BMW Joked About an M3 Touring GT3 Race Car. Now It’s Actually Going Racing

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.

• The post reached more than one million users.
• It generated over 1.6 million views.
• Engagement levels were several times higher than typical BMW M Motorsport posts.

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.

Comments and technical details

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:

• It is about 7.9 inches longer than the M4 GT3.
• It stands slightly more than an inch taller.
• Most other core technical specifications — including engine output — remain unchanged.

Racing debut

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:

• Jens Klingmann
• Ugo de Wilde
• Connor De Phillippi
• Neil Verhagen

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.