Well that didn’t take long.
German carmaker BMW has wasted absolutely no time in introducing its new line of M Performance upgrades for its brand-spanking new G20 3-Series, saying that the motorsports-inspired parts and upgrades allow owners to “systematically enhance the sports feel of their 3-Series” which, in theory, should make it a hoot.
The 3er’s M Performance parts begin with the usual aesthetic stuff dotted about the exterior. 10 outside add-ons can be had in either matte or gloss black, or carbon fibre. These items include the front splitter, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, mirror caps, and side skirts. You’ll also find M Performance exhausts out back which feature a material mix of carbon fibre and titanium, which should offer strong resistance to corrosion.
Alloys are (of course) available in 4 different designs, in either 18-inch or 20-inch varieties, with the smaller 18s made for more challenging weather conditions (according to BMW), while the larger wheels would be more suited to optimal driving conditions. Should you choose to swap your wheels out from time to time, BMW M Performance will now offer you tyre bags that will also make your garage feel sportier (they say).
Behind those alloys like M Performance 18-inch brakes, replete with red four-piston callipers. More than just show, the brakes offer “considerably enhanced deceleration performance,” and are larger, perforated, and grooved for better braking and better brake-cooling.
Step inside and the first thing you’ll notice is the M Performance steering wheel. Designed with performance in mind, the unique steering wheel offers distinct grip areas, large thumb-rests, silver contrast cross-stitching, and a red centre mark at the 12-o’clock position. The shift paddles behind the wheel can be optioned on in carbon fibre, while the wheel itself can be trimmed in Alcantara for better grip. More carbon fibre can be added via the various trim-pieces throughout the interior, but that’s probably more for show than any notable weight savings.
The footwells can be had with M Performance motifs, while the seats feature a discreet M-flag motif.
M Performance also now offers the option to record driving data for the 3er, which will be particularly helpful should owners ever find themselves on the track. Plugging into the OBD, the M Performance Drive Analyser records a range of data that can then be called up via a smartphone app.
Interestingly this time around, M Performance has introduced something really new: Mounts for action cameras. The mounts at the front and rear hitch into the towing eyes of the G20 3-Series, and allow for shots facing forwards and rearwards. For interior shots, the M Performance camera mount snaps into the bottom of the Travel & Comfort system on the headrest. Here, the camera can be moved 360º degrees to capture a wide variety of shots.
The cherry on the top of this M Performance sundae is the LED puddle lights hidden in the external mirrors, which can now be fitted with an LED that projects the M logo or any other M Performance graphic onto the ground. You can also go one step further and specify your key fob with carbon-fibre inserts or an Alcantara key cover, though we can’t imagine the milligrams saved there will make much of a performance difference.
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