The Unicorns, E30's and drifting - Nasty Unicorn Crew

In this rather standardized world, seeing some unusual solutions and positive craziness is always nice. And there's probably no better area than drifting to express all those crazy ideas and have a lot of fun in the process. For 6 years now, Samsonas Motorsport's gearboxes have been traveling to the west of Austria, where they are used by the Nasty Unicorn Crew in their famous, colorful, and legendary BMW E30, creating lots of good vibes when they show up and burn some rubber. We could not resist the temptation to find out more about this crew and share the story Karl Schaber told us.

How did the Nasty Unicorn Gang come about and how did it develop?

We are a Drift- and Motorsports Club from Austria – Tyrol. We are a group of car addicted guys who started wet drifting with old BMW’s back in 2015. The Nasty Unicorn itself was born one day when we mounted a plush unicorn on our rear spoiler with cable ties. We have always tried to walk the fine line between craziness and professionality, which we think we do quite well. Meanwhile we are a great community, addicted to cars, drifting and fast things. Our cars get faster and stronger with every year and meanwhile we get booked for drift shows, competitions and events, which is great because we get to do exactly what we love to do... drifting and having fun. 

Karl Schaber with his BMW E30 565 hp 5.0l V10

Why are your unicorns mainly on the in E30 chassis? What is the reason for this choice?

We simply love this timeless shape and the character that this model brings with it. We also have a lot of great memories when we were younger. Of course, if you want to be competitive in the competition sector, the E30 is probably not the right choise, but we love it, so we have to deal with it. We finish our first real competition car for the 2025 Season at the moment. Of course a E30 with a 2JZ Engine and of course a Samsonas gearbox – so we will see how competitive we and our E30 will be next season.

Why drifting?

Because one day we took a wrong turn and once you’ve passed it there is no going back. It’s like an addiction, once you’ve driven sideways you want more.

There are some very interesting swaps in your BMW pack, like really big engines in quite small E30s. Why is that?

Thanks, I think when drifting you can never have enough power, you are always searching for more, at least until now. In addition, you always want to improve and often dream of crazy, unique conversions. Also doing swaps were people told you it’s not possible drives us sometimes.

BMW E30 565 hp 5.0l V10

Are there perhaps some special features or unusual solutions in those cars?

I think the whole cars are an unusual solutions. You have to solve a lot of problems which would never appear in normal operation because drifting is extremely demanding on material.

BMW E30 565 hp 5.0l V10

When and why did the Samsonas gearbox find its way into your BMW’s? What were your first impressions during the first test drives?

We bought the first Samsonas gearbox back in 2018. We never tried one before and got addicted immediately. Why did we buy a Samsonas gearbox? Because our role models used it and we were told it was the best. And we did not got disappointed - for me, after using it for many years, it’s just great. In addition I would like to mention, the incredible service that Samsonas offers – simply great!!! INCREDIBLE support. You feel like your best friend sold you a incredible gearbox.

BMW E30 670 hp Competition

Where do the unicorns appear, where do they drive and how do they perform overall?

Last season mainly at fairs, race tracks and events in the show sector. Next season we will also be in the professional competition area for the first time. However, our main event will be once again the Customized fair in May 2025 in Salzburg, where you can buy a passenger seat at an auction for a good cause.

What do the Star elements in the descriptions of the Nasty unicorns mean?

We always talk about star dust and special things because unicorns are magic! We also have no abrasion in the engine oil - just stardust! (just kidding -  we use star elements as synonyms for working hours)

BMW E30 565 hp 5.0l V10

Engine swap BMW M5 V10 5.0 liters

GFK body

1,185 kg lightweight construction

Sequential Samsonas gearbox

hydraulic handbrake

safety cell

Hi Spec 6 piston brake system

compression rebound adjustable coilover suspension

BMW E30 286 hp 4.0 l V8

V8 Engine Swap

GFK body & body kit

plastic lightweight glazing

fully adjustable motorsport rear axle

roll cage

racing safety tank

Hydraulic handbrake

short shifter

steering angle extension 65 degrees

Water cooler in the trunk with electric water pump

BMW E30 670 hp Competition

950 NM | 670 HP

2JZ Toyota Supra engine

GFK body & body kit

Sequential Samsonas gearbox

plastic lightweight glazing

fully adjustable motorsport rear axle

FIA safety cell

FIA racing safety tank

Hydraulic handbrake

short shifter

steering angle extension 70 degrees

Stand-alone electric power steering

Water cooler in the trunk with electric water pump

BMW E46 870 hp 4.6l V8

Bi-Turbo conversion

ethanol fuel

Alpina engine

GFK body

1,300 kg lightweight construction

plastic lightweight glazing

fully adjustable motorsport rear axle

safety cell

racing safety tank

Hydraulic handbrake

short shifter

steering angle extension 65 degrees

Stand-alone electric power steering

Water cooler in the trunk with electric water pump

Water-cooled intercooler with external cooling circuit

Photos and videos by Manuel Zoller