World’s First Custom BMW Z4 GT3 Street Car - Cooled by CSF

[CSF Cooling]

Recently, it seems it’s hard to find true enthusiasts in the car scene – someone that not only enjoys experiencing building a car and what’s left of the Southern California scene, but someone that truly can call it their passion and want to share that passion with others… Steve Samuel (@soofy619) is an exception to this.

He founded an organization that’s local to us, branded EuroKlasse, back in 2015. He explains, “EuroKlasse was created to bring like-minded people together and support the automotive community, both commercial and aftermarket.” The events draw in countless European builds – show cars, racecars, and everything in-between. Much like many of us, Steve’s a BMW fanatic through and through – with his notable E46 “Soofy” and infamous molded wide-body F80 M3 “Savanah” builds (also Cooled by CSF) under his belt. However, the E89 Z4 was always on “the list.”



Not only have we been part of his phenomenal builds in the past, our relationship with Steve goes above and beyond and to us… he’s family. The mutual support and his passion for building cars is greatly appreciated – from EuroKlasse events and his time at PureTurbos, to working with us side by side promoting and selling CSF products at shows and race events.

It all started in 2018 with the goal of not only making it to SEMA, but building a SEMA Show-worthy car that could also hit the track. Soon after he finished up his F80 build, Steve found a gem of an E89 with super low miles – it was the perfect canvas for the plans he had always had in store.



When we heard the first thing to tackle was the GT3 body kit, we knew, from day one, this was going to be good. The car was sent to 2M Autowerks, where majority of the work was done, including all of the custom fabrication required to implant the German-sourced body… which was no small feat.




Soon after, the base Z4 3.5is, nicknamed “Soltana,” would be the world’s first street car transformed into a full-on, FIA-Spec Z4 GT3 racecar. Weighing in under 3500 pounds, it rocks a fully-built N54 under the hood with a Stage 2 kit from Pure Turbos, a number of bolt-ons, a custom E85 tune, and more. A BMW M DCT delivers its 700whp to its 335 wide rear tires, while CSF cooling products ensure its fluid temps are kept in check.



It’s cooled by CSF’s top selling E-Chassis N55/N54 drop-in fit all-aluminum radiator (CSF #7046), perfect for high horsepower builds like Soltana. With Steve’s experience and knowledge of BMW’s and CSF products, he added some unique custom touches of his own by using an E9X M3 DCT dual-pass transmission cooler (CSF #8042) to keep transmission oil temps cool, along with a universal heavy-duty bar and plate dual-pass oil cooler (CSF #8110) for his engine oil. To top it off, Studio RSR custom built an intercooler, utilizing one of CSF’s heavy-duty bar and plate intercooler cores (CSF #8046). Both the oil cooler and intercooler are perfectly stacked to maximize the airflow of the GT3 front end.

Steve and the team at 2M left no stone unturned, and no detail untouched – getting the racecar’s exterior, interior, and engine fit for show… all the way down to a custom gauge cluster, and carbon and alcantara bits.



Specs

Powertrain
• Pure Turbos Stage 2 Kit https://www.pureturbos.com/store/power-packages.html
• CSF High Performance Drop-in Fit Radiator (CSF #7046) https://csfrace.com/bmw-n54-cooling/
• CSF All-Aluminum DCT Transmission Cooler (CSF #8042) https://csfrace.com/bmw-n54-cooling/
• CSF Universal Fit Dual-Pass Oil Cooler (CSF #8110) https://csfrace.com/csfs-new-line-of...l-oil-coolers/
• Custom-Built Intercooler (by Studio RSR) Using a 25″ x 12″ 4.5″ CSF Core, Rated to 1200 HP (CSF #8046) https://csfrace.com/intercooler-splash/
• Doc Race Intake Manifold
• GTHaus (Meisterschaft) Turbo-Back Exhaust System
• SSP DCT Upgraded Clutches
• Custom Tune by Ken Wedge Performance
• Spool Performance HPFP Overdrive and LPFP with Port Injection on E85

Chassis
• LiteSpeed Racing Forged Wheels – Front: 18” x 10.5” & Rear: 18” x 13”
• Toyo R888R Tires – Front: 275/35 & Rear: 335/30
• KW V3 on Custom Airbags from Universal Air Suspension, Management by Accuair
• BMW F8X M3/M4 Big Brake Kit

