Racing for pinks? Need for Speed: Most Wanted’s legendary M3 GTR is built for real

Published: 04 December 2024

► BMW works with EA to recreate Need for Speed hero
► M3 GTR built to exact spec in the original game
► Built to celebrate 30 years of NFS

BMW has joined up with Electronic Arts, a huge video game publisher responsible for the Need for Speed video game series, to recreate an iconic car from the franchise.

This M3 GTR has been built as a one-off to celebrate 30 years of NFS and, conveniently, the game the M3 GTR is originally from – Need for Speed: Most Wanted – marks its 20th birthday in 2025.

The exacting recreation includes the gamer-famous livery, as well as the wild race-spec bodykit, enormous rear wing and ultra-wide stance the car in the game had. Even smaller details feature, like the pair of twin sidepipes and bonnet ducts.

Under the skin is a P60B40 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 developing around 443bhp, and BMW M engineers say the real car is capable of a 161mph top speed. It also clocks in a bantamweight 1100kg, likely thanks to an entirely stripped-out and race ready interior.

The M3 GTR built to game spec is based off an actual E46 M3 GTR used in the American Le Mans Series a car, driven by Jörg Müller, that won seven out of 10 races in ALMS series in 2001. In order to qualify for ALMS, BMW had to manufacture a set of M3 GTR Strassenversions that were homologated for road use.

In the original Need for Speed: Most Wanted game, the car is originally the player’s as you move to a new city. After a rigged race ‘for pinks’ (whereby you would race for the other party’s pink slip – the registration document for the car) by the game’s antagonist, Clarence Callahan (also known as Razor), it was unfairly stolen from you. The main challenge for NFS: MW was to start from scratch with a new car (or cars) and race your way to the top of the pile to get your car back from Razor. It’s arguably become the most memorable car from Need for Speed, and still seen as a hero car for racing gamers everywhere as it represents the peak of the whole NFS series.

The real one is now on display at BMW Welt in Munich, allowing fans to get up close to one of the most iconic racing game cars of all time.

By Jake Groves

CAR's deputy news editor, gamer, serial Lego-ist, lover of hot hatches

Comments