In Accra, if you ever see a black BMW 540i cruise past you quietly, you might not think much of it. It looks calm, neat, and just like the type of car a businessman or a CEO would drive to work. There’s nothing loud or flashy about it. No big spoilers, no bright colours, no roaring engine sounds but behind that calm look is one of the most powerful cars in the city. It is fondly called ‘John Wick.’
This car started life as a standard 2018 BMW 540i. From the factory, it came with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine. It makes 335 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. It uses an 8-speed automatic transmission and is rear-wheel drive. In its original state, it could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. That’s already quick for a normal car. But this car is not normal anymore. Its handler has turned this regular BMW into something much more powerful. He upgraded the high-pressure fuel pump, added stronger turbos, replaced the downpipe, and installed better coil packs. He also runs the car on race fuel instead of normal petrol. All these changes have increased the car’s power to about 450 horsepower.
The engine in this car is a Gen 1 B58. This engine is known for being strong and easy to upgrade. Around the world, people have been using it to build very fast cars. In Ghana, people like Temps (the handler) are now showing what it can do. By building and tuning this BMW 540i, he is helping create awareness and interest in car tuning right here in Ghana.
What makes this car even more interesting is that it has no visual changes. It looks completely normal. If it were parked next to another 540i, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference but when it comes to performance, this one is far ahead. It has raced and beaten some of the most expensive and powerful cars you can think of. It has gone up against Chevrolet C8 Corvettes, Mercedes-Benz C63s, BMW F80 M3s, and even a Lamborghini Urus and emerged victorious. A car with a straight-six engine beating cars with V8s that cost much more remains amazing.
Except for the BMW M3, all these other cars have bigger engines. Some people believe that bigger engines are always faster. But this BMW 540i proves that with the right upgrades, knowledge, and dedication, a smaller engine can still win. Temps is not just racing for fun. He is showing what is possible and encouraging others to explore car tuning culture in Ghana.
This build is inspiring. It shows that you don’t always need the most expensive car to go fast. You just need the right platform and the right mindset. John Wick may look like any other car on the road, but it carries a powerful message that performance can be hidden, and sometimes the fastest cars are the quietest ones.
