
High-Performance Excellence: BMW S55 Camshafts by 5150
If you're building a next-level F80 M3, F82 M4, or F87 M2 Competition, the BMW S55 Camshaft Set by 5150 AutoSport is your precision-tuned path to serious performance gains. Crafted specifically for the S55 engine—BMW’s formidable turbocharged powerhouse—this camshaft kit delivers substantial airflow improvements, sharper throttle response, and better mid-to-top-end power delivery.
What Makes These Camshafts Stand Out?
Aggressive specs, refined execution
Sporting 278° intake and 272° exhaust duration, plus 11.20 mm intake and 10.35 mm exhaust lift, this cam set offers a seriously “spicy” profile that unlocks your engine’s full potential.
Direct-fit for plug-and-play performance
Designed for seamless installation into S55-equipped BMWs, you won’t need massive overhauls to benefit from them.
Valvetronic & Dual VANOS compatibility
These components retain all advanced factory functions with proper tuning. And for builds with aftermarket throttle bodies, Valvetronic can even be locked open for even more precise control.
Built for both street and competition
Whether you're hitting the track or crafting an aggressive street car, these camshafts deliver the balance of livability and performance you crave.
Smart advice for longevity
5150 AutoSport strongly recommends upgrading valve springs during installation—even if your cams are mild—to prevent piston-to-valve contact during over-revving or mis-shifts.
Installation & Tuning: The Heart of Performance
Performance tuning is not optional—it's essential. 5150 collaborates with elite tuners like Halim of HCPerformance, offering calibrations that maintain factory-smooth idle and driveability, even with aggressive cam profiles.
Proper installation requires an experienced engine builder, attention to piston-to-valve clearance, and precise timing as per the provided cam card specs—not factory defaults.
Why Upgrading Camshafts in Built Engines Matters
In any high-performance engine build, upgrading the camshafts is one of the most critical steps in optimizing how your engine breathes. While pistons, rods, turbos, and tuning all play important roles in making power, the camshaft directly controls the timing and duration of the intake and exhaust valves—essentially dictating the entire airflow dynamic of the engine.
When you upgrade other components—like increasing boost, raising compression, or improving flow with ported heads or larger valves—you create the potential for much more power. But without the right camshaft profile to match those upgrades, your engine simply can’t take full advantage of them.
Performance camshafts are designed with more aggressive lift and duration to:
- Increase cylinder fill at higher RPMs
- Extend the powerband and improve top-end performance
- Enhance throttle response
- Match airflow requirements of bigger turbos or higher displacement
Stock camshafts are built with emissions, drivability, and fuel economy in mind—not peak performance. When you're building an engine with forged internals, improved cooling, or increased boost, upgrading the camshafts allows you to actually realize the gains your other components are capable of delivering.
Simply put: if you’re building an engine, and you’re still using factory cams, you’re leaving performance on the table.