BMW has tried to make the M3 G81 as close as possible to the equivalent G80 sedan but there is one glaring omission. The first-ever Touring variant of the M3 is not available with a carbon fiber roof. Why is that the case? We asked the M division back in June 2022, shortly after the car was officially revealed, why the long-roof M3 lacks this lightweight panel.

Their answer was the Munich plant in Germany where M3s are made would’ve required significant retooling but that wasn’t worth the hassle as BMW M projected the high-performance would be a niche model. That turned out to be untrue as we recently learned production has been doubled, if not tripled, compared to the original plan, to keep up with the huge demand. You still can’t order the G81 with a carbon roof, but the aftermarket specialists at R44 Performance have built just that.

Located in the United States where the M3 Touring is sadly not available due to high homologation costs, this M3 Touring is being modified to attend this year’s SEMA show scheduled for October 31 – November 3. Wrapped in khaki green and fitted with an aggressive body kit, the car also has yellow daytime running lights like the M3 CS and M4 CSL. It rides low on an air suspension combined with Vossen wheels and EBC brakes. However, it’s the roof that stands out the most.

You’ve likely seen your fair share of modified BMW M cars but how often does a tuner decide to chop off its roof? R44 Performance worked with Alpha N to source the carbon panel with a glossy finish while IND Distribution installed it. A closer look at the panels reveals the two lines going across almost the entire length of the roof to mimic the panel BMW installs on the M3 G80. The timelapse video gives us an idea of the amount of work invested to replace the roof and seal it back again.

There’s a juicy rumor about BMW already testing an M3 CS Touring but the amped-up derivative has yet to be approved for production. If green-lighted, it would only make sense to give it a carbon roof straight from the factory.

Source: R44 Performance / YouTube