Performance Stages
Street Stage (SS): Street & Track Stage (STS): Track and Race Stage (RS):
Increased responsiveness
from engine and suspension without major expense or
compromise to ride quality		 Further increases in all
aspects of performance, compromises in ride quality and comfort are acceptable at this stage. Still streetable---good driver school cars are at this stage.		 All possible
modifications are acceptable and desirable at this stage; still possibly streetable, but only by fanatics

E36 Performance

Engine Power:
BMW engines are highly evolved and efficient as they come to us from
the factory. It is virtually impossible to find substantial horsepower or
torque improvements through minor manipulations of a healthy,
well-tuned BMW engine. Big changes can only come through big effort,
big money, or both.

Minor improvements can be achieved through changes to the engine
management software---either by replacing or reprogramming the "chip".
Some engines benefit from installation of low restriction air filter housings,
especially in combination with some device that assures that only cold air
and not engine-heated air enters the engine.

See your specific car page for more specific
recommendations.

NOTE: the simplest way to get a major increase in PERCEIVED torque
is through a change in the differential ratio---again see the specific car
pages for specifics.

Engine Conversions
---are not for everybody, but for the select few, the really discriminating
owners, nothing less will do. For those not satisfied with the status quo,
not satisfied with "normal", bigger engines are the way to true happiness.

More modern or larger M50 engine conversions are particularly
recommended because of their smoothness, reliability, and performance.
They are further discussed under the conversions section:

Conversions page

Exhaust Systems

Stock exhaust: not bad, probably perfectly fine for most performance
applications.

Mufflers: performance exhaust systems are free flowing and not restrictive.
Factory exhaust parts fit very well and last a pretty long time. They are hard
to beat. Less restrictive systems are available, but are usually louder than
stock.

Further Modifications
Are available and plentiful----engine changes,
transmission changes, fuel injection, turbochargers,
superchargers, etc