BMW Offically Enters Chip-Tuning Business

When the E90/92 335i was introduced and every tuner in the world promptly released “chips” or reflashes that enabled the twin-turbo straight-six to belt out four hundred horses or more at the rear wheels, BMW became very indignant about the idea of “chipping” their cars. Time and again, we were assured that BMW was extracting the maximum safe performance from their engines, and that retuning them could only lead to sorrow.

Oops! Turns out it’s probably just fine, as long as the tuner in question is BMW itself.

For a mere $550 — which in BMW-Option-Land ain’t much — your new single-turbo 335i or 135i can be turned into a “Performance Edition”. You’ll get a different-colored grille, a set of classy badges, and a bump in power from 300hp to 320. Given the raw cost to BMW of this option (perhaps $10 for the badges) it represents real value to everyone involved.

What if, however, you were so unlucky as to have already purchased a single-turbo “3.5”? Don’t worry. The major durability and reliability improvements BMW no doubt made to this engine for the purpose of supporting the additional twenty horses can be retroactively applied to your car. Pricing for that hasn’t been announced yet, but anything about $550 would represent grand larceny, since we’re probably just talking about reflashing the ECU.

This aptly-named “Performance Package” is sure to improve BMW’s fiscal performance in the second half of 2011, and it will serve as a boon to BMW-forum members who like to include a lot of information in their “sigs”. Observe the hypothetical “sig” below:

Username: AutobahnSpeedRennMeister

Dominating a left lane near UUUU!

You get the idea? Don’t wait. Your BMW dealer is waiting to collect your money.