SP Rides: Blue Brilliance
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Year, make, model: 2018 BMW M2
Owner: Liu Xiang
Age: 25
Occupation: Medic
Hobbies: Videogames (semi-pro)
Color: Long Beach Blue
Engine: Fabspeed Sport Cat downpipe, BMC drop-in air filter, Bootmod3 Stage 2 OTS Map Tune
Exterior: Lightweight front spoiler, BMW M Performance front grille, BMW M Performance side marker, Autoid dry carbon TRE Performance mirror units, MTC Design carbon side skirt, BMW M Performance carbon fiber rear diffuser, JHP Dynamics carbon wing, 3M Gloss Black roof wrap, Cyba 90mm titanium exhaust tips, full front protection with XPEL Ultimate Plus
Interior: IND Red start/stop button, IND M1/M2 button set, 3M 1080 Gloss Atomic Teal Trim wrap, Diamond car mats with blue stitching, BMW M Performance steering wheel trim matte carbon, BMW M Performance shift lever trim matte carbon
Suspension/wheels/tires: Eibach pro-kit performance springs, HRE FF04 with IPA Finish, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 275/35/19 rear tires
Originally from Shanghai, Liu Xiang was exposed to vehicles of a certain stature and level. The car scene is very popular and there’s a focus on luxury and exotics. Known as China’s commercial and financial center, per Xiang, most of his friends in his hometown were well off — driving Lamborghinis, Mercedes and BMW. Being more into German engineering as opposed to big horsepower, Xiang fell into step with BMW due to its styling and look.
Compared to any other BMW, this 2018 BMW M2 has aggressive styling, which is what drew Xiang to choose it as his current ride. With the sloping bodylines and stylistic front bumper, all it needed were some choice mods to bring it to the next level. Although he was trying to keep it stock, after seeing some of the modifications his friend made, he fell totally in love with the mod scene.
The body looks fantastic in Long Beach Blue, so Xiang augmented it with a lightweight front spoiler paired with a matching BMW M Performance front grille and side markers. The sick Autoid TRE Performance mirrors are dry carbon and look incredibly nice when paired with the MTC Design Carbon side skirts. Combined with the sick JHP Dynamics Carbon wing and the trick rear diffuser, this baby looks remarkably different from the OEM off-the-showroom-floor look. What’s unique about the wing is that it’s a first-of-its-kind that uses the gap in the trunk as well as pressure to hold it in place, even on-track. Throw in a roof wrapped with 3M Gloss Black and the Cyba 90mm titanium exhaust tips and you’ve got a recipe for pure blue brilliance.
Understandably with such fantastic body mods, the wheels need to match. As opposed to sticking with the OEMs, Xiang preferred to take it to another level with the luxurious HRE FF004s complete with an IPA Finish. These babies are static thanks to the Eibach Pro-Kit performance springs which lower the ride by about an inch and tuck the 19-inch wheels just right. Micheline Pilot Sports are the tire of choice and sized in 275/35/19 in the rear.
Of course, performance is always important and it’s quite crazy how much you can get out of a few basic mods and with only a Fabspeed Sport Cat downpipe, and a BMC drop-in air filter, he’s putting down a respectable 390 wheel horsepower. That’s with a dyno on a Bootmod3 Stage 2 OTS Map Tune. Incredible.
The interior hasn’t been ignored either and features those glorious Diamond Car mats with blue stitching as well as matching 3M 1080 Gloss Atomic Teal Trim wrap for the dash. Xiang has given it additional love with carbon fiber trim for the steering wheel and shift lever. All of the buttons have received attention as well thanks to the IND Red start/stop button and the M1/M2 button set.
“Don’t be afraid” is Xiang’s motto. When it comes down to it, he always believes that you should find your own way and just follow your own lead. Even better, do it in a BMW M2.
