The gendarmes were first intrigued by the noise emitted by the car as well as its appearance, while it was driving on the A12 motorway. During the subsequent inspection, on March 8, 2022 around 4:30 p.m., sound measurements showed that this BMW M2 was emitting approximately 7 decibels too much. In addition, the police noticed that the car no longer had catalysts and that the engine light was on, “which could result from an increase in engine power”, explains the Friborg Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
The vehicle was therefore sequestered, in order to subject it to more in-depth technical examinations. And the report from the Dynamic test center in Vauffelin (BE) was worrying to say the least. The power of this sports car, which is already around 400 horsepower depending on the year of manufacture, had been increased by 29.3%. In addition, “two out of four catalysts had been removed and replaced by tubes. The other two had been cut up, emptied of their active material then re-welded,” explains the MP.
Concerning the noise, if the 7 dB too much (i.e. 95 dB) was initially confirmed, the technicians discovered that the “Sport+” mode made it possible to open the valves. The measurements then rose to 130 dB, “which is comparable to the takeoff of a jet plane,” continues the MP. In addition, the exhaust system had been modified, the taillights tinted, the hood changed and the brake discs cracked. “In these circumstances, the vehicle in question no longer corresponded to its approval and no longer complied with the requirements.”
Interviewed, the driver, a 27-year-old Portuguese man, explained that the vehicle did not belong to him, the owner was in reality his friend, a 30-year-old Portuguese woman. The man was therefore fined 800 francs for driving a defective vehicle, for a total of 1,147 francs, including fees. His girlfriend was also fined 800 francs, but with the fees, in particular the expert’s fees, the painful amount for her was 4,275 francs. Finally, the BMW M2 will have to be brought up to standard and undergo a new assessment before being able to return to the road.
