As we recently learned, AC Schnitzer isn’t going anywhere after all. After announcing in March 2026 that it would end production, the iconic BMW tuner then found a new home under AM Group. Rather than let nearly four decades of heritage disappear, the new owners want to give the brand a fresh start while staying true to what made it special.
Leading the transition is Imran Arshad, co-founder of Evolve Automotive and Eventuri, who has taken on the role of managing director at AC Schnitzer. He isn’t stepping away from his existing businesses, but promises to give the German brand plenty of attention over the coming years.
Arshad admits that some enthusiasts had started to believe the company had lost its way and was struggling to keep up with the times. He initially joined AM Group as a consultant to help with the acquisition and suggest ways to revive the business. The group eventually decided he was the right person to lead that transformation.
AC Schnitzer Is Already Thinking About Modifying The Two Future M3 Models
AM Group brings together several companies with complementary expertise. Urban Automotive contributes in-house CAD engineers and designers, while UBC operates a carbon-fiber manufacturing facility that supplies both original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket companies. GP Products, meanwhile, handles European distribution.
Combining those resources should give AC Schnitzer a stronger foundation for developing, manufacturing, and distributing its products. Arshad sees considerable potential in the brand, particularly by revisiting its heritage and adapting familiar design cues for modern BMWs.
Predictably, the M lineup will be central to AC Schnitzer’s renewed product strategy. The G87 M2 and G82 M4 are among the models receiving attention, alongside both versions of the future M3: next year’s fully electric ZA0 and its G84 combustion-engined counterpart, which should arrive in 2028.
Yes, the company will still work on parts for electric vehicles. Arshad points out that EVs are especially important in markets where high taxes on combustion-engine cars push people to switch to electric, so AC Schnitzer intends to develop aerodynamic upgrades for those models as well.
Existing products won’t disappear overnight. The company plans to retain part of its current catalog while gradually introducing redesigned components. Customers will continue to order through the AC Schnitzer website, but distributors will switch to buying directly from GP Products through a new business-to-business online portal.
Carbon Fiber And New-Old Wheel Designs
One of the biggest changes will involve materials. AC Schnitzer traditionally manufactured many of its body-kit components from plastic, but Arshad wants to increase the use of carbon fiber. It’s lightweight, strong, and better suited to modern performance-car owners’ expectations.
Wheels will also receive plenty of attention. Rather than abandoning its heritage for unfamiliar designs, AC Schnitzer plans to revisit some classic styles and reinterpret them for today’s cars. Arshad even describes the idea as a form of wheel restomod, bringing vintage designs back with a contemporary twist.
It’s an encouraging development for BMW enthusiasts who feared the end of AC Schnitzer would leave another familiar name in the aftermarket world behind. The badge will remain, but the ambition is to make it relevant again. And with people from Evolve and Eventuri now involved, the company has a management team that knows the BMW tuning scene from the inside.
Video: acschnitzer1987 / YouTube
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
