Since 1994, the Need for speed series has captivated gamers around the world, uncovering hundreds of car makes, models and customs in each title.
But if you could choose just one vehicle that sums it up perfectly Need for speed – regardless of price, rarity and age – which model comes to mind, and why is it the BMW M3 GTR? Most searched in 2005…?
Okay, we’re jumping the gun here. Some of our more established gamers may be drawn to the Lamborghini Diablo Hot chase or Eddie’s R34 Skyline made famous in Underground. But whether you’re a novice or a veteran of this series, the BMW M3 GTR ’05, in its iconic blue and silver livery, will always scream Need for speed.
This particular car first appeared in Most searched almost twenty years ago; it is perhaps one of the best racing games of all time and a true pioneer in 2005. Such was its success and appeal that the now iconic M3 GTR made an appearance in, among others NFS carbon, No limits And Heatamong others.
That’s the association with Need for speed that it is estimated to be almost 75% of everything Googling ‘M3 GTR’ searches now take you to NFS-related content. But before we get into the NFS x BMW collab above, we first have to give you a quick overview of what makes the M3 GTR so special outdoors Need for speed…
The story begins in 2000 with the launch of BMW’s E46 M3. BMW and racing go hand in hand, so naturally the E46 M3 was prominently featured in the various European racing series, which immediately brought success.
At the same time, the M3 was also launched in the US, and since this market was one of the largest, the plan was to race in the United States as well. However, the American GT and Le Mans series were fiercely competitive, and the M3’s six-cylinder S54 engine was thought to be less formidable compared to rivals from the likes of Porsche, Chevrolet and more.
The solution? Instead, opt for a super-compact, super-light V8. The problem? This would classify it as a prototype rather than a production car, as the P60B40 V8 engine was not available in any E46 M3 at the time. So, to meet homologation needs, a small series of road-legal M3 GTRs were produced (albeit with a slightly detuned version of the P60B40).
Fun fact: this engine has… only once sat in the BMW M3 GTR street version; it has never appeared in anything else since.
We’ll have a full in-depth history lesson on the M3 GTR hitting Speedhunters soon, but it’s safe to say that the now V8-powered M3 GTR dominated. During the ten races of 2001 it competed and finished first or third in seven of them. That, of course, led to some unhappy rivals, so for the 2002 season the number of cars needed for homologation increased from 10 to 100, meaning the M3 GTR would be retired from racing… at least in the US.
Despite its relatively short racing career in the US, the M3 GTR made a huge impact worldwide and is still regularly celebrated over 20 years later. Even on BMW’s website dedicated to this iconic racerhis (later) appearance inside Need for speed is recognized as part of his continued acclaim. And that got us all thinking…
Because 2024 is the 30th anniversary of Need for speed – and the latest Part 9 update where a Most Wanted-style game mode – isn’t it time we made the most iconic NFS car a real reality?
Over the years we’ve seen a lot of great M3 GTR tribute builds from around the world, so this particular one had to be a little different. It couldn’t just look like an M3 GTR… it actually had to be one. And that’s no easy feat considering the limited numbers that existed in 2001, let alone 23 years later.
Fortunately, our good friends at BMW had a little trick up their sleeve…
What you see here is the #42 Team BMW Motorsport E46 M3 GTR, as driven by Jörg Müller and JJ Lehto in 2001. The same car that actually won the ALMS GT Series that season, with Müller winning the drivers’ championship and BMW Autosport first in the team standings .
A car already steeped in history, ready to make a little more in 2024. But before you start shaking with outrage over legacy and legacy, don’t worry; the original identity (in paint) still lives underneath – something you can see if you look closely at the new paint scheme.
Why this specific M3 GTR? Well, this is the actual M3 GTR that the artwork is said to have been inspired by Most searched in 2005. When BMW withdrew from the ALMS series, the M3 GTR continued to race in Europe until 2005, but these particular cars – although P60 powered – had revisions to the bodywork, aerodynamics and wheels.
Extra fun fact: In the Most searched box art, the M3 GTR sits on ADR M Sport wheels instead of the BBS RE594 wheels fitted to the race car. However, in the actual game he is back on the BBS racing wheels.
All this would not have been possible without the support of BMW and BMW Group Classic. The ask to transform such an iconic race car – even with just vinyl – seemed like the kind of request that should have been met with screams and desperation. But BMW accepted and embraced it Need for speed as part of the M3 GTR legacy and he was honored to bring car #42 out of storage for a makeover.
Why reveal it now? Except it’s the 30th anniversary of Need for speed, today is also the launch of Untethered: Part 9 – nickname Lockdown – where inspiration comes from Most searched and even includes the Custom M3 GTR ’05 along with 14 other iconic cars inspired by Most Searcheds Blacklist.
You can see the full overview of this mega update at by clicking on this linkbut there is also one last icing on the cake that we have to tell you about…
This is a real M3 GTR, but what’s the point of doing all this if it’s just going to end up being pushed back into storage? Well, from today until early January 2025, this car will be on display in its entirety Need for speed glory at the BMW Welt in Munich, Germany. For the first time you can experience the nostalgia of 2005 in real life.
It’s something very special, and it was extremely exciting to see it happen just in time for the Part 9 launch. Let us know what you think of the BMW M3 GTR and the Lockdown update in the comments below.
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