BMW's sporty concept

BMW's baby could be going racing. As the powerful new 135i with a 225kW/400Nm 3-litre, bi-turbo inline six is due to reach Australia next year, BMW has lifted the veil on what an out-and-out motorsport-focused derivative might look like.

The BMW Concept 1 Series tii this week debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show alongside the new BMW M3 Saloon.

The Concept's tii badging harks back to the BMW 2002 tii from the 1960s and '70s featuring the Alpine white colour scheme, but with a modern twist in a visible carbon-fibre bonnet, black and white front-to-rear decals and blue trims. The front has been redesigned to deliver more air to the engine and brakes, the side sills have been remodelled and at the rear there is a carbon-fibre boot-mounted gurney-flap spoiler. It sits on 18-inch five-spoke alloys in dark chrome.

Alcantara abounds inside on the sports seats with body-colour white inserts, roof lining, door linings and instrument panel.

The instrument binnacle has a white rev-counter with red needle. There is no current information on the drivetrain or any plans to develop it for series production.

The new BMW M3 four-door Saloon, which also debuted in Tokyo, features the same 4-litre V8 engine as the two-door M3 Coupe, producing 313kW at 8300rpm, 400Nm of torque at 3900rpm and red-lines at 8400rpm.

BMW Group Australia managing director Guenther Seemann says they are evaluating the local sales potential of the M3. “If customer demand warrants we will bring the car to Australia. That said, it would be at least 12 months before this could be realised,” he says.

BMW sold a four-door sedan version of the E36 M3 during the 1990s overseas, but not here.