We know Motegi wheels look good on just about everything. From the usual JDM suspects and domestic hot hatches to Euro track rippers, we deliver the style and performance for every application. However, some builds still make us take a second look—cars with such deep cultural connotations and heritage that we can’t help but take a deeper dive. Alex Bernstein’s 2008 BMW M3 is one of those cars.
The E92 M3, in general, is that car. It ushered in a new era for BMW during its reign, followed an intimidating family line (including the iconic E46 M3), and lived up to its name. With these family genes, it gets down; it gets wild; it reminds us of what a proper sports car is made of. It’s got the torque and understated style for the streets, a practical ingress and egress, the power for straight line pulls and the handling for the track. The M3 just wins.
So, it’s no surprise that we love the way this looks. Real-deal contenders on real-deal forged wheels putting down serious lap times. And who better to give the new Motegi Millennium forged wheel a proper shakedown than a track guy with a decade of experience? Alex has been driving competitively for roughly 10 years, and he’s got the skills and car to show for it. His BMW M3 is built specifically for Time Attack with one caveat: it’s got to get to and from the track on its own power.
“I have specific rules. I like to drive to the track, so [the car] needs to be streetable. But all-out grip and time attack is the main goal,” says Alex.
We love the track-bred stance of the MCS 3-Way Remote Dampers on custom springs paired with the 18x11” +25mm Millennium setup. Alex opted for 295/30R18 Yokohama AD09 tires to keep the power to the ground and the car glued around turns—adding to the ultra-functional mentality of the build. It doesn’t end at just functional, though. We think the vented fenders, carbon fiber door cards, 3-piece spoiler and lip with canards also provide plenty of form. Other noteworthy mods include a full SPL Kinematic arm package, Drexler differential with 4.10 motorsport gears and a slew of aero.
“It’s pretty gnarly up front. But the purpose was all-out grip. So that’s what we went with.”
When it comes to a German sports coupe, we couldn’t think of a better wheel than the Motegi Millenium. This two-piece forged wheel features iconic split-spoke styling and a stepped lip—timeless style cues that have always resonated with BMW vehicles. Alex opted for Motegi’s classic Matte Bronze finish, further accentuating the Bavarian body lines and racing heritage.
“I really love that classic mesh design with that big lip. We modernized it a little bit with the bronze matte finish. I just think they complement the car and have really cool motorsports roots while keeping it fresh and new.”
On the track, having the strength of a forged wheel is a must. High-speed cornering takes its toll on wheels and superior rigidity will help combat flex and safeguard against wheel failure. That’s why each Motegi forged wheel is constructed from forged 6061-T6 aerospace-grade aluminum—offering an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and reduced rotational mass and unsprung weight.
The Millenium also excels in steering and handling feel. The lightweight design and inertia-absorbing construction provide a great handling experience guaranteed to maximize your performance and instill driver confidence. While performance is paramount, driver confidence is embedded in our philosophy. Each Motegi Forged wheel undergoes rigorous development and extensive fatigue testing—guaranteeing a robust construction built to handle the abuse of the track.
Name: Alex Bernstein
Car: 2008 BMW M3
Wheel: Motegi MF417 Millennium 2-Piece Forged
Size: 18x11” +25mm squared setup
Finish: Matte Bronze
