Between the “tii” concept first dangled before our track-day noses at last year’s Tokyo motor show and the fully tricked out 123d coupe evolution of the tii packaging seen on the stand at the recent Geneva motor show, BMW is making it clear that we have something to look forward to that will hearken us all back to both the 2002 tii and rare 2002 Turbo.
We are disappointed to have to announce that whatever we do end up with will not involve a burning hot turbo four-cylinder engine, be that gas or diesel. Such a set-up would be truer to the tii spirit and it would be lighter and there would be tons of underhood room for aftermarket upgrades by shade-tree racers.


A German source with direct knowledge of the goings-on tells us that what is currently in testing is a stripped-out lightweight setup using the twin-turbo six installed in the 135i (as well as in the 335i and 535i). The engine will be set lower within the body work as well to bring the slight top-heaviness of the 3.0-liter twin turbo motor closer to earth, thereby immediately improving cornering abilities. No word on power output upgrades yet, but the acceleration number to 60mph is, according to our source, “pleasantly under 4.5 seconds.”
The cry for a tii/turbo-inspired track car, incidentally, has not only come loudly from the U.S., but just as strongly from our former overlords in the U.K. It is this U.S.-U.K. combo that apparently forced BMW’s hand in the matter, overruling the bean-counters’ sensible advice to not produce such a model. Sadly, however, the stunning carbon fiber hood on the Geneva 123d showcar will never be available from BMW directly.
http://news.windingroad.com/auto-news/bmw/bmw-confirms-what-we%e2%80%99ll-get-if-we-get-a-tii/