In motorsport events around the world, you’ll often find at least one BMW on the list of participants. These BMWs are typically modified in various ways. However, there are individuals who believe that merely turbocharging a naturally-aspirated BMW engine is insufficient. One such person is Jimmy Giannoccaro, the owner of G&H Transport in South Africa, who has a racing background in Zambia. With both the financial resources and the experience, Giannoccaro has created something truly unique – a BMW Z4 with a Nascar V8 engine under its hood.

The project began with a roughly 10-year-old 5.7-liter naturally-aspirated Nascar engine imported from the United States to South Africa. The engine was then meticulously fit into the engine bay of the BMW. However, as the owner recalls, the car performed poorly last year, so they decided to start from scratch to improve its performance for this year’s Knysna Simola Hillclimb, the premier motorsport event in South Africa.

Among the modifications made to the Z4, the Americanized coupe was equipped with a sequential gearbox and a drivetrain borrowed from a BMW M5 to deliver power to the rear wheels. The engine was also converted from carburetors to fuel injection, which posed its own set of challenges. Additionally, the car’s brakes were upgraded to an AP Racing set with 15-inch rotors on all corners. The car now features luxuries such as a traction control system, ABS, and launch control, which were absent in the previous iteration.

The 5.7-liter Hendrick Motorsports engine is located behind the front wheels, effectively making the BMW Z4 a front mid-engine machine. Currently, the engine is limited to 7,500 rpm, but the owner plans to increase it to an ideal target of 9,000 rpm in the future. The car currently produces around 590 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque, which is commendable for a naturally-aspirated race car.

In terms of aesthetics, the team imported a genuine GT3 body kit from Germany, making Giannoccaro’s Z4 the first in South Africa to have such a appearance. It’s truly an impressive creation. After watching the video above, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.