Are S65 Carbon Fiber Plenums worth it?
"Short answer: yes.
Long answer: it is the best driving experience modification on the M3 E9X.
I will stand by that - here's why."
- Matt
The S65 is a masterpiece: it is the heart, soul, and backbone of the E92 M3 - without, it may as well be another 335i with a few bits and bobs.
Yet, for all the glory written about the S65 V8, Germans subdued the experience with sound deadening as it aimed at building a GT car first. As 15 years are now gone, we value the E92 M3 for its rawness hidden right below its insulated coat.
The Carbon Plenum exposes the flattering charms, fierceness of the S65's character, and it does it with class.
Unlike an exhaust system: a Carbon Fiber Plenum has no drone, no booming. If you thought downshifts sounded good, you haven't heard anything yet.
You control the madness with your right feet.
The backstory to the connex iwth CarboProject.
As a Canadian, I didn't feel like spending 5,000$ on a complete carbon plenum as I was mainly looking for the added induction sound, the motorsport carbon look and additional finish options that other OEM style carbon plenums didn't have.
I started working my supplier network in Europe to find rare parts for my personal E92 M3. I ultimately got introduced to René @ CarboProject.
Learn more about the backstory to the Original German Connex here.
My unboxing impressions.
My plenum was in the 2nd batch of the original Group Buy. I opted for the Export version with M Power stickers, Gloss clear coat finishing and OE screws top.
Immediately upon unboxing the plenum as I received it from UPS air shipping in 4 days from Germany, one thing was evident: this was a quality piece.
The CSL style 2x2 weave pattern is perfectly aligned. The M Power stickers are under the clear coat and you can see no visible specs or dirt in the clear - this has been wet sanded and polished, a quality touch.
Pre-Preg & autoclaved carbon construction.
As I begun the installation and manipulated the plenum, I couldn't help but think the lid was flexible, and somewhat thin.
I was a carbon fiber beginner back then. René introduced me to the concept of pre-preg & autoclaved carbon fiber: the highest level of carbon fiber construction quality.
This will flex, but never crack. This is how the induction sound reveals itself in all it's glory - but I didn't know it yet.
My first drive impressions.
When I completed the installation, I went for a 250km drive down to Quebec City from Montreal.
"The entire driving experience is augmented."
7-6-5-4-3, 3-4-5, 5-4, 4-5-6 - I couldn't stop doing it.
My fingers were trigger happy, pulling the paddles at every occasion to discover new acoustics of the S65 across its entire rev range.
The induction sound volume is drastically increased, and the sound characteristics are changed from the OE plenum. The CarboProject Plenum in Export Variant offers a deep, bassy tone from the S65 and lets in higher frequencies, slight vibrations - not to be confused with rattles.
Continued Product Development
His carbon fiber plenum had initially been developed in 2007. As the community started adopting the product en masse, we provided feedback - and he listened.
The community feedback has helped improve the product with no-cost options such as Matte Clear Coat, Flat Top finish and the infamous Export version with the thinner, pre-preg, carbon fiber lid, intake elbow and front air ducts for improved induction noise.
Complete Air Intake Kit Introduction
René has continued to develop his OEM+ carbon air intake to now offer 2 configurations for a complete carbon air intake kit including the Intake Elbow, Air Filter Lid and optionally, the Front Air Intake Ducts (2pc).
Additionally, René is now willing to offer 1x1 weave pattern on complete carbon intake kits.
As far as I know, this is a first and I'm excited to see the first kits with it!
