Looks like Dinan bought an e46 M3 for R&D

[maw1124]

Ahhh, didn't realize APR and Dinan was under the same umbrella. I agree, I see zero coming out of this that is original or interesting, but as I said earlier, I'm happy to be wrong.

Neither did I... my Allroad sports an APR tune... looks like since 2017...https://www.sentinelpartners.com/sec...ID=7&linkID=70

"In August 2017, Driven acquired APR, the leading provider of performance aftermarket products for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles. APR is highly complementary to Dinan, which provides similar products for BMW vehicles."

Looking at those holdings, I suspect some tune and exhaust options are about the most you'll see out of this. Maybe an airbox but I think that's a stretch.

maw

EDIT... we might actually get another header option out of this. There's a lot of space between $400 and $2k to make a good, profitable product. I see no reason why FlowMaster can't make headers for these. If I was the PE group, headers, exhaust and tune would be first on the list.

[Obioban]

Given how many people run Dinan tunes, and that it's worse than stock, even just a functional tune from them would be great.

Personally, I was hoping for some innovative FCABs or RSMs, similar to how they were first with the spherical sealed monoball RTABs, but sounds like that version of dinan is no more.

[Obioban]

If you think Turner went downhill after ECS bought it, I wouldn't get my hopes up for this. "Driven Performance Brands, a portfolio company of Sentinel Capital Partners, designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance aftermarket products under iconic brands including APR, B&M Racing and Performance, Dinan, Flowmaster, Hurst Shifters and Hurst Driveline Conversions."

M3forum pushed the E46 M3 platform more than DINAN ever did. If fact in the early days, Digi-Tec seemed to offer more exciting products such as a CF Airbox, tuning, cams, coilover suspension, brakes, BBS wheels etc., basically how most people mod today.

That's not a fair bar-- M3forum pushed the platform forward more than ANY tuner :P

[Rich_lol]

Hope the focus on fulfilling existing orders. Been waiting on the exhaust for almost 6 months


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lagunaseca_Blau]

Looks like they’re just coming back to milk the biggest OEM mod community imo

[elbert]

If you think Turner went downhill after ECS bought it, I wouldn't get my hopes up for this. "Driven Performance Brands, a portfolio company of Sentinel Capital Partners, designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance aftermarket products under iconic brands including APR, B&M Racing and Performance, Dinan, Flowmaster, Hurst Shifters and Hurst Driveline Conversions."

Hmm, I was wondering why the Dinan E46 short shifter looked like a rebadged B&M.

[Obioban]

Looks like they’re just coming back to milk the biggest OEM mod community imo

… except Dinan isn’t oem…

[bigjae46]

I don't think Dinan even supports the same factory warranty match any longer? BMW's M Performance line has all but eliminated any factory supported aftermarket company. BMW also bought Alpina. The allure and value of a Dinan badged car is still kind of there I guess if it was done many years ago.

Dinan got into engine building - partnered with Ganassi racing and build championship winning S62s for Rolex Daytona Prototypes - won 4 in a row with a 20 year old engine design! Dinan had prepped S65s ready but the S62s kept winning. At the same time they were selling S65 and S85 strokers (a new thing). And then mid 2010's Rolex combined and made IMSA, Ganassi went with ford Ecoboosts, and Steve Dinan sold off Dinan but kept the engine building business.

Not sure what's come of the actual Steve Dinan...haven't heard anything from them.

But the Dinan name for new BMWs is kind of worthless nowadays. You used to pay more so you could mod a brand new M car and not have to worry about the warranty.

And the BMW enthusiast community has had a significant shift with the turbo engines. Even moreso with the B58 and the Supra. Is it a bad thing? It is definitely different...I think it's a bad thing. That's just me.

But I don't think the old Dinan model will work today.

[I M Legend]

Steve's latest gig:

https://www.carbahn.co/repair-servic...UaAsFfEALw_wcB

[cobra]

Maybe they will sell a $1800 spring and bump stop kit for it

[FCD46]

Time out, 2:36-2:43 sec.
it All makes sense now…

[mrgizmo04]

Steve's latest gig:

carbahn

Yep, he's hanging out a few miles away from me. I haven't been, but I know a few guys who have done suspension work and seemed to like him.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[tlow98]

Yep, he's hanging out a few miles away from me. I haven't been, but I know a few guys who have done suspension work and seemed to like him.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I met him there. Had a great conversation. He knew his market very well from a business perspective. Tough industry, but he made it work. If you want an OE+ feel and want all the guess work taken care of… then you’re their customer. But people on here, are not where his audience lies. Never has been. He’s after the showroom shoppers.

I came away from the 30+ minute conversation really impressed. Humble guy that treated his people well
from what I could tell.

[tlow98]

Neither did I... my Allroad sports an APR tune... looks like since 2017...https://www.sentinelpartners.com/sec...ID=7&linkID=70

"In August 2017, Driven acquired APR, the leading provider of performance aftermarket products for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles. APR is highly complementary to Dinan, which provides similar products for BMW vehicles."

Looking at those holdings, I suspect some tune and exhaust options are about the most you'll see out of this. Maybe an airbox but I think that's a stretch.

maw

EDIT... we might actually get another header option out of this. There's a lot of space between $400 and $2k to make a good, profitable product. I see no reason why FlowMaster can't make headers for these. If I was the PE group, headers, exhaust and tune would be first on the list.

Steve mentioned exhausts were hard to make profitable because of the space they take up. Shipping, storing and manufacturing (quality) was not always an easy problem to solve. Headers could be easier I supposed but those bulky 50lb rear boxes… yikes.

When I last touched base his big focus was tuning for turbo engines. They were looking for software/hardware engineers. This was 2+ years ago tho.

[maw1124]

Steve mentioned exhausts were hard to make profitable because of the space they take up. Shipping, storing and manufacturing (quality) was not always an easy problem to solve. Headers could be easier I supposed but those bulky 50lb rear boxes… yikes.

Makes too much sense; thanks. Of course, in a PE world, more real estate is never a bad thing. So we’ll see if that changes things any. FlowMaster is already operating on a much larger real estate scale, so that “space, shipping and storage” problem might already be fixed. Headers and exhausts for these might just be extra revenue with little to no extra cost in that business.

maw