Originally born out of the company’s racing efforts, in recent years BMW’s legendary M division has taken on a broader purpose and meaning for the automaker. Vehicles like the XM SUV show that the M badge has effectively become synonymous with the pinnacle products of a given model line, but that doesn’t mean that enthusiasts have been left in the dust in the name of luxury appointments and avant-garde design.

Cars like the G80 M3 sedan and G82 M4 coupe continue to serve as benchmarks for performance throughout the auto industry, while the G87 M2 coupe offers a wide feature set and track-ready performance for roughly the same cost as a bare-bones Ford Mustang Dark Horse. And as Nick Martin of Dinan Cars notes, M cars are built to deliver on their performance promises time and time again.

“With these G-series vehicles, in particular, the S58 inline six-cylinder engine is just an incredible powerplant. It’s refined, it’s distinctively BMW, and it’s notoriously underrated from the factory. It also uses a closed deck design that gives it incredible strength, which in turn translates to excellent long-term reliability. Combine that with well-built cooling systems, a rigid chassis, and a performance-tuned suspension, and you have a great foundation to build from. We’re basically looking at all of the different areas of the vehicle where you might have a sub-optimal part for a performance application, and seeing what we can do to address that. But we also remain cognizant of the characteristics that attract enthusiasts to BMW products to begin with. Dinan-tuned cars still retain the elements that make a BMW feel like a BMW. That’s by-design.”

But for those who’re just starting their modification journey, it can be tough to suss out where to begin and what upgrades will have the greatest impact on performance. With that in mind, Martin offers us some suggestions for upgrades that deliver serious bang-for-the-buck value and will continue to benefit performance as the build progresses.

Note: The current-generation M2, M3, and M4 are all built on the same modular vehicle platform, so with the exception of exhaust system components (which are model-specific mainly due to variations in vehicle length), the majority of the upgrades we’ll be discussing here are applicable to all three cars.

Dinan Power Control Unit

Offered with either a two-year or factory-matching four-year warranty, Dinan’s inline tuning module offers gains in engine performance that you’ll definitely feel the first time you drop the hammer. Controlled via Bluetooth through the Dinan PCU app, the upgrade boasts plug-and-play installation as well as the ability to monitor real-time vehicle health, read and clear service codes, display customizable gauges and, of course, make more power.

“You can gain as much as 67 horsepower and 73 pound-feet of torque – at the wheels – with just this tune installed and dialed in,” Martin explains. “While adjusting boost levels is a major component of this performance increase, our engineers looked at twenty different engine parameters to determine where we could unlock some untapped potential without creating turbo lag or negatively affecting drivability. It’s also important to note that this is not an ECU flash – this is an inline module that is working in tandem with the existing ECU calibration to make changes dynamically. It’s easy to install and easy to remove, and it won’t void your warranty even if the car goes in for service at a Dinan-authorized BMW dealer with the PCU installed.”

Shop Dinan G-Series PCUs here.

Dinan High Performance Exhaust Solutions

Long seen as a way to increase performance through better engine breathing, today’s highly efficient factory systems don’t leave much on the table when it comes to horsepower and torque, but they do often leave a lot to be desired when it comes to sound.

“Like other automakers that sell their vehicles in Europe, BMW has to contend with European noise regulations, and those regulations have become very strict about the sound levels of factory exhaust systems,” Martin tells us. “And as a result, you have these almost over-suppressed exhaust notes that take away some of the character and emotional connection from the driving experience.”

Dinan offers two distinct exhaust system upgrades that help to address this issue while adding a dab of additional performance to the mix: the high-flow mid-pipe (at left) and the axle-back exhaust kit (below). Together these comprise a full cat-back exhaust system, but dividing these components into two separate upgrades offers enthusiasts the ability to enhance their exhaust system at whatever pace their budget allows for.

“These upgrades really transform the sound of the S58 engine,” Martin points out. “And all of our exhaust components are engineered to work with the OEM exhaust valves, so you retain the active features of the factory system, but with a much wider range of sound profiles.”

