The Munich-based TPS Performance car specialist has been a KW Performance partner for several years now. Being a trained master car mechanic, Toni Tepenis still does the work himself to ensure outstanding customer satisfaction.
Toni worked for a VW/Audi dealership and later for BMW after completing his apprenticeship as a car mechanic or mechatronics technician. He also earned his master’s degree at BMW. So, it’s no wonder that most of TPS-Performance’s customers come to the Munich area with either a BMW, a BMW M, or a BMW Mini, as well as vehicles from the Volkswagen Group.
His family-run business has a small showroom and a workshop with two vehicle lifts. While suspension Jedi Toni works together with a Padawan (his trainee in the workshop), Toni’s wife takes care of accounting, marketing and organizes various track days.
Those of you who order a KW coilover suspension direct from a KW dealer, such as TPS Performance, and have it installed directly by these specially trained KW partners, benefit from an experienced and knowledgeable installation partner. They also can apply for an additional KW warranty (only available in Germany).
Furthermore, TPS Performance is also one of our special authorized KW Clubsport partners. Tony takes care of the suspension tuning as a technical partner of ZK Trackdays in Europe.
Upon request, Toni always gives sports car drivers setup recommendations for their KW Clubsport suspension.
We didn’t just go to Toni’s place to take a look behind the scenes. We had something completely else in mind in the most beautiful Bavarian beer garden weather. Toni has built a very special BMW based on an M2 Competition.
Sporty everyday usability and good performance during racetrack sessions are not incompatible, which is known by all of our KW Clubsport coilover enthusiasts. The TPS Performance M2 Competition C-TR proves this fact as well.
For example, AutoBild Sportscars editor Guido Naumann “hooned” the Hockenheim silver TPS BMW around the Sachsenring – a kind of small Nordschleife in Saxony, Germany – in May 2020. In combination with Michelin Sport Cup 2 (ZP) tires on lightweight HRE cast wheels, a KW Clubsport 3-Way coilover suspension and adjustable KW Clubsport rear control arms, AutoBild recorded a fast lap time of 1:30.93 minutes.
Because the M2 Competition C-TR is also used for everyday driving, comfort in the passenger cabin does not have to be sacrificed in any way. The entire range of comfort features remains on board. In addition, the interior was expanded with functional and sporty accessories. For example, an Awron data display was fitted, which was simply inserted into the air vent.
The Clubsport roll cage in the rear is from Wiechers. The two Recaro Pole Position bucket seats have been re-leathered. The seams are orange, as is the TPS logo.
BMW Motorsport hardware is used for the door panels. The Bavarian car manufacturer offers two interesting entry-level models in customer motorsport below the GT4 class, in the form of the BMW M240i Racing and the BMW M2 CS Racing.
By removing the rear seat and using numerous carbon fiber parts, such as the trunk lid, Krass Technik rear wing, hood, door panels, the lighter Recaro bucket seats, a two-kilogram Lite-Blox battery, and the Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, the conversion based on a BMW M2 Competition became slightly lighter than the series production model.
The car is now 51 kilograms lighter, even though no extreme weight reduction has been carried out. The two-piece TPS front splitter on the front bumper is also made of lightweight carbon fiber.
Similar to the BMW M4 GTS, the spoiler sword can be retracted and extended. The diffuser at the rear is from Akrapovic, just like the exhaust system mounted from the CAT.
On the other hand, the BMW S55B30 BiTurbo inline-six gained a few performance pounds underneath the painted carbon-fiber hood.
With the help of a revised and optimized intake system with Eventuri components, a water-cooled CSF intercooler package, and TPS software optimization, the engine produces up to 520 hp at a boost pressure of 1.3 bar (18,85 psi). The maximum torque is 680 Nm.
There is no doubt that the BMW M2 C-TR from TPS outshines the series with this setup. But the acceleration measured by AutoBild Sportscars from 0 to 200 km/h within 12.7 seconds (0 – 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds; with 510 hp) is not the only spectacular thing about the M2. This BMW can do even more.
While at our photoshoot HRE FF04 rims, in 19 x 9 and 19 x 10 inches with Michelin Pilot Cup 2 in 265/30-19, were mounted, Toni puts other shoes on the M2 for racetrack driving.
For the ZK Trackday at the Nürburgring, the M2 was equipped with R101 forged rims from HRE. Test driver, Alex Hardt, set a fast BTG time of 7:12.16 minutes.
During our visit, a KW Competition 3A coilover suspension was already installed for our photoshoot. This suspension kit is genuine motorsport hardware and, unlike our other KW coilovers, does not have a parts certificate.
But our KW Competition racing shocks aren’t for everyday use on public roads – or do you ride with a Formula 1 racecar to the grocery store? Toni also advises his customers to use our KW Competition suspensions only if the car is driven entirely on the racetrack. Our wide range of KW Competition racing applications is professional hardware designed for tough motorsports use.
A variety of car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Opel, Porsche and Toyota equip their customer sports racing cars with our motorsport dampers and suspensions.
Those who are seriously considering regularly participating in track days on race tracks with their everyday sports cars should use our KW Clubsport 2-Way or 3-Way adjustable coilovers.
On our KW automotive blog, you can find a small feature about a KW Variant 4 coilover (Street Performance category) with a KW Clubsport 3-Way adjustable coilover (Track Performance category). At first glance, both kits look like the same product, but they are totally different.
If you are looking for an experienced KW dealer like TPS Performance, just click on Dealer Locator on our KW homepage.
Images / Screenshots by KW (Eddy Paesschezoone), 1x SJ Exclusive, RingMoments, Videos Alex Hardt / TPS Performance, AutoBild, Words C. Schmidt
