver of this particular widebody M3 is Yannick Poinsignon, a professional French racing driver. Just from the starting line, you can hear the incredible, bass-heavy tone of this V8 ready to attack. From the first shift, you can hear the snap of the sequential gearbox kicking this V8 into the next gear.

The sound of the S65 is intoxicating as it echoes off the mountains during the lap. It has a very low snarly tone in the lower rpms, but screams furiously near redline. The downshifts allow for some crackles and pops on the overrun, certifying this engine as a masterpiece. If you watch this video and turn up the speakers a bit, we would be baffled if you didn’t agree.