When the first generation of the BMW M3 was brought out, it wasn’t just customers who were enthralled by its exceptional dynamic abilities. It also caused quite a stir within the BMW Motorsport department responsible for its development, who saw it as the perfect means of transporting work equipment and parts around the premises of what is now BMW M Division near Munich. The only problem was that goods transport didn’t figure very highly on the list of the first BMW M3’s many talents.
It didn’t take long to remedy the situation, the body of a BMW 3 Series Convertible being transformed into a BMW M3 Pickup.
The first BMW M3 Pickup did not sport the original’s boldly flared fenders, as it was equipped with the narrower body of its regular, volume-produced sibling. At first it was powered by the engine fitted in the so-called “Italian M3”, which had a reduced two-litre displacement due to tax regulations there and an output of 192 hp. Later the team switched to the original 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower The BMW M3 Pickup truck went about its work around the factory premises reliably for over 26 years before finally being retired.
The BMW M3 Pickup’s long service life alone is clear evidence that the one-off versions being presented here are not mere gimmicks or engineering exercises.
Once the first-generation BMW M3 Pickup eventually started to show the first serious signs of wear after around a quarter of a century of service, it was time for a successor. As with the original, those responsible for its creation again opted for a convertible body due to the existing strengthening elements. To prime the public, spy shots of calibration runs on the Nürburgring’s circuit emerged in the run-up to the day, which served to fuel speculation about plans to build a production model.
And it worked. Reports from the time show that a good many journalists and bloggers took the bait and believed the rumor's. Even the official press release published on 1 April 2011 did not immediately set matters straight, first presenting the BMW M3 Pickup as the “fourth body variant” following the Sedan, Coupe and Convertible, before going on to say: “420 hp under the bonnet and a payload capacity of 450 kilograms over the rear axle take the BMW M models’ hallmark blend of racing-style driving pleasure and everyday practicality to a whole new level.” It also pointed out that the drag coefficient was only marginally higher than that of the BMW M3 Coupe, the car was 50 kilograms lighter than the Convertible and the 20-kilogram targa roof could be removed to further lower the center of gravity and therefore deliver even sharper handling dynamics.
It wasn’t until the final paragraph that the press release discreetly revealed the model in question was actually a one-off built for use as a workshop transport vehicle. Unlike its predecessor, however, it had also been licensed for road use.
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