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Vic is one of those guys who insisted on getting the car washed before we shot it. We actually drove around looking for a place to wash it and finally the guys at Ferroli Motorsport were helpful enough. Thanks!


I offered to help but he was adamant I just stay put.


Once washed it was time for me to take it for a test drive and inspect... Here's my story...


If a car is a reflection of its owner’s personality, then this BMW E30 coupe is an absolute certainty. Vic Pardal is well known for his MC skills at multiple motoring events across the country and better known for being a presenter on the popular television show Mzanzi Ridez. A lover of all things motorsports his flamboyant personality is best shown in his drift machine doing one of motorsports most flamboyant disciplines, drifting.


The weapon of choice is the legendary E30 box shape BMW in 2 door format. Not your conventional “easy” Japanese choice, but in selecting the BMW box, Vic actually thought out of the “box”. What I mean by that is instead of going the M3 turbo or 1J turbo motor route; he opted for something much bigger. He went V8 bigger!


Speaking to Vic he admittedly says it was a mission to get a 740i V8 in the E30 engine bay, but anything is possible if you put your mind to it and with the help of BMW legend, Achmat Achmat this feat was ultimately accomplished.


The 4.0 litre V8 lump in front is connected to a M5 dogleg gearbox via a Spec 4 pad solid copper clutch and suits the purpose of application very well. It takes a bit to get used to when I drove it but I eventually ended up loving the unspoiled shift from 2nd into 3rd gear. But the thing that I love the most about this car is the torque. It has huge amounts at low rev which is normal from a V8 but very bizarre when you’re sitting in an E30. Driving it around Killarney I couldn’t help but give it the occasional throttle blip, just to hear that massive V8 bark at you via its 63mm side exit exhaust.


The interior is all business and has been stripped out and replaced with just the basics being a full roll cage, 2 Razor bucket seats with Autostyle harnesses, to keep Vic from falling out while going sideways, mandatory gauges, drift monkey e-brake and a very nice Sparco steering wheel.


Various modifications have been done to the chassis and suspension to accommodate the large V8. Antoine Auto Sport modified the steering rack for both space and good drift angle. The power is sent to the 325is diff which was naturally tweaked by Mr Achmat and gets smoked out via brightly coloured 17 “ E36 rims (redone by magnificent wheels) fitted with Kenda rubber(225/45/17). The car features a full Z3 suspension all round and E36 M3 calipers at the front and twin set E36 328i calipers at the rear. Firming up that Z3 suspension was left to Wildcat in the form of their X bow rear strut brace, front top and bottom mounted braces as well as a diff brace.


It’s difficult to figure out if one see’s or hears this car first. Its vibrant colour scheme is loved by most, myself included, but none more so than the little ones reminding them of the Smarties box in their sticky pockets. Kids adore this car, it’s small, bright, loud and it goes sideways! But the older generation will know that the paint/decal scheme, which was done by Signamillion was inspired by the BMW M3 GT2 art car by Jeff Koons, which was unveiled at Le Man a while back.


We hope to see and hear from Vic in the Cape soon, and we would like to wish him the best of luck in his future drift career. We know that his Smartie box is more than capable of playing with the big dogs, it’s colourful yet very humble and it has a big V8 heart, just like its owner.

RaceMasteR J

Smartie Box Spec Sheet:

BMW e30 2 door
740i BMW v8
M5 Dogleg Gearbox
Spec 4 pad solid copper clutch

Sparco steering wheel
Full roll cage
Equus gauges all-round
Razor bucket race seats
Autostyle race harness
Mono harness pads
Drift monkey e brake
Bosch 440cc injectors
Bosch high 6bar fuel pump
Modified intake
Gotech management system
Twin dictator modules
Achmat build branches
Achmat build 63mm exhaust
M3 e36 coil packs
Stock 4.0 Litre motor
Antoine Auto Sport Modified steering rack
Z3 suspension all round
M3 front calipers e36
Wildcat X bow rear strut brace
Wildcat Front top mount brace
Wildcat front bottom brace
Wildcat diff brace
Twin set rear e36 328i calipers
Achmat modified 325is differential
E36 17 inch wheels from 325i redone by magnificent wheels
Kenda 225/45/17 tyres
Aluminum spacers

Decals by Signamillion
Yellow Lamix headlights
Red smoked taillights
Body lightened
Rear STM touring wing
Fiberglass See-Dat Motorsport front bumper
Fiberglass 325is replica bumper

And a newly recently added NOS single fogged system (For Wade! - With love!)