What started as an April Fools’ joke has turned into a real BMW race car project.
What started as a joke has turned into a real race car. BMW is developing the M3 Touring GT — a competition version of its high-performance wagon — after overwhelming fan demand.
The story began as an April Fools’ prank. On April 1, 2025, BMW M Motorsport posted images on social media showing a supposedly in-development BMW M3 Touring GT race car.
The reaction from fans went far beyond expectations.
What began as a joke quickly evolved into something more serious. By late 2025, BMW decided to move forward with the idea for real. Engineers were tasked with developing a five-door body for the M4 GT3 EVO race platform.
Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport, emphasized how unusual the project is for the company:
“We’ve never had a project like the BMW M3 Touring 24H at BMW M Motorsport. My sincere thanks go to everyone who poured their heart and soul into this unique car and brought it to life. I’m excited — and confident that our fans, who feel closer to us than anywhere else at our second home, the Nürburgring, will be just as thrilled. I promise all the fans a fantastic show, and I’m really looking forward to the event.”
According to BMW, the car features several notable differences from the M4 GT3:
The BMW M3 Touring GT will make its debut this year in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
The driver lineup will include four racers:
The car will compete in the SPX class, where the “X” is believed to indicate an experimental or exhibition entry. That means it won’t directly compete against the BMW M4 GT3 EVO running in the SP9 category.