Made from 304 stainless steel and offered with either polished or black ceramic tips, the axle-back system is also lighter than its factory counterpart and provides quantifiable horsepower and torque improvements, but the main attraction here is that iconic straight-six bark. The mid-section upgrade, meanwhile, offers an affordable way for enthusiasts to ratchet up the aural drama without introducing a ton of annoying resonance into the cabin during steady-state highway driving. And since both of these components do not affect emissions hardware, they’re also 50-state legal.

Shop Dinan G-Series Axle-Back Exhaust Systems here.

Shop Dinan G-Series High-Flow Mid-Pipes here.

Dinan Cold Air Intake Kits

Like exhaust, intake systems are often some of the first components that enthusiasts look to for performance improvements. But while increased airflow can indeed provide a performance benefit, an intake’s design can profoundly affect its performance potential. Systems with weaker filter elements often pull in ambient air from the engine bay, which effectively makes them hot air intakes, and that can actually reduce performance rather than improve it. That’s not how Dinan does things, though.

“The basic principle here is that the more airflow you can get into the engine, the more power you can make,” Martin says. “Dinan intakes provide a 12 to 13 percent increase in airflow over stock, and the airbox volume is significantly larger than the factory piece. Importantly, it’s also a totally sealed system, which means that all of the air being introduced into the intake system is coming from the front of the car rather than the engine bay.” Available in gloss carbon or matte carbon finishes, this intake upgrade will also improve throttle response, add some induction growl to the engine’s soundtrack, and enhance turbocharger efficiency, all while providing an extra dose of eye candy whenever you pop the hood.

Dinan G-Series Suspension Solutions

BMW M cars have a reputation for finely balancing handling performance and ride quality, but there are some areas in the factory setup where enthusiasts can make significant improvements in the former without significantly compromising the latter.

“One thing I’d recommend right off the bat is the tension strut ball joint kit,” Martin says. This is a low-cost upgrade that will provide tangible handling improvements. Here you’re replacing the standard rubber bushings in the thrust arms with precision ball joints and machined aluminum housings. By doing that, you’re going to eliminate the deflection created by the factory bushings and restore more of the road feel that BMW M cars were known for in the past. Switching over to this ball joint kit, that we call "monoballs," will also reduce the toe angle changes that happen as the suspension compresses and rebounds.”

Martin also points to Dinan’s adjustable coil-over kit as another solid upgrade. Outfitted with model-specific spring rates for the front and rear, this system retains the car’s OE adjustable dampers while allowing you to set your ride height to taste, in turn providing the look you want as well as more predictable at-limit handling without significantly affecting ride quality. “What’s really cool about this system is that it includes these Dinan-spec progressive-rate bump stops that are designed to work with this lowered ride height, so you’re not introducing all of this harshness that you’d otherwise get if you simply re-used the factory bump stops. It’s a holistic solution.”

Shop Dinan G-Series Coilover Kit here.

Shop Dinan G-Series Tension Strut Ball Joint Kit here.

The Easy Button

While the ability to buy Dinan components a la carte allows enthusiasts to flesh-out their builds incrementally, some folks may prefer to do their upgrades all at once, and that’s where Dinan’s Foundation and Experience packages come in. Available with a factory-matching warranty, these packages bundle several proven Dinan upgrades together to take the guesswork out of the upgrade process, and they’re offered at a 10% discount as compared to buying the same components individually.

“The Foundation packages mainly focus on power with intake and exhaust upgrades, while the Experience packages combine both power and chassis upgrades,” Martin says. “Taking this approach gives customers the peace of mind that all of the included components are designed to work together to create a balanced, optimized package, so you avoid the potential pitfalls of ‘Frankenstein’ tuning entirely. If you’re looking to get that OEM+ type of experience from a modified BMW, this is a great way to get there without all the extra time spent scouring forums and enthusiast groups to try and figure out what parts work well with what other parts.”

Read more about the entire lineup of Dinan Foundation and Experience Packages here.

Shop G-Series Experience Packages here.

Still, though, he urges enthusiasts to kick things off with the Dinan PCU mentioned earlier regardless of their long-term goals with the project.

“Start with that, see how you like it, and go from there. For a lot of folks, that’s going to be the ‘gateway drug’ to the modification journey. Once you’ve seen how much performance potential there is in the vehicle as compared how it’s configured from the factory, the value of these upgrades becomes obvious.”