AC Schnitzer Topster

Tradition demands it - every (2) years, at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, as well as the many innovations in the AC Schnitzer special accessories range, a very special vehicle is presented. And 2003 is no exception: The Concept Car, the AC Schnitzer V8 TOPSTER.
The basis is the BMW Z4 3.0i, in which however "no stone is left unturned". The most striking optical feature is the enclosed bodywork, now 13 cm wider, in colours orange / cream.

The life-giving organ which was developed in record time as a one-off special in close collaboration with the BMW works team Schnitzer Freilassing, is the upgraded performance version of the 4941 cc eight cylinder, four-valve engine from the BMW M5. In conjunction with our technology partner, the engineers have equipped the V8 TOPSTER with special intake and exhaust camshafts. The cylinder heads have also been fine-machined, the compression raised to 11.5 : 1 and the control unit reprogrammed. To improve the exhaust gas flow, an environmentally-friendly special steel high performance exhaust system has been developed with twin chromed racing tailpipe trims in right and left combination.
In comparison with the M5, the power plant has had to be re-positioned in the engine bay of the Z4 basic vehicle and the entire oil circuit optimised, so it was necessary to modify the oil sump and oil pump. Finally, the air flow was improved. By means of new intake pipes and 2 air filter boxes, the entire intake tract could be optimised. These modifications have together resulted in the following performance figures:

http://www.netcarshow.com/ac_schnitzer/2003-topster/