Interior/Exterior
• Full GT3 Body Kit
• ONEighty Custom Headlights
• Custom APR GT250 Chassis Mounted Wing
• Dinmann Carbon Steering Wheel
• Alcantara & Carbon Accents
• Custom M3 Cluster by Clusters and Coding
• Custom 4-Point Studio RSR Roll Bar



Fast forward to present day, and Steve has been enjoying every facet of the car – on the track, on the strip, at shows, and even on the Southern California roads and highways. While the car remains relatively the same performance-wise, a fresh look came at the beginning of 2020. The new rainbow-colored wrap draws in much some deserved attention – we can’t wait for everything to return to normal so we can check it out at all the local events. If you happen to see this car in the street races of Mexico, be warned when you pull up, you might end up as another victim of “Soltana”…

See more at https://csfrace.com/bmw-n54-cooling/

[Bigmouth Studio]

Excellent build with passion.

[Asbjorn]

It is an excellent build, but it is not for the track at all.

I have mentioned it before, and I will do so again, because this is misleading marketing.

The CSF radiator is not a significant upgrade. When it was really hot, I was able to hit coolant limp mode after two laps with this radiator. I was running upgraded dct, engine and FMIC coolers, and all those temps were fine, except coolant. And the cooler size numbers explain why:

N54 CSF: 2100cm2 radiator frontal area (main rad only). A bit more than 10% is used for as DCT core on the AT version.
Stock S55: 3200cm2 radiator frontal area (main rad + one aux rad)

The N54 platform desperately needs an aux cooler upgrade, and any serious cooling company would be focusing on this rather than what CSF is doing here. What they did on the tyler M2 N55 build they sponsored, adding two M4 aux coolers is a much better idea.

[CSF Cooling]

Originally Posted by Asbjorn

It is an excellent build, but it is not for the track at all.

I have mentioned it before, and I will do so again, because this is misleading marketing.

The CSF radiator is not a significant upgrade. When it was really hot, I was able to hit coolant limp mode after two laps with this radiator. I was running upgraded dct, engine and FMIC coolers, and all those temps were fine, except coolant. And the cooler size numbers explain why:

N54 CSF: 2100cm2 radiator frontal area (main rad only). A bit more than 10% is used for as DCT core on the AT version.
Stock S55: 3200cm2 radiator frontal area (main rad + one aux rad)

The N54 platform desperately needs an aux cooler upgrade, and any serious cooling company would be focusing on this rather than what CSF is doing here. What they did on the tyler M2 N55 build they sponsored, adding two M4 aux coolers is a much better idea.

You have had a very different experience than every other customer who runs our radiator - this our #1 selling BMW radiator, and we have countless 3rd party validation from customers who are happy with the performance of this radiator.

Bleeding the system correctly + making sure stacking of coolers is not effecting proper airflow is crucial. If you have a high horsepower performance build, or tracking in extreme conditions - adding hood vents to allow hot air to escape would be recommended.

[Asbjorn]

Originally Posted by CSF Cooling

You have had a very different experience than every other customer who runs our radiator - this our #1 selling BMW radiator, and we have countless 3rd party validation from customers who are happy with the performance of this radiator.

Bleeding the system correctly + making sure stacking of coolers is not effecting proper airflow is crucial. If you have a high horsepower performance build, or tracking in extreme conditions - adding hood vents to allow hot air to escape would be recommended.

If CSF was a professional cooling company, they would not be recommending such a small surface area radiator to be used for tracking a high powered Z4 in extreme conditions.

Here's my log from three laps in 37C / 100F heat at ningbo international circuit.

https://datazap.me/u/asbjoern/bq-v9-...-6-14-21-23-30

Coolant hits 116C on second fast lap.
Mods:
CSF rad
Dual oil coolers
DCT oil cooler
7.5 HD FMIC

I then downgraded the FMIC to a non-stepped one to allow more flow to the CSF radiator. I then hit 120C after two laps in similar conditions, and iats went through the roof.

https://datazap.me/u/asbjoern/ningbo...-6-14-21-23-30


Now I am running a completely revised setup, see attached pictures. I run the CSF together with two aux radiators to increase total surface area. Now coolant mostly stays below 111C. Here's an example from tracking in 26C ambient. Looking forward to see how it performs as it gets hotter outside.

https://datazap.me/u/asbjoern/bq-v31...14-20-22-23-28