First Look BMW M3 Pickup Prototype

The BMW M3 Pickup is the first model in the 25-year history of the M3 that is equipped with a trailer tow hitch

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
Amsterdam Bureau
The Auto Channel

MUNICH, April 3, 2011. Last Friday, BMW’s successful sporty daughter M GmbH presented an exceptional prototype, the M3 Pickup. The M company has been active since 1972 and cranked out several prototypes that have never gone into production. The same will be the case with the M3 Pickup, which was developed to be the first high performance pickup truck.

The new prototype is not the first pickup from M GmbH. There was one in the eighties, but that was by far not so well executed as this new model.

The pickup was already spotted while testing on the Nürburgring, and presenting it to the media on April 1st, it may have been an expensive April Fool’s joke. But since the company’s philosophy is that not a singe M model will hit the streets without being tested on the race track, but that would be a costly one.

Dr. Kay Segler, the chief of M GmbH, pointed out that no M-model will hit the street without being tested at the race track. The M 3 Pickup even earned its road certification, making it officially a truck. But it will not go into production and only serves as a vehicle to haul wheels, tires and parts for the workshop at the Garching headquarters. The load bed is clad in aluminum sheeting and offers a load capacity of up to 992 pounds.

The Pickup has the same V-8 engine as the M3 Coupe, Convertible and Sedan models. With 309 kW/420 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque it easily reaches a top speed of 300 km/h, or 186 mph. It speaks for itself, that a car with the M –badge also has a special suspension set-up and has been tested in the wind tunnel. The Pickup’s aerodynamics are on par with that of the M3 Coupe, while its weight is some 110 lbs lower than that of the M3 Convertible. When the targa roof of the two seat cabin is removed, another 44 lbs is shed.

The M3 Pickup is the first model in the 25-year history of the M3 that is equipped with a trailer tow hitch. I am convinced, there will be many fans of outdoor sports that have to tow a trailer, that would love this sporty pickup to make it into production. Alas, there are no such plans.