The 2018 Paris Motor Show kicked off at full blast with many new cars unveiled during the first press day. Among them, the new-generation BMW 3 Series is taking all the headlines. Redesigned from the ground up, the German compact sedan is already available with a batch of new M Performance Parts, which BMW launched during the same event.

The purpose of these accessories is to enable you to customize your 3 Series and even get it to look very close to an M3 without the premium that comes with the performance sedan. The M Performance Parts bundle is mostly about visuals though, so don't expect any extra performance.

Sportier Exterior

BMW introduced no fewer than ten accessories for the vehicle's exterior, starting with a few black and carbon-fiber elements. For instance, you can enhance the looks of the 3 Series by adding a front splitter, rear spoiler, and rear diffuser made by the M Performance division. You can have these parts finished in either clear carbon-fiber, high-gloss black, or matte black. On top of making the 3 Series look sportier, these elements also optimize the air stream around the car.

They're made by hand, sealed with clear lacquer, and mirror-polished for a shiny look. Next up, BMW offers black decals with "M Performance" lettering for the side sills. Around back, you can opt for grey-tinted taillights with M Performance graphics on the side section, as well as M tailpipes made from titanium and carbon-fiber for high corrosion resistance.

You can also add different wheels, with four designs and two sizes to choose from, starting with the 18-inch rims with double spokes in matte black. If you like larger rollers, you can go with 20-inch wheels in either cross-spoke design finished in Jet Black and burnished or Y-spoke design finished in Ferric Grey Matte and gloss lather. The same wheels can be ordered in matte black.

Bespoke Interior

You can also customize the car's interior using M Performance parts. First on the list is an M-spec steering wheel with revised grip areas and larger thumb rests. There's also a red marking at the 12 o'clock position and silver-grey stitching. The standard shift paddles can be replaced by carbon-fiber elements.

You can match this with the carbon-fiber trim panel for the steering wheel. It also includes an Alcantara insert with "M Performance" lettering for a more distinctive look. You can add more goodies in the footwell of the car, including custom mats with M colors and leather-look sides.

Particularly useful on the race track, the system consists of an OBD stick that is plugged into the onboard diagnosis interface, and a smartphone app. Derived directly from racing, it supplies you with all important driving dynamics data, as well as extensive professional recording and analysis capabilities. You can also use it to record trips with a smartphone video camera, including cumulative driving data and route calculation using GPS positioning data.

BMW also provides M Performance holders for action cameras. These can be mounted to the front or rear towing ring or on the base support of the Travel & Comfort system on the headrest of the drive or front passenger seat.

Further Reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2019 BMW 3 Series.

Read our full review on the 2017 BMW 3 Series.