The car you see here is the one-of-a-kind Carbon Coupe built by TC Kline on the basis of a 2006 Z4 M Coupe. A longtime racer, Kline considered the stock BMW too heavy, so he set about transforming it with lightweight parts. Most visibly, he replaced the car’s sheet metal with new bodywork in carbon fiber, which he designed to incorporate aerodynamic improvements and wider fenders. The latter accommodate 18-inch one-piece forged aluminum wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, outboard of large-diameter (345mm front, 321mm rear) Performance Friction brakes with four-piston calipers up front, two-piston calipers at the rear. Suspension is a TC Kline specialty, and the Carbon Coupe features his own Koni double-adjustable coil over suspension, front camber plates, and Delrin bushings in place of the standard rubber bushings. On the skid pad, the car recorded an astonishing 1.0g of lateral grip. A custom one-piece Recaro racing seat reduced weight in the interior, and Kline’s lightweight stainless steel exhaust system increased engine output by 12 horsepower.
The car was meant to be the first in a series of Carbon Coupes, but it was destined to remain a one-off after the bodywork molds were destroyed in a fire. Kline put the sole Carbon Coupe up for sale, and it was purchased by Scott Hughes in 2010.
“It’s an astonishing ride!” Hughes says. “I’ve auto-crossed it at the Performance Center, driven it in the mountains, and on the track at Road Atlanta. It excels in all parameters—crazy fast, and with faultless handling!”