Our August issue, hitting newsstands next week, features this stunning high-end BMW M6. Owner Nick Tonc of Sandy, Utah, loves his 2006 M6 dearly but emphatically saw the need for upgrading this luxury car from the prestigious German automaker.
Adding an aggressive stance to the M6, Tonc ditched the 19-inch factory wheels for a custom set of 22-inch HREs specifically made to fit this car. An Eiseman exhaust system was also installed from Tonc's performance upgrade list.
Tonc called on the guys down at Car Concepts to leverage their expertise in designing audiophile systems for exotic cars. Tonc insisted on incorporating some of his own personal taste into the design to ensure its individuality from other high-end systems riding around the streets of Salt Lake..
Tonc placed a heavy burden on of V.P. Ryan Goeller and installer Scott Doran with his requirement for the trunk design. Tonc wanted the trunk to be functional but also draw immediate attention when on display. Goeller had just the trick for this requirement. Goeller laid out the trunk with Doran with trunk panels made of fiberglass and MDF. All the panels were wrapped in smoke gray leather for a classy presentation. To add the "wow" factor that Tonc was looking for, the team integrated motorization into each of the equipment drawers. The drawers added a stealth look to the trunk by concealing the audio equipment when closed.
In their open state, two drawers located in the middle of the trunk each showcase an Audison Thesis amplifier. The Thesis amplifiers were chosen as the cornerstone of the audio system for their exquisite design and audiophile sound quality. The Thesis amplifiers send power to a pair of the MLK-3 component set's massive crossovers, located in each of the side drawers, and a trio of subwoofers.
Suspended over the amprack are a trio of JL Audio 8w7 subwoofers. Mounted to the rear deck of the M6 to conserve trunk space, the drivers fire off the rear window for increased SPL. To accommodate the subwoofer installation Doran removed the majority of the BMW's rear deck.
Pairing with a Thesis amplifier for front stage duties is the renowned Hertz Audio MLK-3. Confident with the midranges' off-axis response, Doran installed the 6.5-inch driver in the factory door location. Once home to a set of factory OEM tweeters, the sail panels were modified to accommodate the Hertz ML280 tweeters. Completing the MLK-3 is the ML500R ribbon tweeter. The ribbon's low profile made it an obvious choice for A-pillar installation.
Heading up the system chain is the OEM source unit. Goeller opted to keep the factory source since it functions as the brain of the OEM system. Removing the source unit would've rendered the BMW I-Drive system and its navigation function useless and a source unit swap would've been problematic, at the least.
Adding video to the system Doran connected a Nav-Tv to enable the ability to display video signal on the factory screen, which was originally solely dedicated to navigation. A video source selector allows for the toggling between the DVD player and iPod Knudson had installed in the glovebox. When Tonc throws the car in reverse, the aftermarket rearview camera displays the rear image on the dash-mounted screen.
Tonc's M6 is the ultimate example of a high-end performance car that's just as impressive on the inside as it is on the road or track. With the system lineup and creativity of team Concept Car, Tonc will be hard pressed to find another vehicle similar to his anytime soon in Salt Lake or the rest of the country, for that matter. For the complete version of this story, check out the August 2008 issue of Car Audio and Electronics magazine when it lands on newsstands June 17.