BMW Italy Reveals One-Off M3 Tribute for Alex Zanardi

BMW Italy and the design studio Barromeo DeSilva have created a one-off M3 sports sedan as a tribute to the late Alessandro Zanardi, marking what would have been his 60th birthday on October 23 and the 40th anniversary of the M3. The bespoke car is based on the current G80 M3 and features a distinctive exterior livery and several custom interior details that reference Zanardi’s career and personal iconography.

Exterior livery and symbolic details

The exterior uses a reinterpretation of the BMW M colors, applied as a custom livery developed with Barromeo DeSilva. BMW highlights a pineapple motif — described by the company as Zanardi’s historic lucky charm — which was "reinterpreted for the occasion" through the car’s design language and "integrated into the car as a recognizable symbol of his positive spirit and his ability to face challenges with optimism and determination," according to the automaker.

Interior tribute and nods to BMW history

Inside, the one-off M3 features anthracite Alcantara upholstery with laser-perforated surfaces and a gradient treatment of the M colors that shifts from blue to red. BMW says the cockpit was conceived to pay tribute to the E30 M3 Sport Evolution, drawing a direct visual link between Zanardi’s era and the current G80 platform.

"Telling what Alex meant to BMW and all those who had the privilege of sharing a stretch of the road with him is much more complex. Because his memory continues to be extraordinarily alive," said Sergio Solero, President and CEO of BMW Italy. "Alex taught us that we are not defined by what happens to us, but by what we choose to do with what we have. This BMW M3 Tribute was born with precisely this spirit," he added.

Alessandro Zanardi was born in Bologna, Italy, on October 23, 1966. He raced in junior formulas and Formula 1, and won the CART World Series in 1997 and 1998. On September 15, 2001, he suffered a severe crash at the Lausitzring that resulted in the amputation of both legs; the incident preceded a second phase of his racing career. Zanardi returned to international competition in the 2003 European Touring Car Championship for BMW Team Italy Spain, became a BMW Motorsport driver in the FIA World Touring Car Championship from 2005 to 2009 with four overall victories, drove a Z4 GT3 at the 2015 24 Hours of Spa, won the Italian GT Championship in an M6 GT3 in 2016, made a guest appearance in DTM in 2018 with an M4 DTM, and competed at the 24 Hours of Daytona. He passed away on May 1, 2026.

The tribute project underscores Zanardi’s long association with BMW and its motorsport programs while preserving the factual milestones of his career.

For context, the current G80 BMW M3 Sedan is now six years old and received a facelift in 2022 for the 2023 model year, which included updates to the exterior, interior, and powertrain. The G80 range comprises the four-door sedan and a five-door Touring variant, the latter not offered for sale in the United States.

BMW’s published specifications for the G80 M3 lineup remain: the base M3 uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six with 473 horsepower and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.1 seconds; the M3 Competition, which BMW says remains rear-wheel drive in its basic form, produces 503 horsepower and is credited with a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.8 seconds; and the M3 Competition xDrive is all-wheel drive, with 523 horsepower and a stated 0 to 60 mph time of 3.4 seconds.

U.S. pricing quoted by BMW lists a starting price of $79,300 for a new M3 Sedan, excluding destination charges, options, and dealer fees. The M3 Competition carries a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $83,500, and the M3 Competition xDrive starts at $88,600. BMW does not offer the M3 Touring in the U.S. market.

Looking ahead, reports indicate a new-generation M3 with an internal combustion engine is expected in 2028, alongside a separate, mechanically-unrelated M3 Electric that is reportedly due in the coming months. BMW has indicated the next ICE M3 will likely continue with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six, perhaps with mild-hybrid assistance, though output figures are not confirmed; some reporting projects more than 600 horsepower to remain competitive with rivals from Audi and Mercedes-AMG. The next-generation lineup is expected to include both Sedan and Touring body styles, with the latter unlikely to be offered in the U.S. market. BMW’s larger M5 Touring is sold in the United States with an MSRP starting at $125,300, and BMW has said the facelifted M5 moving to the Neue Klasse architecture will continue to be offered there.