BMW M3 CRT gets first official footage

The engineers behind the German automaker's M performance arm have taken pains to dip their standard M3 into a vat of delicious carbon fiber, and the result is a lightweight version of the menacing sedan. Designed to show off the manufacturer's new carbon fiber technologies, the M3 CRT wears a CF hood that's as strong as conventional steel but with a quarter of the weight. The same methods were applied to the vehicle's seats.

The old muffler has been scrapped for a titanium unit, and lightweight Y-spoke wheels and brake calipers are part of the recipe as well. In an effort to trim fat wherever possible, the M3 CRT even wears less sound deadening than the standard model. BMW also reworked the vehicle's suspension with a more rigid subframe and adjustable coilovers, which means there's plenty of stick on hand.

That's good given that a 450 horsepower version of the company's naturally-aspirated 4.4-liter V8 sits behind the headlights. The grunt gets channeled to the rear tires via a seven-speed dual-clutch cog box.

We hear the very-limited-edition CRT will cost a mint (on the order of 130,000 Euros including taxes – around $185k U.S.), so don't expect to see any examples at your stateside BMW dealer anytime soon.