The BMW M54 inline six engine is a very well known and highly regarded engine, produced from 2000 to 2006 and equipped in a multitude of vehicles. Many of these vehicles, specifically the 3 series (E46), Z3 (E36/7 and E36/8), and 5 series (E39 and early E60 models) are enthusiast vehicles which consumers are actively modifying. Because of this, the aftermarket community for the M54 engine is one of the largest there is. However, there is a significant lack of support for aftermarket intake options.

The OEM intake manifold for the BMW M54 engine is known for being a restriction when trying to optimize power. There are significant power gains when going to the older, simpler intake manifold from the M50 engine, however this design is still sub-optimal. The best airflow possible is achieved using individual throttle bodies (ITB’s), such as what is equipped on the E46 M3 (equipped with the S54 engine). A few companies produce adapter plates to put S54 ITB’s on the M54. However, none of these systems are plug and play with the OEM engine control unit (ECU) or wiring harness. Additionally, none of these aftermarket systems have a flow-optimized intake plenum.

Our vision is to design a new flow-optimized intake system that is plug and play with the OEM wiring and ECU, utilizing the S54 ITB’s, adjustable intake runners, and a plenum that both filters the air and draws air from a cold source.