BMW is no stranger to developing special edition models, especially when it comes to the M3. Look through the lineup of M3 variants that Bavaria has released over the years and you’re going to see some especially notable special edition models. This year alone, a handful of SE M3s have been released, specifically the "30 Years M3" Edition, the M3 30 Jahre Edition, and the M3 “Münchner Wirte.” Well, it’s December now, but apparently, BMW isn’t done with these special edition M3s just yet. A collection of special edition M3s have made their way to Singapore. Collectively, they’re called the BMW M3 Heritage Collection, although individually, the model formally goes by the name “BMW M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition I.”

Name notwithstanding, the Heritage Collection is defined by three unique color schemes that will be exclusive to the special edition model. An assortment of other goodies are also included in the Heritage Collection, from exterior and interior upgrades, a new set of wheels, and most significantly, power and performance enhancements befitting a special edition M3.

There is a caveat that comes at the expense of the Heritage Collections' uniqueness and exclusivity. It’s only going to be offered in Singapore and is limited to 30 units total, 10 models for each of the three color schemes. Worse, each model comes with a staggering price of S$408,800, which converts to a mind-blowing $287,877.

FYI, that’s more than what you’re going to have to pay for cars like the Ferrari 488 GTB, McLaren 650S, and Lamborghini Huracán here in the U.S.

Continue after the jump to read more about the BMW M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition.

2017 BMW M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition

Specifications
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  • Model: 2017 BMW M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition
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What makes the BMW M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition so special

With so many special edition M3s already in existence, BMW decided to distinguish the Heritage Collection by throwing splashes of unique colors to the car and adding a bevy of interior and engine upgrades to go along with it. Sounds like a plan!

First, let’s look at the three unique color schemes of the special edition M3. There’s Daytona Violet Metallic, Dakar Yellow II, and British Racing Green. I like Daytona Violet Metallic the best, but the two other colors are also unique in their own respective ways. Complementing the three color finishes are the exterior add-ons that are part of BMW’s Competition Package. Since the M3 Heritage Collection has the package as a standard feature, expect the Singapore-exclusive M3 to feature a black chrome finish for the exhaust, a new set of 20-inch M alloy wheels, and a high-gloss Shadow Line exterior trim that BMW took from its own BMW Individual catalog.

Note: Photo of the BMW M3 "Münchner Wirte"

The exterior features of the M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition are fresh, but compared to the other recent special M3s, they’re subtle by comparison. Remember the one-off M3 M3 “Münchner Wirte” (translated as “Munich hosts”) that the German automaker created to celebrate its is a one-off creation that celebrate’s BMW’s motor racing history and it’s long and esteemed history with Germany’s third largest city? The body of that M3 was decked in designer Walter Maurer’s Munich-inspired livery, with the blue-and-white twisted cords all twisting all over the car serving as its most prominent feature.

Note: Photo of the BMW M3 "30 Years M3" Edition

If you’re looking for a more suitable comparison, the M3 “30 Years of M3 Edition” come with comparably unique exterior features, right down to the choice of using an exclusive Macao Blue Metallic paint finish on the performance sedan.

Okay, so let’s move to the interior of the M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition. Don’t expect too many notable upgrades here, but BMW did make sure to add a same-color trim and laser engraving on the carbon fiber trim found on the dashboard and door sills, denoting the model’s Heritage Collection name and it’s limited availability just in case the owner wants to remind those riding in his M3 that his M3 isn’t bone-stock. The Competition Package also makes an appearance in the cabin, specially package features like the M sports seats and the seat belts that come with woven-in stripes of the model’s exclusive color scheme.

The interior upgrades are similar to what BMW did to the “30 Years of M3 Edition.” That version also received the same interior upgrades from the Competition Package, as well as its own commemorative "30 Years M3" logo found in the exact same locations as the Heritage Collection badging. The “30 Years of M3 Edition” does have an interior styling advantage in the form of an exclusive full leather Merino trim from BMW Individual. The standard upholstery comes in a two-tone Black/Fjord Blue, although customers did also have an option to go for a more sophisticated Black/Silverstone combination.

Outside of the exclusive color schemes being offered by BMW, the M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition’s biggest feature is the Competition Package. The exterior and interior upgrades included in the package have already been mentioned, but the most significant upgrade can be found at the heart of the M3’s 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine. As part of the Competition Package, BMW made some software upgrades to the six-banger, dialing up the engine’s output to a robust 444 horsepower, an increase of almost 20 horsepower compared to the stock M3. Torque numbers do remain at 405 pound-feet, but the slight increase in power is accompanied by BMW’s Adaptive M suspension, to go with new springs, dampers, and stabilizers. All together, these new components help accommodate the improved performance numbers of the M3, which now translates to a 0-to-62-mph time of four seconds flat, a tenth-of-a-second quicker than the standard M3.


It may not come as a surprise then that the 30 Years of M3 Edition also came with the same set of upgrades, courtesy of the Competition Package. The output numbers are all the same too, which ultimately tells you the similarities between the M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition and the 30 Years of M3 Edition. It’s all because of the Competition Package!

Make no mistake, though, the M3 Heritage Collection and the 30 Years of M3 Edition do have their differences and outside of the exterior colors, none is more significant than the price tag of each model. Whereas the 30 Years SE fetched a price tag just short of €100,000 (barely above $106,000), the M3 Heritage Collection’s converted-to-USD price of $287,877 is tantamount to highway robbery. Unfortunately, that’s about the only downside to the car being exclusive to Singapore, a country that’s known for slapping absurd tax figures for premium automakers.

Then again, the former British colony is one of the most affluent countries in Asia, so even with the staggering premium attached to the M3 Heritage Collection Singapore Edition, those who want the car bad enough and have the finances to get them should have no trouble securing one of the 30 units that are being made available by BMW.