PREVIEW

MARK WORGAN

BMW have turned an April Fools’ joke that featured one of their latest M3 estate cars as a top racing car into reality.

The prank captured widespread attention in 2025 when BMW fans were taken aback by the idea the BMW M3 Touring might take to the track.

However, the notion is no longer a joke, but is set to become reality at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2026, when a racing version of the vehicle - complete with impressive spoiler, - will compete.

The BMW M3 Touring 24H will compete on 16–17 May, providing a headline attraction for spectators at the “Green Hell” circuit.

The concept has its roots in the launch of the road-going BMW M3 Touring in 2022, when engineers at BMW M Motorsport began exploring the idea of a racing version. However, the decisive moment came in an unexpected form — an April Fools’ post.

On 1 April 2025, BMW M Motorsport shared images on social media of a supposed BMW M3 Touring GT race car in development. The post reached more than one million users and generated over 1.6 million views.

Buoyed by that response, plans were formalised in summer 2025. Within eight months, engineers produced the BMW M3 Touring 24H, based on the same technical platform as the BMW M4 GT3 EVO but derived from the body of the BMW M3 Touring. The car is 200 millimetres longer and, including its rear wing, 32 millimetres taller than its GT3 counterpart, while sharing identical technical specifications.

The vehicle has been designed with fans in mind, particularly those at the Nürburgring, where BMW M Motorsport maintains a strong following.

Its livery for preparatory races incorporates selected social media comments posted in response to the April Fools’ announcement, with a different design planned for the 24-hour race itself.

The car will be driven by BMW M works drivers Jens Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde, Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen. Entered by Schubert Motorsport, it will compete in the SPX class, meaning it will not directly challenge the BMW M4 GT3 EVO entries contesting overall victory in the top SP9 category.

Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, said: “A project like the BMW M3 Touring 24H has never existed at BMW M Motorsport before. Many thanks to everyone who put their heart and soul into this unique car and brought it to life.

“I am thrilled – and at the same time, I am certain that our fans, who are never closer to us than at our second home on the Nürburgring, will be just as excited. I promise all fans a great show and look forward to an event of superlatives.”

Discussing his new drive, racer Jens Klingmann added: “This is truly a unique project, and I am absolutely delighted to be a part of it. The fact that we took our fans’ reactions to an April Fools’ joke as an opportunity to actually make the BMW M3 Touring 24H a reality speaks to our closeness to our community and our enthusiasm for motorsport.”